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BKL Mini Marathon 2025 – Montpelier to Albany

By on 21 February, 2025 in BKL Race Blog, BKL Training Schedule

The Mini Marathon is one of our favorite days of the season! It’s a fun affair where kids are in charge. They choose who they ski with and how many laps of the course they ski. There are no warmup games or technique sessions, it’s just skiing!

This year we had to postpone one week (due to a school snow day), which landed us just days after the biggest snowstorms of the season (of the last couple seasons for that matter). Groomer and coach Peter Davis did a tremendous job whipping the windblown snow into shape and setting a beautiful double classic track around the whole course.  A double track is the perfect way to visit with friends while gliding along side by side.

Skiers had the choice of skiing a short lap and a long lap.  At the end of each lap volunteers at the tally sheets recorded the laps skied.

The snack table is another highlight of the Mini Marathon. After everyone skis a few laps the snack table opens and skiers are treated to a snack at the end of each lap.

This year the MNC BKL skied 255KM! That’s from Montpelier, the Capitol of Vermont to, Albany, the Capitol of New York.

Thanks to our skiers, coaches and parent volunteers for helping make this a really fun ski event.

Photos

JackRabbits Short Lap 1 km Long Lap 2.5km
Bodhi White 3 2
Claire Dolbec 2 1
Daisy Tremble 4
Elsie Tuck 4
Ford Nearey 5
Grant Gillian 2 2
Johannes Hollenbach 4
Julia Tuck 4
Kyle Mack Granzow 4
Leah Schwartz 4
Maddy Lou Granzow 4
Margo Dillon 2 2
Nathaniel Schroeter 3 2
Nora Johnson 5
Oliver Wooster 4 3
Ollie Laber 2 3
Ophelia Popkin 2 2
Ronin White 5 1
Rory Dolbec 1 3
Taylor Miles 2 3
Willa Niles 1 2
Arctic Foxes
Adrianna Bibeau 4
Charlotte Niles 4 1
Elise Ochs 2 2
Gabriel Schroeter 1 2
Jackson Neary 3 2
Levon Sterritt 3 1
Maddie Schwartz 4
Martin Sterritt 3 1
Racers/Devos
Finn Laber 5
Fiona Repp 4
Izabella Altadonna 2 3
Mazzy Merritt 3 3
Oliver Tremble 1 5
Rory Dillon 1 3

BKL Ski Adventures for Feb Vacation Week!

By on 19 February, 2025 in BKL Race Blog, BKL Training Schedule

It’s almost February vacation week and if you are sticking around Vermont we have a couple fun BKL ski options this week. (We don’t have regular Tues/Thurs BKL during February Vacation, but practice resumes Tuesday, March 4th.)

Please RSVP and let coaches know that you are coming (There is a tab for each of these events on the spreadsheet)

Sunday, February 23th 11:30am-1pm- Ski Games Day with the UVM Ski Team at Sleepy Hollow

Everyone is invited. We’ll play games on skis and have fun with the UVM Ski Team.

Meeting Time: 11:30am at Molly’s Meadow Sleepy Hollow. Eat a big snack before you come and bring a water bottle. If you arrive late get your skis on and meet us up in Molly’s Meadow (this is where the Skiathlon start and finish were a couple weeks ago). Sleepy Hollow Website

Ending Time: We’ll ski until about 12:30pm, then gather for hot chocolate and snacks with our UVM skier friends.

Technique: We’ll skate ski.  Penguins and anyone else that’s more comfortable can classic ski.

Tickets: Everyone needs a Sleepy Hollow ticket or season pass. We’ve organized $5 Sleepy Hollow tickets for this event. Please purchase your ticket inside the lodge when you arrive.

We had a ton of fun playing games at Craftsbury last year!

Wednesday, February 28th 10am- Craftsbury Ski Day
Join us for our traditional MNC BKL ski adventure day at Craftsbury.

This is a family event! Parents are encouraged to ski with us. We’ll have all different abilities and speeds and only a few coaches.  If you have never been to Craftsbury, you are in for a treat! There is tons of snow and beautiful trails and it’s very affordable.  Craftsbury Outdoor Center Website

Getting There:  In google maps or your map app, enter: Craftsbury Outdoor Center, Craftsbury Common, VT

Meeting Time: 10:00am in the upper field, just outside the Nordic Center Lodge (bring a water bottle and holder)

Ending Time: It’s a little fluid. We will ski from 10 to about 11:30, have lunch and then play some games and do some relays, probably ending about 2. You are welcome to stay as long as you want!

Technique: We will skate ski. Penguins classic. And any parents that want to join, but don’t skate ski, can classic too.

Lunch: Bring lunch! There is also a food option in the Nordic Center. Front Seat Coffee (of Hardwick) has an outpost at Craftsbury and they serve m-f 10-4 with sandwiches, baked goods, drinks and coffee.

