2013-2014 SKI SEASON - recap

Had a great ski season this year. One day trip and four overnight trips. Hit CO as well as all the northern New England states: MA, NH, ME, VT. Eleven days of skiing in all. Here's a semi-randomized recap:

First time out was at Wachusett where I demo'd three pairs of skis; I ended up buying the prior year of one of those models at the end of December. Opted for what I thought at the time were wider skis (83 underfoot, an upgrade from my other pair which are 69 underfoot), but as it turns out I probably should have gone even wider (like 100 underfoot). The skis were great on the slopes in New England (with a couple exceptions where we got loads of powder), but it was the Colorado trip where I truly learned an appreciation for fat skis. Up towards the top of Breck (12,000+ ft elevation) - the powder was just too deep for me to keep the skis on top of the snow for long. The steepness of some of those slopes combined with the deepness of the powder made for some great spills. (Can you say "yard sale"!?) And was certainly humbled at times by burning muscles due to being out of shape and from being at 2mi+ elevation. Haha, well - I was able to ski the entire mountain, but definitely encountered some rough patches.

Went out to Breck with sunglasses, but ended up buying goggles while out there. Sunglasses just don't cut it when it's snowing hard high up on the mountain. I skied the first half of the first day with sunglasses, slicing down the mountain half blind feeling my way over the terrain, constantly wiping them, using an anti-fog cloth (to little avail) and finally realized I needed goggles. I know, a pretty amateur call. Luckily I didn't get fleeced buying a pair right in the mtn lodge. A very reasonable $40 got me a solid pair of Smith Transit goggles, and I was set for the rest of the season.

Skied a decent variety of terrain this season. Getting much better at moguls, just need to work on steeper slopes with moguls (next season). After 8 days of skiing this season, I think my legs got tired; my quads never burned so quickly as on that last trip in VT. Early on, did a fair amount of glade skiing, including a few tight sections where you really have to turn quickly to avoid the trees. Guess this was a bit risky without a helmet. I'm a convert on that and will aim to get a helmet by the start of next season. It's the safe thing to do. Not to mention for the jumps here and there, some fast runs (speeds at 40+ mph), and well - protection against other skiers/snowboarders.

I also hope to get new ski boots. The pair I currently have I bought used a couple years ago, and while they generally fit me ok, they are not quite snug enough, even after I used the latches and screws to make adjustments. There is so much technology and design into all this equipment, I ought to take advantage of a proper fit and set of features.

Got in some air travel (to/from CO) with all this equipment as well. While schlepping through the airport with tons of equipment can be a hassle, I think it's worth it if you like your equipment. The Dakine bags held up just fine (added some cardboard reinforcements to the ski bag for extra protection). No issues to report with the airlines, the bags or the equipment. Skis, poles and boots all made the out and back trip in proper condition.

I think that's it. Lots of fun on the mountains this season, what with the views, meals, apres ski/nightlife, and so on. Looking forward to the warmer season and getting fit for next year's fun on the slopes.

EQUIPMENT

Skis: Salomon Enduro XT850 (170cm length with sidecut: 127-83-110)

Bindings: Salomon STH12 (o/s, 90mm)

Poles: Salomon North Pole (120cm)

Ski Bag: Dakine (padded, reinforced myself with cardboard)
Boot Bag: Dakine (with front pocket & helmet pocket)

Boots: Dalbello Avanti V8

Jacket: North Face Venture

Sunglasses: Arnette Tantrum

Goggles: Smith Transit
Helmet: none

OUTINGS [# of days skiing]

2013-Dec 15: Wachusett, MA [1]

2014-Jan 3-5: Bretton Woods, NH [2]

2014-Feb 8-13: Breckenridge, CO [3]

2014-Feb 14-17: Sunday River, ME [2]

2014-Mar 14: Sugarbush, VT [1]

2014-Mar 15-16: Stowe, VT [2]

Season Total: 11 days of skiing

2013 Road Race Results

2013 Road Race Results

April 15 (26.2 mi) Boston Marathon
> DNF, reached mile 25.5. Sighted guide for Visually Impaired runner Richard Marsolais, bib #20969. Boston 2014 here we come.
Mass Assoc for the Blind & Visually Impaired
Garmin track of the 2013 Boston Marathon

