Skinnyski Race Team Weekend Recap
By Margaret Adelsman
January 28, 2003
Another great weekend of racing on REAL snow! In spite of the
cold temps, Skinnyski.com team members took advantage of a variety
of races being offered across a wide section of the Midwest,
from the NW Minnesota hills of Rainbow Resort, to the NE Minnesota
forests of Grand Rapids, and across to the famous Noquemanon
point-to-point event, crossing from Ishpeming to Marquette,
Michigan. The theme seemed to be "One-Two," with Jay
Richards, Maria Stewart, and Margie Nelson capturing top spots
in their events, and Brian May, Per Nelson, and Grant Nelson
each grabbing the 2nd position in their respective races.
Race Team Results
Jan 24 Noquemanon
Brian May 2nd male 51K freestyle 02:43:25
Maria Stewart 1st female 25K freestyle 01:17:50
Jan 24 Grand Rapids Vinterloppet
Per Nelson 2nd male 12K classic 00:48:33
Margie Nelson 1st female 12K classic 00:52:31
Grant Nelson 2nd male 24K freestyle 01:17:01
Jan 24 Rainbow Rendezvous
Jay Richards 1st male 10K freestyle 00:27:59
Team Member Report
Noquemanon Report from Maria Stewart
Real snow. What a strange concept! My trip to Marquette,
Michigan for the Noquemanon brought me face to face with
several feet of real snow. This was the first time in about
a month that I could enjoy white fluffy powder, and it made
my half marathon race even more enjoyable.
This year I competed in the National Ski Hall of Fame
Half Marathon in the skate technique. I am the defending
champion of the half marathon in the classic technique from
2003, but I decided to switch this year to try something
different. The half marathon is a unique point-to-point
race in which the trail drops about 1000 feet. Many people
joke about the phrase �Its all downhill,� but it really
is! Last year, the Noquemanon Trail Network continued grooming
the half marathon course for the remainder of the winter,
and it became my favorite skiing venue in Marquette. I skied
on the Noque trail most of last winter, and every time I
skied, it took me longer to ski away from Marquette than
it did to return to Marquette. I think that proves the trail
goes downhill into Marquette, but enough of the downhill
controversy�
Saturday turned out to be colder than I anticipated,
with the temperature only reaching seven degrees at my start
time. I decided I didn�t want to get to the start line any
sooner than necessary, so I left at the last possible moment
to board the shuttle bus. Unfortunately, many other skiers
had the same idea. I had to wait until the next bus arrived,
which also happened to be the last bus driving to the start.
Once I arrived at the start, I had fifteen minutes to drop
off my warm-ups and find my place at the start line. That
left out one important thing�my warm up. I made the most
of my time by running everywhere I needed to in an effort
to get my muscles going. Warm up or not, the race was going
to start.
I had forgotten what if felt like to ski on natural,
very cold snow. In one word, SLOW! My skis weren�t any slower
than my competitors, but compared to skiing on ice or man-made
snow, I felt like I was going backwards. I quickly realized
why I like to warm up as lactic acid filled my legs. In
general, I was feeling pretty crummy. Perhaps it was my
rush to get to the start, perhaps it was the recent bicycle
training I had been doing, but I was skiing on my favorite
ski trails so I kept cranking.
I had a certain advantage over my competitors, in that
I know every uphill, downhill, flat section and corner on
the course. Several of the downhills, especially in the
last ten kilometers, have turns at the bottom. Since I knew
what to expect, I could avoid all the snow-plowers and ski
through the powdery edge of the trail. As I approached the
city, I began to dread the final kilometer. The last kilometer
is straight and flat with a perfect view of the Superior
Dome, the finish line. Of all the kilometers I have ever
skied, that kilometer always feels the longest.
I managed to finish my race with a cramped calf, but
no frostbite. I dined on hot soup and bananas while I defrosted
myself in the world�s largest self-supported wooden structure.
My finish at the 2004 Noquemanon placed me on top of the
women�s field with Barb Grogan of St. Paul, MN and fellow
mountain biker Lori Violetta of Marquette taking second
and third places, respectively. I had the honor of adding
another cowbell to my small collection, and I look forward
to next year�s race.
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