Canadian Ski Marathon

Although we won't be able to ski here in the Midwest for a few months,
my mind is on snow today.

I've skied the Keskinada (skate and classic) a few times. Next
February, I may have the opportunity to be in Ottawa long enough to
also do the Canadian Ski Marathon the week before.

I'm only a mid-pack skier when it comes to pace. But I've done a lot
of 50K+ ski races, such as the American Birkebeiner, Keski, Noque,
Mora, etc. I generally have good endurance (I do ultra runs and other
long-distance activities). When I looked at the website regarding the
Canadian Ski Marathon, I figured that if I were to sign up for it, I'd
do the Courer des Bois -- ski all sections both days. But then I
surfed the web for comments on the event and it sounded like this might
be a tougher endeavor than I realized. Is meeting the cut-offs for the
Courer des Bois impractical for someone who skis a four-hour 50K?

Also, I'm curious about logistics. I have a place that I stay in
Ottawa through work. Would that be logistically impractical on Friday
and Saturday nights? Do most just stay in the dorms?

Anyhow, just looking for someone familiar with the event to exchange a
few e-mails with.

Thanks,
Mary

On 28 Aug 2006 wrote:


I'm only a mid-pack skier when it comes to pace. But I've done a lot
of 50K+ ski races, such as the American Birkebeiner, Keski, Noque,
Mora, etc. I generally have good endurance (I do ultra runs and other
long-distance activities). When I looked at the website regarding the
Canadian Ski Marathon, I figured that if I were to sign up for it, I'd
do the Courer des Bois -- ski all sections both days. But then I
surfed the web for comments on the event and it sounded like this might
be a tougher endeavor than I realized. Is meeting the cut-offs for the
Courer des Bois impractical for someone who skis a four-hour 50K?


I finished the CSM C de B (1989) with no racing experience
and very little ski training that year (poor snow at home)
so you should have no problem. The big time limit is at 3 PM-
it means skiing about 70 km in 9 hours.

Also, I'm curious about logistics. I have a place that I stay in
Ottawa through work. Would that be logistically impractical on Friday
and Saturday nights? Do most just stay in the dorms?


You will have to be up by 4AM so it is best to spend the night
as close as possible to the start and let someone else do the
driving. When I did it I spent Fri and Sat at a school about
half-way between Lachute and Gatineau and there were busses
to the start both mornings.

Some years the marathon has gone west to east so Friday night
in Ottawa area might be OK.

--

David Dermott , Wolfville Ridge, Nova Scotia, Canada
email:
CSM 1989: http://www.dermott.ca/ski/csm89.html

I'd say, from a physical endurance point of view you should be fine if
you can do the classic Keski 50+ at above 10 km/hour avg. I've done the
CSM as a Coureur des Bois a number of times. My training runs are
around 15-25 km with one training run that's around 60 km. I try to
train around 500 km on skis before the CSM.

Decisions in terms of skis, waxing and clothing make a big difference
over the 160 km that you ski over the two days. A pair of skis that are
slightly too stiff or soft may be OK for a Keski finish but will really
wear you down as you get increasingly fatigued in the latter stages of
the CSM. So, get really familiar with your gear and know that you can
ski 60+ kms on them on a training run and still have some reserve in
your energy tank, and be happy with how your gear performs. While there
are food and wax stations at the check points, don't delay waxing if
you need to wax, it's not a race and you'll tire yourself
unnecessarily, so having/developing experience for wax decisions with
quick and efficient wax stops is helpful.

You should try doing your longest training run on the coldest possible
day you can manage, so that you try out your layering, heat management,
and waxing under CSM conditions. Preferably start it at 6 am with a
headlamp, to simulate CSM conditions. However, I would suggest doing
your longest training run in shorter loops so that if you need to you
can stop. Also leave 3-4 weeks between your longest training run and
the CSM. Often I do my long run around the New Year.

In terms of nutrition I need to eat and drink small amounts
continuously, I eat and drink something at least every 40 minutes, and
not just gu gel.

In terms of psychological approach, I treat the CSM as an expedition
rather than a race: know your own pace range, go at your own pace,
think about finishing sections, not the end, and most of all enjoy the
moments in what you're doing despite the aches and pains: it's actually
possible and is a major part of what I get out of it.

In terms of logistics, this year runs from East to West (Lachute to
Buckingham/Gatineau.) Lachute is about 2.5 hour drive from Ottawa at
legal speed and under good road conditions. You need to be at the start
by about 5:30. So you'd need to leave Ottawa around 3 am. I would stay
in Montebello or Papineuville, about 1 hour from the start, for Friday
night, at least, since there are CSM buses from there to the start and
you can rest on the way rather than drive. If you stay at the school in
Papineuville, be aware that you need to take ear plugs and eye cover
since you'll be sleeping in classrooms with a lot of other people, many
of them arriving late. If you choose to drive from Ottawa to Montebello
for the second day's start, it's about a 1.5 hour drive from Ottawa.
Personally I would minimize driving and maximize resting. If at all
possible, I try to get a really good sleep on Thursday night and have a
rest day on the Friday before the CSM.

Feel free to email me if you need more info.

Best,

Parham (CSM#166).