The rain was gone over night but the conditions were still worse for skiing in the surrounding of the Centre, so we went to the Bortelid Skicentre which is about 50 km north-west. It is a really lovely area and a dream for cross country skier. The weather conditions there were sunny and about -1°C. We decided to try the red wax which did not work well in some areas but did in another. So, it were quiet difficult conditions but I could see how the wax “works”. On day one we were taught that the snow is gripping into the wax but I did not expect this kind of dimension. Some guys of my group (we were divided up into two groups) had about one to two centimetres snow under their waxed gripping area.

Only a few hundred meters uphill away of the parking slot was a short flat piece of the track where we did some exercises. Before that we did some warm-up coordination like spinning around or U-turns. Basically this were the same exercises we did on our first day with this skies. On this day these exercises were really difficult for me but now I became better and it was much easier for me. Next, we were shown the classic and the double poll technic. We did different exercises with and without polls for improving the balance on the skies. The main focus was on saving energy and therefore you have to move in a smooth way. Len told us it is like dancing but I am no good dancer at all. Hopefully I will improve my skating technic soon. I prefer the double poll technic because it is easier but I will use this only on gently slopes. Using it for everything else is a massive waste of energy.

Next, we went to a slope around 500m away of this training area. There, we trained walking up a hill, coming down in wavy lines or straight, as well as breaking while skiing downhill in a diagonal way. To do so, just make a little curve uphill. My motivation was not as high as on a tour but still high enough to complete all the tasks because I reminded me to the benefit. Later on a tour, I am probably glad that I know this technics. Moreover, even though it was an organized task Len gave us the freedom to play around or for example to go as high as we want to go. He gave us the chance to discover our own limits and to learn by doing/failing.

After a short lunch break we went for a ride on the tracks. This was amazing, the countryside is so beautiful and the weather changed from sunny to snow all the time. During practicing I just wore a merino woollen jumper, a thin jacket and a vest. I did not expect to wear only this few clothes, at least I expect to wear my fleece jacket in addition. This and my primaloft jacket were needed during lunchtime.

So all in all, it was a really nice day with a lot of exercises and an amazing countryside. I am looking forward for tomorrow.  Next to the skiing skills which improved hopefully I learned to put my feet onto the skies during long breaks. As consequence, you have an insulation against the bottom and can prevent your feet of losing a lot heat.