Don’t hibernate — Enter a snowshoe race!
Feeling the urge to let those competitive juices flow? If you live in a cold climate, now is the season for snowshoe racing. Snowshoe racing has boomed in popularity in the last five years as trail runners, triathletes and adventure racers have sought out a cross-seasonal racing venue. There are more than 50 snowshoe races in the U.S. and Canada in 2004-2005, and the sport is even bigger in Europe.
The Outdoor Industry Association estimates that of the 6 million people who have snowshoed in the U.S., about 1 million are hardcore participants who are lured in part by the potential to burn 500 to 1,000 calories an hour. An estimated 5,000 to 10,000 people participate in the 100 or so races held each year from December to March in Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine, Pennsylvania, New York, Michigan, Wisconsin, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Illinois, Alaska and California, as well as several Canadian provinces.
The fifth-annual U.S. National Snowshoeing Championships will be held March 5 in Anchorage, Alaska. Senior men and women will run a 10k course, while juniors will compete at 5k. This year’s national meet will also feature a 4x2.5k relay. In order to run at nationals, participants have to race in one of 10 regional qualifying races around the U.S. (Visit
www.snowshoeracing.com for details.) But there are plenty of other races where you can sign up for about $20 and get in a great “offseason” workout.
Most of the top finishers in recent U.S. national championships are also champion athletes in other sports, including Anita Ortiz (mountain running), Greg Krause (Xterra triathlons), Josiah Middaugh (Xterra triathlons), Dave Dunham (ultrarunning and mountain running), Nikki Kimball (ultrarunning and mountain running), Helen Cospolich (ultrarunning), Paul Low (mountain running), Bernie Boettcher (mountain running) and Danelle Ballengee (adventure racing).
“It’s a whole lot more competitive than it was four years ago,” Kimball said after beating Ortiz to win last year’s National Championship race in Squaw Valley, California.
To become a dominant snowshoe racer like that takes a lot of natural talent, but being a strong trail runner with a penchant for running hills goes a long way. Train as if you would for a trail 10k, but also use cycling and StairClimber workouts as cross-training. It will take a few races to get the hang of it, so follow Ortiz’ lead and stick with it for a few races.
Must-have gear
Snowshoe racing is like running — you really don’t need much gear to get started. Dress like you might for a winter trail run: a long-sleeve baselayer, a lightweight shell, running tights, gloves, a hat (or a Buff) and a good pair of running shoes. Many elite racers wear road racing flats (and go so far as to bolt them to the decking to eliminate the need for bindings), while other racers used Gore-Tex-insulated trail runners. Some snowshoe racers wear MiniGaiters to keep snow from building up in their shoes.
Snowhoes
When it comes to racing, you’ll want to get a pair of snowshoes that are roughly 8x22-inches to 9x27-inches. Some of the best racing models include the Dual Trac SL ($289) and Dual Trac ($239) from Atlas (
www.atlassnowshoes.com), the Piranha ($399) and Catalyst ($249) from Tubbs (
www.tubbssnowshoes.com) and the F25 ($229) from Redfeather. You might also consider the Dion 130-L ($185) from Dion Snowshoes (
www.dionsnowshoes.com) from Vermont entrepreneur/racer Bob Dion. Many races have racing models available for free demos or cheap rentals.
Key 2004/2005 Snowshoe Races
(For more races, visit
www.snowshoeracing.com)
January 9, Squaw Creek Snowshoe Challenge (5k, 10k) Olympic Village, California;
www.snowshoeracing.com (USSSA Qualifier)
January 9, Beaver Creek Snowshoe Race #2 (5k, 10k), Beaver Creek, CO;
www.bcsnowshoe.com
January 15, Swift Skedaddle Snowshoe Race (2.5m, 7m) Silverthorne, Colorado;
www.snowshoeracing.com (USSSA Qualifier)
January 15, Atlas Snowshoe Shuffle (5k, 10k) Bend, Oregon;
www.snowshoeracing.com (USSSA Qualifier)
January 22, Cripple Creek Snowshoe Race; Fairbanks, Alaska;
www.snowshoeracing.com (USSSA Qualifier)
January 29, Bigfoot Snowshoe Boogie Traverse City (5k, 10k) Michigan;
www.snowshoeracing.com (USSSA Qualifier)
January 30, Alyeska Winterfest Snowshoe Race; Girdwood, Alaska;
www.snowshoeracing.com (USSSA Qualifier)
February 5, Northfield Mountain Snowshoe Race (7.5k) Northfield, Massachusetts;
www.snowshoeracing.com (USSSA Qualifier)
February 12, New World Snowshoe Championships (5k, 10k) Luck, Wisconsin;
www.snowshoeracing.com (USSSA Qualifier)
February 12, Beaver Creek Snowshoe Race #3 (5k, 10k), Beaver Creek, CO;
www.bcsnowshoe.com
February 13, Screamin’ Snowman Snowshoe Race (5k, 10k) Eldora, Colorado;
www.snowshoeracing.com (USSSA Qualifier)
March 5, North American Snowshoe Championships/Beaver Creek Snowshoe Adventure Series #4 (5k, 10k) Beaver Creek, Colorado;
www.bcsnowshoe.com
March 5-6, Nike ACG U.S. National Snowshoe Championships (10k) Anchorage, Alaska;
www.snowshoeracing.com
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