- Cross-country skiing - advantages
- Cross-country skiing - equipment
- Cross-country ski runs
- Cross-country skiing in Poland
- Cross-country skiing - he alth benefits
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Cross-country skiing does not require such skills and preparation as skiing. In addition, you don't have to go anywhere to grow them - all you need is skis and snow. It is a he althy, safe and, above all, pleasant sport. See what you need to start cross-country skiing.
Cross-country skiingis much less popular than downhill skiing. And it is not really known why: the skier needs lifts, well-prepared slopes, steep slopes. So he has to go to the mountains. And to get there, an inhabitant of central Poland has to travel 300-400 km, and northern Poland - as much as 600 km. Expensive equipment amateurs of downhill skiing most often use for 1-2 weeks a year, and in the remaining months it deteriorates in the basement. Its cultivation begins with arduous learning, and as you acquire skills they move to steeper and longer ones. In addition, they pay dearly for the lifts and every few years they replace the equipment with more modern and … more expensive.
Cross-country skiing - advantages
As soon as the ground is covered with a layer of snow a dozen or so centimeters, you can put your skis on. You don't have to go far, just go outside the city - to the forest, to the fields, to the meadows. There is also no need for specially prepared slopes, although even in Poland there are places with prepared routes for runners with a track. Great skill is not essential. After one day, everyone will be able to move on cross-country skis, if not yet skillfully, then certainly effectively. Because while the professional running tailored to Justyna Kowalczyk and Tomasz Sikora requires many years of systematic training under the supervision of a specialist, each of us can develop the technique of walking in the forest by himself, watching at most the movements of our masters on TV.
Cross-country skiing - equipment
To cross the forest, you need:
- skis (about 20-30 cm longer than your height, preferably with a foot pod)
- bindings (those that immobilize the heel while descending)
- shoes (preferably hiking above the ankle; low shoes for competitive running work only on prepared routes)
- poles (shoulder-length)
When buying a new, branded set, you have to take into account the cost of about a thousand zlotys. If you don't want to invest that much to start with, look for underused second-hand equipment for about a quarter of the price. The shoes are comfortable and the skis should remain springy (to check this, stand on the ski on a hard surface and put a sheet of paper under your foot: if the sheet can be removed, although it is slightly resistant, the ski is good).
You don't have your own cross-country skis? Take advantage of the equipment rental in the Julinek Amusement Park. Enjoy the white madness in the vicinity of Kampinos!
Cross-country ski runs
You can run on skis everywhere: around the house and where you spend your free time. It is worth choosing slightly undulating terrain, then you will also enjoy the trouble of approaching and the pleasure of descending. The greatest joy is cross-country skiing in virgin snow and setting up a trail where no one has been before. But if someone really wants to go where the routes are perfectly prepared - they will find them closest to the Czech Republic: in the Jeseníky, Karkonosze and Jizera Mountains. Hiking along the Jizera Highway, which starts in Bedrzichów and its length exceeds 90 km, is highly recommended. Of course, the tangle of routes allows you to choose shorter loops and sections. Cross-country skiing is very popular among our southern neighbors.
Cross-country skiing in Poland
If you want to drive on well-maintained routes in Poland - also go to the Czech border. In Jakuszyce, near the border crossing to Harrachov, you will find the only true cross-country skiing center in Poland. The routes here are about 100 kilometers long, but not all of them are always prepared. They are the place where the biggest runner event in the country takes place every year - the Piast Race.
Apart from Jakuszyce, you will find prepared routes in Zakopane (near Krokiew, on Cyrhla, Antałówka and Równia Krupowa), in Wola Michowa in the Bieszczady Mountains, in Masuria near Mrągowo. Most often, however, if you find out that there are cross-country trails here and there, it means that they have been marked in the field and marked on maps, but they are rarely prepared with snow groomers. This most often happens during competitions.
Cross-country skiing - he alth benefits
Cross-country skiing is also part of the fashion for a he althy lifestyle. It is not a common practice yet, but maybe one day… It is certainly a he althy and safe sport. At the same time, it helps to burn calories (approx. 600-700 kcal per hour) much faster than while swimming or playing tennis. Develops all muscles evenly and trains the sense of balance.It is a great way to relax outdoors and with family. The youngest will like running because it is easier to learn than downhill skis. It's even recommended that you start your ski lessons with a cross-country ski trip, because once you learn to balance on narrow planks, you'll have less trouble keeping your balance on wide and heavy slopes.