BaD #8 - Late, but I've been snowshoe racing

On 02/12/2017 at 07:00 PM by Ranger1

The last couple of days have kept me busy with snow, shoveling snow, working in a blizzard, driving to a concert 20 miles away in a small snow event (I don't consider it bad enough to call a storm, but there were interesting driving conditions and an iced-up windshield to contend with), shoveling more snow, running a snowshoe race this morning, and settling in for a blizzard that started around 3:00 this afternoon and won't wind down until some time tomorrow afternoon. So more shoveling in my near future.

The race went well, as far as I'm concerned. I finished with a much better time than I did the first time I ran this race two years ago. Half an hour better, but the conditions were also much better, and because of storm damage earlier in the month, the race had to be rerouted and was a bit shorter. Anyway, I wasn't last, either, which I was two years ago (by a significant amount, I might add). The last race is in three weeks so I'd better do some serious training between now and then. I've been slacking lately, and it showed today.

Hope everyone had a good weekend and that other members of Pixlbit Nation in the northeast are hunkered down and enjoying the blizzard.

Super Step Contributing Writer

02/12/2017 at 07:27 PM

Sounds busy. Meanwhile, Texas is a bit too toasty lately.

Ranger1

02/12/2017 at 07:48 PM

We can send you some snow, if you'd like.

By the way, where in Maine is your roommate from?

02/13/2017 at 12:52 AM

I'll get back to you when i find out. I didn't realize Maine had regions. I thought it was all one giant snowstorm with lobsters nearby. And Yankee demons. That's what's in these Texas textbooks anyway.

goaztecs

02/12/2017 at 10:27 PM

I would gladly take some of the cooler weather you're having and give you some of our warm weather. It was in the 80s last week and we've had the windows open for the past two days. I heard this week weather will be getting back to normal.

Congrats on the better time in your race.

02/12/2017 at 11:23 PM

Nah, you can keep that weather. Call me crazy, but I like winter. Just not all in one weekend, lol.

The thing with snowshoe racing is that conditions are highly variable by the hour, You could run the same course two days in a row, and have completely different conditions, which result in completely different times. Two years ago, we'd just had 18 inches of powder dumped on us, and it was too cold for the snow to compact. And the race director had to change the race to the day before at the last minute to avoid a blizzard that was coming in on the original day of the race. Conditions were miserable, I fell at the beginning of the race and wrenched both my knee and my ankle, and I was the last person to finish by a significant margin. And it was cold and the temp dropped like a rock the whole time we were out there. This year, we had a bunch of snow just before the race, but it covered the bare patches and packed nicely, and the temp was in the high teens. A little colder than what we've gotten used to this winter, so I didn't have time to properly acclimate, but not too bad, and I was never cold during the race. And I follow what I call the Jerry Strategy, named after a guy named Jerry who runs these races. Jerry turned 80 yesterday, by the way. Jerry told me to walk the ups, run the downs, and do what seems like the right thing on the in-betweens. I may not finish fast, but I finish, and that's all I care about.

Halochief90

02/13/2017 at 12:05 AM

We got hit pretty hard by snow recently as well. I'm sure glad I don't drive.

02/13/2017 at 11:36 AM

I have a Subaru, the second most popular vehicle in Maine after the Ford F-150. Best vehicle I've ever driven in snow and ice. That said, I still don't want to have to drive to work today.

SanAndreas

02/13/2017 at 06:01 PM

I've never been snowshoeing. I'd actually like to try it sometime.

For my part, it's been slightly chilly, but sunny where I'm at. It's honestly been a relatively snowless winter here.

02/13/2017 at 09:54 PM

COME VISIT! We can rent snowshoes for cheap for you and Amy and we can play in the snow at Wolfe's Neck! It'll be fun!

KnightDriver

02/14/2017 at 01:27 AM

It snowed some last week here around Philly. Roads were clear by daytime though, thankfully. I love snow, but I've grown to dread driving in it for work. I wish I'd just get snow days, I'd love that. Break out my cross country skiis for once.

02/14/2017 at 12:11 PM

I hate driving in the snow, too. It's not my driving that makes me nervous, though, it's all the idiots who drive like they would on clear, dry roads that scare me.

I am procrastinating going out and shoveling yet again, beause of that hip-deep snowdrift that filled in the area I'd already shoveled. But I don't think it will go away on its own, alas.

02/23/2017 at 12:47 AM

Exactly. I can drive in the snow fine, it's everyone else out there that scares me.

Shoveling scares me a bit. You can really injure your back if you're not careful. It's harder work than it looks.

PixlBit