FEATURES

Making the Most of Winter...

Thursday, 05 January 2017 23:10

By Startribune.com (12/29/16)

Christina Roberts, 30, St. Louis Park

Day job: Catastrophe modeling analyst, Validus Reinsurance

I spend most of my summer training for and racing in triathlons, but once the snow falls, I switch gears to whatever winter activity is available — last year it was cross-country skiing and some fat tire biking. Cross-country skiing is the perfect cross training for me, and I have found that while I can still be competitive while racing, I also get just as much thrill out of being outside and playing around in the snow with friends. Also, watching the sunrise during a morning ski on the freshly groomed trails at Hyland Lake Park Reserve is the best way to start the day.

My favorite ski trails are Hyland Lake and Theodore Wirth Park. Both offer different challenges and terrain for the full spectrum of skiing abilities. We are incredibly lucky that they make snow to give us a head start on the season. When we do get natural snow, the number of places to ski grows exponentially, and I can find great trails at many local golf courses and parks (Battle Creek in east metro, Lake Rebecca and Carver in west metro, etc.). As soon as the first snowflake falls, I’m...

scanning the trail reports on skinnyski.com to check out which trails are groomed and ready to go.

What keeps me motivated to get outside to enjoy the winter is the camaraderie of others who share that passion, and racing. I always reserve my weekends to race in the City of Lakes Loppet Ski Festival in Minneapolis and the American Birkebeiner in Hayward, Wis. Loppet weekend offers something for everyone and is one of my favorites of the year in Minneapolis. Birkie fever is a real thing, and it is hard to describe the incredible atmosphere of skiers and spectators that make this a world-class event. Finishing the race on Main Street in front of a roaring crowd and celebrating with friends, new and old, keeps a smile on my face the entire weekend. I borrowed a fat tire bike last year to race in the St. Paul Winter Carnival’s winter triathlon and the Fat Bike Birkie and had a blast. I will definitely be going back next year for more adventure.

Compiled by Bob Timmons

Read about other of our state's winter outdoor enthusiasts: LINK