June 23 (10k/6.2 mi) BAA 10k
> 46:10 (7:27/mi) Darn hot day.
Garmin track of the 2013 BAA 10k

September 8 (5k/3.1 mi) Emarc 5k
> 22:30 (7:15/mi) Return from injury.
Garmin track of the 2013 Emarc 5k

October 20 (13.1 mi) Baystate Half Marathon
> 1:35:16 (7:16/mi) Ran completely by feel without looking at watch/pace.
Garmin track of the 2013 Baystate Half Marathon

Marathon Sports

Marathon Sports

As many of us here in Boston have been doing lately, I’ve been strolling down Boylston Street every day since it reopened after being closed for over a week due to the investigation of the bombings at the Boston Marathon this past April 15th. Supporting the businesses there by buying some items or grabbing a bite to eat every outing, after a short stop at City Sports yesterday (Friday, April 26), I headed up Boylston Street to Marathon Sports – the site of the first blast on marathon day.

A note about Marathon Sports. I’ve been shopping at Marathon Sports (Cambridge and then Boston locations) since the early 90’s. Must have bought my first dozen pairs of running shoes there, not to mention running shorts, shirts, socks, and accessories like compression calf sleeves, an armband case for my cell phone, etc. I remember one of my first visits – a sales associate setting me up with a pair of Asics Gel-Lyte Ultras (my very first pair of Asics) – and I then went on to buy 3 more pairs of that very same shoe from them. It was the beginning of a great relationship. They hook me up with sweet kicks, I run and wear them out. And repeat.

Before everything was published on the internet, we runners actually visited the shops more often to chat with the sales staff and learn about running and the latest shoes. I remember visiting the shop even just to pick up their annual 12-month wall calendar which previewed a year’s worth of races – there just weren’t as many ways to find out about races back then.

So fast forward from those days in the past to this Friday.

How often do you walk into a retail business and find the owner arranging product on the shelves? Well, that’s exactly what I observed this past Friday. I had recalled briefly meeting the owner Colin years ago (he did not remember me, nor did I expect him to) and I was happy to see him on the sales floor and very happy to see the shop so crowded. As I was browsing, I turned and nodded to him: “It’s good to be back, huh?” and we went on to chat for a couple minutes.

Many will have read reports of how the Marathon Sports staff came quickly to the aid of many of the victims from the first blast and how the store itself was used to bring in people from off the sidewalk and treat them before moving them along to the hospitals. We said simultaneously of our running community: “we’re all one family” – at which point he excused himself for a moment, presumably to tend to the store, but then returned quickly with a Marathon Sports shop branded t-shirt in hand, extending it to me and offering it “I’d like you to have this”, noting a t-shirt from a competing shop (City Sports) I happened to be wearing. Oops. After a chuckle and an exchange with me completely caught off guard “no way, really… I can’t accept that as a gift… that’s so kind… thank you…” – I put the shirt on immediately saying “I’ll wear it with great pride.” As I went to check out with another item I’d selected, Colin was at the register and I attempted again saying “I know you extended this as a gift, and I really appreciate that but I’d really like to support the shop –it is ok if I paid for it?” – he wouldn’t hear of it and said it was a personal gift “it’s from me to you”. After me trying again “Please?” and “Are you sure?” – he insisted and I could tell in his eyes that him giving me that shirt meant 100x more to him than my receiving it. I relented with a very appreciative handshake.

 


I walked into the store wearing what’s on the left (Red Sox cap showing my Boston love and a City Sports New York t-shirt (the only thing I have that actually says “New York”) to express being thankful that the two bombing suspects weren’t able to continue their violence down in NYC as they seemed to have planned) – and then departed the shop wearing my new Marathon Sports t-shirt (courtesy of Colin P.).

There's plenty of miles in me to wear both t-shirts happily and to continue supporting both shops.

By the way, the back of the Marathon Sports t-shirt reads: “keeping your life in motion”.

Couldn’t be more true.