FasterSkier

Tag: Chris Osgood

  • Wednesday Workout: Ski Your Age in Kilometers

    Wednesday Workout: Ski Your Age in Kilometers

    Tim Caldwell, Shams Helminski, Chris Osgood, and Brayton Osgood head up Route 118 in New Hampshire during their 60 k rollerski on Nov. 16 to celebrate Chris’ 60th birthday. (Photo: Mary Osgood)
    Tim Caldwell, Shams Helminski, Chris Osgood, and Brayton Osgood head up Route 118 in New Hampshire during their 60 k rollerski on Nov. 16 to celebrate Chris’ 60th birthday. (Photo: Mary Osgood)

    There are many things that “get better with age,” such as Ford Mustangs, select cheeses and cowboy boots. While society doesn’t usually place workouts in this category, Chris Osgood and his son Brayton, 32, may be changing that. The father-son duo celebrate Chris’ birthday every year by rollerskiing his age in kilometers. They most recently did 60. Read about it here.

    It doesn’t have to be your birthday to rollerski that far — or any distance beyond your norm. But you might want to come up with a reason so people don’t think you’re nuts.

    Preparation: Over the years the Osgoods have upped their distance by one kilometer each year. While at the beginning, the skis were easy to complete during a workday morning and with little preparation, the longer distances require more thorough planning.

    For a longer ski, choosing an ideal route is key. The Osgoods picked the impeccable route from Goose Pond Road near Hanover, N.H., up Highway 118 to the top of the road near Mount Moosilauke. A perfect route consists of flat to gradual terrain for the first quarter of the ski, with increasing climbs during the last three quarters.

    Ending on a climb gives the added bonus of views and a sense of accomplishment. In addition to choosing a good route, it is important to know that you can complete it. Increasing distance by a kilometer each year is a good way to gage this. It’s also important to rollerski a decent amount in the weeks leading up to the ski.

    Warmup: A hearty breakfast with lots of coffee is all that’s needed for this workout as long as you start your ski at a reasonable pace.

    The workout: Maintain a constant tempo and take breaks when needed. Have someone supporting you (i.e. mom, a really good friend or significant other) in strategic spots along the route to replenish your water and snacks. If members of your group are speedsters, put brakes on their rollerskis to slow them down so you can keep up.

    Recovery: Make sure to have your support crew at the top waiting with snacks (recommended: pesto pizza) and celebratory beers! A little stretching wouldn’t hurt either.

    Here’s to a Wednesday Workout for every one of all ages and abilities. If you’re fortunate enough to be enjoying some early season skiing, you can try this one on snow. See you out there!

  • 60 for 60: A Birthday Tradition for the Osgoods and Co.

    60 for 60: A Birthday Tradition for the Osgoods and Co.

    Brayton Osgood, Shams Helminski, Chris Osgood, and Tim Caldwell in the middle of Chris' 60k birthday ski (Photo: Mary Osgood)
    Left to Right: Brayton Osgood, Shams Helminski, Chris Osgood, and Tim Caldwell in the middle of Chris’ 60k birthday ski. (Photo: Mary Osgood)

    Celebrating a birthday often involves cake, candles, and a bit of singing. Not so for Chris Osgood and his 32-year-old son Brayton, a retired XC Oregon racer from Burlington, V.T., who participated in what they called the 60 for 60 rollerski on Nov. 16. Every year since turning 30, Chris has rollerskied his age in kilometers, culminating in this year’s ski. Bucking the traditional birthday merriments, he celebrated his sixth decade by rollerskiing 60 kilometers.

    “This year was actually the third year in a row that we’ve done this ski,” Brayton explained in a phone interview. “The previous two were specific training for this year, to make sure that he’d be able to do it once he was 60.”

    Chris, a resident of Putney, V.T., who got into nordic skiing at Dartmouth College and raced the national circuit for several years, was joined by Brayton, four-time Olympian Tim Caldwell, and Middlebury grad Shams Helminski. The four of them made their way through New Hampshire starting at Goose Lake Road and continuing for 60 k to the top of Route 118 on Mount Moosilauke.

    The crew making their way up route 118 in New Hampshire (Photo: Mary Osgood)
    The crew making their way up route 118 in New Hampshire (Photo: Mary Osgood)

    While the first 15 k were mostly flat, the remaining 45 proved more challenging, with the final climb up Moosilauke being fairly substantial. Not only did they rollerski for 60 k, but both Chris and Tim wore breaks on their rollerskis to slow them down. The brakes were a necessary factor of the day because they made it “easier for the rest of us to keep up,” Brayton said.

    See their route on Strava.

    With the help of a support team, consisting of Chris’ wife, Mary Osgood, dispersed water breaks, and some pesto pizza, the four rollerskiers were able to complete their ski in five hours. Once they reached the top they were greeted with a wide spread of snacks and celebratory beers.

    While it’s an easy bet that Chris would want to continue increasing his birthday skis by a kilometer each year, it’s likely that he will decrease the distance from now on, and “more quickly than he came up!” Brayton said.

    It also doesn’t look like Brayton will be continuing his father’s tradition anytime soon, stating that a May birthday is often a hinderance to yearly rollerskis, especially when you’re a retired athlete. However the opportunity is still on the table. “You can never say never!” Brayton said.

    Happy skiers (Photo: Mary Osgood)
    The happy skiers pose after reaching their destination (Photo: Mary Osgood)