Ski skeletally

As this journey gets closer the encouraging messages from family and friends are like warm hugs of confidence. Susan Brian, an amazing skier here in Marquette, sent me a note saying, " If it gets tough, think of me, telling you, 'Frida…relax, focus on your technique, don’t use your arms too much, ski skeletally….and smile ‘cause, after all, you’re skiing!'”

That word "skeletally" jumped.

Jeannie Thoren used that word too last Sunday when we were skiing with our husbands at the Blueberry Trails.

Jeannie has spent her career helping women ski better by changing alpine equipment to work with the female body. Years back she convinced me a heel lift in my boot, foot beds, and moving my binding forward would improve my downhill skiing. She was right. I had more control. And I've been sold ever since. Now, thanks to her encouragement, I'm making the shift in my Nordic gear too.

Here she is with her Hot Pink Heel Lifts for Women on Skinny Skis.

Because Nordic ski boots (particularly my Salomon classics) are so shallow, there's no room to insert a heel lift under the foot bed. We had to go more drastic. So last Monday Jeannie's husband Tom Haas put the 1/2 inch heel lifts under my binding.

It's a little nerve wracking to make changes so late in the game, especially when I've got such long miles ahead, but just in the short time I tried Jeannie's skis I could tell the new position was getting my weight forward. My heels didn't feel like they were in the backseat.

So girlfriends, check where the heel of your boot lands in relationship to the camber on the ski. If it lands where the ski starts to slope down (mine did) and folks are always telling you to get forward, (I've been there) maybe you need a heel lift too to help "skeletally" transfer your weight to the fronts of your skis.

It's all about improving kick and glide.

Jeannie & Tom are known for "secret weapons" but none of us want it to be secret. Like Jeannie and Tom I want ALL women to enjoy skiing even more.

The epoxy is dry so I'm heading out to do the test.