Tickets: Everyone who skis needs a day pass or membership. It’s $5 for kids, $10 for adults, Free for 6 & under and you can get tickets in the lodge when you arrive.

Conditions: Craftsbury Trail Conditions

BKL Info Feb 17-23 – updated

By on 17 February, 2025 in BKL Training Schedule

2/17 Update 1: Penguins are canceled this week – older groups are on.

Update 2: Tuesday practice is moved to Catamount.  Sign Up Here if you plan to come to practice at Catamount.

The snow just keeps coming!! We are feeling very luck to have such great skiing this winter and great grooming by Coach Peter Davis.

Tuesday looks cold, skiers should dress in their warmest layers and thick socks. Have a big snack before practice and don’t forget mittens with hand warmers.

Event Update – The Mad River BKL Ski Miester is canceled for this Friday (2/21). But we’ll be at Sleepy Hollow on Sunday (2/23) for our Games Day with the UVM Ski Team. Everyone is invited to Sleepy, more info below.

Tuesday 2/18: Penguins, JackRabbits, Arctic Foxes & Racers
Location: * Practice moved to Catamount*  Please Sign Up Here if you plan to come to practice at Catamount.
Details: Skate for JackRabbits, Arctic Foxes and Racers *Penguins are canceled*
Devos at Sleepy Hollow, check the Juniors training plan for details.

Thursday 2/20: JackRabbits, Arctic Foxes, Racers & Devos
Location: Tomasi
Details: Classic for all – Mini Marathon
Waxing: We’ll have a small bench and some wax set up in the parking lot at the trailhead, but if you can wax at home ahead of time that would be great. Temps should be in the 20s– try Swix Extra Blue or something similar.

It’s time for our annual Mini-Marathon! How many laps (or KM’s) can you ski in one hour? We will do a little warm-up and all start together at 4 pm.  Kids will ski at their own pace and as much as they can on the designated loops with friends and coaches. The snack table opens at 4:30 and they can stop to grab water, fuel up and record their number of laps. We try to keep this event FUN and somewhat informal despite how the name sounds.

Parents:  Volunteer + Snacks Sign-Up
1. Every kid should bring a filled water bottle labeled with their name and leave it in the bin located at the trail head in the parking lot. Kids will get thirsty. (We will also bring a big water jug for refilling bottles.)
2. We need parents to bring some healthy snacks for the snack table. Valentine’s treats are OK too. See the sign-up link above. If you bring snacks, please deliver them to the snack bin located at the trail head in the parking lot.
3. We need 2-3 parents to help with the snack table and to help kids record their laps. We’d also love it if someone can take some pictures. See the sign-up link above.

Looking ahead:  More Info and Let Coaches Know You are Coming
Games with the UVM Ski Team– Sunday, Feb 23 from 11:30am-1:00pm at Sleepy Hollow.  Everyone is invited to play games on skis and have fun with the UVM Ski Team. We’ll end with a hot drink and snacks. ($5 Sleepy tickets for this event – families should go into the lodge when they arrive to purchase tickets)
Craftsbury Ski Day– Wednesday, Feb 26 at 10am. Join us at Craftsbury for our traditional MNC BKL ski adventure.
BKL Festival – March 1 + 2 at Quarry Road Trails, Waterville, Maine. Nordic Adventure and Racing options available. Check out our Fest FAQs post for more info

BKL Info Feb 10-16 – Updated

By on 10 February, 2025 in BKL Training Schedule

2/13 Update – Practice is canceled today due to school closures and weather. We will reschedule the Mini Marathon for next week .

2/11 Update – the Frost Mtn BKL race at Rikert this weekend is CANCELED. See below for more info.

It looks like we have another snowy week ahead. This Thursday is our Valentine’s Mini Marathon – it’s a fun way for everyone to ski with friends and see how many laps they can ski! Parent volunteers and snack donations needed. Volunteer + Snacks Sign-Up

Tuesday 2/11: Penguins, JackRabbits, Arctic Foxes & Racers
Location: Tomasi
Details: Skate for JackRabbits, Arctic Foxes and Racers (Classic for Penguins)
Devos at Sleepy Hollow, check the Juniors training plan for details.

Thursday 2/13: JackRabbits, Arctic Foxes, Racers & Devos
Location: Tomasi  -PRACTICE CANCELED- We will reschedule the mini marathon for next week.
Details: Classic for all – Mini Marathon – To celebrate Valentine’s Day we’re doing our Mini Marathon.
Waxing: We’ll have a small bench and some wax set up in the parking lot at the trailhead or you can wax at home ahead of time. Temps should be in the high 20s/low 30s – try Toko yellow or similar.

