Your first ski race?

Choosing the Vasaloppet as your first ski race is an interesting decision, particularly if you haven't done any cross country ski-ing before.  Will fitness, focus and bravado take you the whole 90 kms?  I was left pondering this question after giving five ambitious young guys a rollerski class on Sunday, three had never cross country or roller skied before and the others had had a few days on snow.  And all of them will be on the Oppet Spar starting line on the same day as I.

Why? 

It seems that ski-ing the Vasaloppet is something of a rite of passage if your partner is Swedish - one of the group has a Swedish girlfriend and her family had laid down the challenge, so he'd roped his mates in for support.  I've also met other couples where the non-Swede is entering for this reason but they started to prepare for the event a little earlier in the year.  They are also planning a few days on snow beforehand unlike my group who will add to their challenge by arriving the day before.  

Will they make it?  

I sincerely hope so - they are fit, strong and very determined.  They learned fast and after two hours roller ski-ing were as adept as some people after several weeks of lessons but shins ached and bruises smarted.  They asked lots of good questions about technique and race practicalities but were short of time to take more rollerski classes which would really help. 

So is there anything else they could do? 

Three suggestions:

• balance exercises - the simplest is to adopt the classic cross country ski stance - balance on one leg with hips forward and knee and ankle bent, the other leg stretched out behind, plus the opposite arm forward and the other stretched behind - hold for as long as you can on each leg, repeating 3-5 times and building up the repetitions.  Try with the eyes closed as well.
• read the articles in the Race Preparation and Racing - Loppet Guide - Vasaloppet sections on the Snowsport England - Nordic website
• Pray for perfect conditions!

Good luck guys.