I asked my Mom for a set of cross-country skis for Christmas because the prospect of continuing on indefinitely with my normal schedule of the evil elliptical 3 times a week is starting to make me a tad depressed.

And the skis came yesterday -- YAY!

Now, I haven't gone cross country skiing since (seriously) like 1979 or so. The last time I did it, I had two braids (think Pippy Longstocking) and was wearing a very groovy orange-and-brown snowsuit and a goofy Snoopy ski hat. Despite that, I think I can still handle the technique, but I'm looking for basically any tips you cross country skiiers out there can give me. For example, these skis look WAY different in shape, etc., than the skis I had back during the Iran Hostage Crisis ...is there a different way of using these newer ones (like the difference between older downhill skiis and the new "carvers?") I'd really like to not break my ankle my first time out if there's some kind of new method of cross country skiing that I don't know about! Also, what are some good after-ski stretches?

I'm a downhill skiier, so it's not like I haven't been on skis in a while...but I know Nordic is very different than alpine.

Pretend I'm a total beginner, and toss me some advice!

Thanks!

Love your new photo, btw, Kate. Though the bassets were cute too.

Check out your local sporting goods stores or community schools. They often have free/low cost clinics at the beginning of the ski season. Which, if you lived here, would be soon - it's snowing right now!

Where are you in Mass? I grew up on the south shore, and my sister lives in Plymouth and my niece on the Cape.

Hi Pat

I have to laugh because the only response I've gotten so far has come from ALASKA! That's a great idea -- I think our community ed folks must have something like that.

I'm in Littleton (near Concord, Boxboro, Acton, etc.) I've actually been to Alaska -- I was about 5 years old. We went to visit my Dad's college roommate in (I think) Sitka. Just about the only thing I remember about the whole trip were the cauliflowers in their garden -- they were the size of BASKETBALLS! And oh yeah, the sun never set . Where in Alaska are you?

Thanks for the compliment -- Pookie suggested a change!

Hi Kate -

I'm in Palmer, which is about 50 miles NE of Anchorage (on the road system!). I was actually in Sitka on vacation this summer though. I don't know much about your part of Mass - through high school I was in Braintree, and then I went to UMass Amherst, and after that lived in Springfield for a couple years before moving out of state.

Good luck with the skiing. Our snow didn't amount to more than 1/2" - not enough to get out the skis!

I started Xcountry skiing last winter and was slowly catching on and enjoying it. (I didn't have the benefit of years of downhill experience, so had trouble even with small downward slopes.) My best peice of advice? Don't do like me and fall - hard - on you tailbone once the conditions get icy. It will take forever to heal...

Seriously though, it is a good idea (one I didn't follow) to take some lessons. Are your skis touring (regular) or skate skis? Some of the people in my spinning class are triathlete mutants, and they all use the skate skis which are about a million times more work. But cooler.

Here in Ottawa we have lots of groomed trails nearby: the parkways in the Gatineau Park 15 min from downtown are closed to traffic after the first snowfall and groomed regularly all winter. Those who are better skiers also do rather demanding backcountry skiing on what are hiking paths the rest of the year. In a few years maybe I'll graduate to that. Meanwhile, it's still dry and not all that cold, so it may be a while before it's time to get the skis out.

LOL...my Dad always said that only the best skiiers fall -- because it means their challenging themselves!

They're regular touring skiis -- Salomon "mixed terrain" skis. I'm lucky because my neighborhood is surrounded by conservation land and there are tons of (flat ) trails.

Question: do people still wax their cross country skis? Like I said, I haven't done this in awhile so I'm pretty ignorant of any new technology stuff that may have been developed since the late '70s.

I'll look into classes...that's a great idea.

Also, what do you wear? All my downhill stuff is way too big now and I was checking out Nordic ski gear online. Do you wear those tights? And if so, are they warm enough?

Thanks