There are many things you can do to have a better ski marathon or loppet time and to make the loppet experience more enjoyable. Obviously training and time on skis are the most important but we will give you some non-training things you can do.
Nutrition
One of the top reasons for having a bad loppet day is nutrition. You need to start fueling the day before and make sure you have a good evening before a meal and a good breakfast. The caveat is that you need to get use to the pre-race meals in advance. In the weeks before your event you should eat the same breakfast you plan to eat on race day and see how it works. Changing your diet, the few days before an event to something new is one of the biggest mistakes skiers make.
Our go to meal is a plate of pasta the evening before with a light snack before bed. We love oatmeal, yogurt, toast, and fruit on race day. Also, try not to eat too fast or rush your breakfast. If the event is later in the day or you have a long time between breakfast and the start have a light snack ready to go. This could be an apple and a granola bar. Some people swear bananas, but others find they don’t agree with their stomachs so again have a snack you are used to eating prior to skiing.
During the event it is good to take food you have tried while skiing before. Energy bars and gels can be great but make sure you have tried them in training. You can tape them to the inside of your ski suit or bib if you don’t have pockets. Most new athletes wait way too late into the event to eat. When you are hungry it is often too late plus it takes time for the food energy to get into your system. Try to eat during the first 30 minutes of the event and then every 30-40 minutes until the end. Even a bite or two can make an enormous difference and it keeps your digestive system moving.
Hydration
Stay hydrated but don’t down a big glass of water before bed if you don’t do it regularly. Getting up in the middle of the night to pee or being bloated and having a restless sleep is certainly not ideal. Take in fluids in small amounts in the 24 hours up to the event. Sports drink can be helpful for longer events but only use if you have tried it in training. Otherwise stick to water and drinks you are familiar with. If you watch the pro athletes, they will start drinking early into the event and continue taking on little bits of fluid until the finish. Likely the feed stations will not provide enough fluid so taking water or sports drink with you is a smart idea. If you are allowed race support and can find someone to swap out your empty bottle for a new one halfway that is an excellent idea. Don’t skip the aid or feed stations, they are there for a reason.
Clothing
When the day is going to be long you should have the right clothing for the event. It can be tempting to underdress thinking it’s going to warm up. Make sure you’re dressed so that you are not frozen at the start. If you need to unzip your jacket or take off your hat during the event that is a lot better than being frozen. You can always tuck your hat into the side of your race suit or into a pocket if you are too warm. Having gloves that are too warm at the end is better than having frostbitten fingers at the beginning. If you are taking a small pack a spare set of gloves and a hat. Males should also make sure they have windproof underwear or similar wind protection. Rarely do you hear of overheating during a ski event but often you hear of people dropping out due to being cold or frostbitten. It is a good idea to keep your warm clothing on as long as you can before the start (if that is possible).
The Start
DON’T START TOO FAST! You may want to have a quicker start to get ahead of traffic but starting too fast will zap you of a lot of your energy and then all the people you worked so hard to pass will come zipping past you in a few kms. It is tempting to think “I just want to get on that group and get pulled by their draft” It is a good idea in theory but best to find skiers more your speed and if you need to pick up the pace at 20km that is better that running out of steam with 10km to go. You also need to stay relaxed at the start and go with the flow. You might get bumped or tripped if it is a congested start but stay calm and relaxed. Things will settle down after a km or two.
The Hills
In longer events there can be awfully long up and down hill sections. Skiing smart on the hills can make an astonishing difference to your overall time. Stay controlled and relaxed on the uphills and try not to go too hard early on. Try to be as efficient as you can on the way up. Going up is what it is, and you need to just pace yourself. Now the downhills are places where staying focused and maximizing the glide can help you recover your energy and rest your tired muscles. Try to do a hard push or two at the top of a downhill and carry your speed down the hill as long as possible. Being a little aggressive on the downhills will help you build speed you can hopefully use to get you part way up the next hill or across a flat section with minimal effort. Think of the downhills as an opportunity to make up time and generate momentum you can carry. Don’t be like a lot of newer marathon skiers and forget to work the downhills.
Equipment
There will be people with faster and better skis than you. Don’t over dwell on your equipment! Wax your skis the night before for glide and in the morning for grip if it is a classic event and you are using waxable skis. Having a little bit of extra kick wax in your pocket or bag can be a significant help if it is a long loppet of it conditions are changing. Using a base binder wax under your grip wax or if conditions permit a klister base can help you keep your grip for 50-60km.
Summary
There are several things you can do to improve your loppet experience.
- practice your nutrition and hydration,
- stay relaxed
- try to be efficient on the uphill seconds
- push the downhills
- glide wax the evening before
- use a base binder or klister base (if conditions permit) for classic events.
The most important thing is to have fun and enjoy the experience. Not everything will go perfectly in a long event so go with the flow and remember you are there to enjoy the event and socialize with your ski friends both new and old.