It’s time for our annual Mini-Marathon! How many laps (or KM’s) can you ski in one hour? We will do a little warm-up and all start together at 4 pm.  Kids will ski at their own pace and as much as they can on the designated loops with friends and coaches. The snack table opens at 4:30 and they can stop to grab water, fuel up and record their number of laps. We try to keep this event FUN and somewhat informal despite how the name sounds.

Parents:  Volunteer + Snacks Sign-Up
1. Every kid should bring a filled water bottle labeled with their name and leave it in the bin located at the trail head in the parking lot. Kids will get thirsty. (We will also bring a big water jug for refilling bottles.)
2. We need parents to bring some healthy snacks for the snack table. Valentine’s treats are OK too. See the sign-up link above. If you bring snacks, please deliver them to the snack bin located at the trail head in the parking lot.
3. We need 2-3 parents to help with the snack table and to help kids record their laps. We’d also love it if someone can take some pictures. See the sign-up link above.

Saturday 2/15: Racers and Devos
Location: Camel’s Hump Nordic Center, Huntington
Details: We’ll classic ski and meet at 10am. Practice will finish at about noon.  Bring a water bottle and snack. Use your reciprocal pass for a ticket.

Saturday 2/15: Devos
Location: Rikert, Ripton, VT
Details:  Frost Mtn Eastern Cup –  Devos can try a U16 race. It’s a 5K Classic interval start race. See Coach Kristen’s email and Link to registration is here. Registration closes on Wednesday at 7:30pm.

Sunday 2/16: BKL Race for All BKL  – Just Added to the Schedule –
Location: Hard’ack, St. Albans
Details: Hard’ack Challenge BKL Race,  Skate Race  Registration and More Info
Please note that Online Registration Deadline: Friday, Feb 14, 2025 at 11:59 PM ET and there will be day of race registration cash or check only.  Let coaches know you are coming

Sunday 2/16: BKL Race for All BKL – CANCELED – We are looking at some other options for the weekend – stay tuned.
Location: Rikert, Ripton, VT
Details: Frost Mtn BKL Race, Skate Race  Registration/Info
Please note that online registration closes Online Registration Deadline: Wednesday, Feb 12, 2025 at 7:30 PM ET and there will be day of race registration from 11:30-1:30pm Let coaches know you are coming

Looking ahead:
Ski with the UVM Ski Team– Sunday, Feb 23 from 11:30am-1:00pm at Sleepy Hollow.  Everyone is invited to play games and on skis and have fun with the UVM Ski Team. We’ll end with a hot drink and snacks. ($5 Sleepy tickets for this event – families should go into the lodge when they arrive to purchase tickets)
Craftsbury Ski Day– Wednesday, Feb 26 at 10am. Join us at Craftsbury for our traditional MNC BKL ski adventure.
BKL Festival – March 1 + 2 at Quarry Road Trails, Waterville, Maine. Nordic Adventure and Racing options available. Check out our Fest FAQs post for more info

BKL Info Feb 3-9

By on 3 February, 2025 in BKL Training Schedule

Update: Thursday (2/6) practice is canceled. It looks most schools are canceled today including MMUUSD. You could do some yard skiing or get out close to home during the day.

Thanks to everyone that brought snacks and helped out at the Tour de Underhill last week. We had a wonderful ski adventure and the kids and coaches all had a great time.

It’s perfect winter conditions at Tomasi right now and it looks like lots of snow in the forecast this week both tonight and Thursday. We’ll be grooming, but it will be lots of powder!

Tuesday 2/4: Penguins, JackRabbits, Arctic Foxes & Racers
Location: Tomasi
Details: Skate for JackRabbits, Arctic Foxes and Racers (Classic for Penguins)
Devos at Sleepy Hollow, check the Juniors training plan for details.

Thursday 2/6: Practice canceled  JackRabbits, Arctic Foxes, Racers & Devos
Location: Tomasi
Details: Classic for all
Waxing: We’ll have a small bench and some wax set up in the parking lot at the trailhead or you can wax at home ahead of time. If you raced this weekend leave that wax on and add a couple layers on top. Temps should be in the mid 20s – try Swix extra blue or Toko Red

Saturday 2/8: Racers and Devos
If you are headed to Rikert this weekend do you pre race on Saturday either at Rikert or Sleepy Hollow (practice). If you are not, then there are two options for Saturday. See below for details.

Practice Option
Location: Sleepy Hollow
Details: We’ll skate ski and meet at 10am up in Molly’s Meadow. Practice will finish at about noon. Bring a water bottle and snack.

Race Option
Location: Craftsbury
Details: Bill’s Blastoff BKL Race, Skate Registration/Info
Coaches are not planning to go to Craftsbury for this one, but it should be a pretty straight forward race for parents and kids to go to together.
 
Sunday 2/9: Devos
Location: Rikert
Details: VT EHS/U16 Qualifier
Adam, Kristen and Sara are all planning to be at Rikert waxing. Check the juniors training doc for registration link and details.

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