XC Skiing Riverdale Park post "Blizzard" of 2015

Though Winter Storm Juno was not as serious as expected, she still dumped enough snow for school cancellation and fresh cover for skiing. Though Van Cortlandt Park is a great place to ski, I was eager to explore some new territory. Plus, my car was snowed in, and the thought of walking all the way down the hill--let alone back up it--seemed daunting.

So I took an afternoon ramble through sunny Riverdale to hit the park that runs along Palisade Avenue. While I got more funny looks than usual striding the sidewalks in my spandex and with skis over my shoulder, it was more than worth it. It was only a 15 minute walk before I could click into my bindings and hear the distinctive sound of ski on snow.

Gazing and gliding

I saw fellow skiers for the first time in the Bronx. We made small talk about how pleasant the day was. Mostly, I took in the calm afternoon light while looking over the Hudson River at the snowy Palisades in NJ. I'd like to ski over there someday too, but for now, just gazing was enough.


After two good sessions this weekend, I was proud to clock my fastest average so far this season. While it wasn't my longest ski, it was my most challenging in terms of elevation gain. I attribute the increased speed somewhat to more fitness for the sport, but mostly to faster conditions. The snow was crunchy and firm, making for quick runs along level ground, and some nice downhill sections.

Though not as extensive as Van Cortlandt Park, this was still a worthwhile place to ski. The view really is peaceful and occasionally a Metro-North or Amtrak train rolls through below, its whistle lending the whole park a 19th-century feel.

Thin snow and sunny skies at Van Cortlandt Park

After a great ski yesterday at Van Cortlandt Park, I wasn't sure what temps in the high 30s and sleeping in a bit would mean for conditions. Though the snow cover was thin, resulting in some icy, uneven sections and some bare patches too, the park was still quite skiable today.

Are you planning to cross country ski after the coming historic blizzard? Stay safe out there, but I sure am. Post to the comments below if snow makes you happy!

Today, I decided to explore some new territory, especially the Putnam Trail, a straight, flat, wooded trail that eventually runs into the paved South County Trailway, at the end of Van Cortlandt Park. Though the conditions on this trail were not very good--people had been rightfully enjoying the snow by waling along it, and there footprints made the terrain uneven and the snow turned to ice overnight--it did lead me to the best skiing of the day, on the grounds of Van Cortlandt Golf Course nearby. 

Someone else's tracks through the fairway

While I was hesitant to venture onto the golf course, there didn't seem to be a fence and I recalled happily times sledding at Silver Lake Golf Course on Staten Island as a kid. So, I figured that if my parents thought some winter time trespassing was acceptable, I should be ok. Then I was happy to see a fellow skier's tracks, and that sealed the deal. The skiing on the course was the best of the day, as it was only tracked by occasional goose prints and the open, rolling terrain was really pleasant.

After returning to the main part of the park, I wanted to get some hill work in, so I ventured up Freshman Hill and then Vault Hill again. The hills were much tougher, up and down, due to quicker, icier conditions today. Before calling it quits, I stopped to take in the view, just above the Vault family cemetery, and caught a view of the NYC skyline, courtesy of a clear, winter sky. 

NYC Skyline framed by my ski poles: Empire State Building & towering 432 Park Ave from Vault Hill 

All in all, it was another great day at the park. Conditions were spring-like with thin cover, and temps into the 40s by the end of my ski. In fact, I was in short sleeves for most of the day!

A tired but happy guy

Ski NYC, Day 1

Most people would be surprised to learn that cross country skiing is possible within the limits of New York City. Over the past few years, I've had the opportunity to ski at Prospect Park in Brooklyn and even Central Park in Manhattan. While some look at me like I'm crazy, others give a smile or ask how it's going. I usually even see another skier or two.

Where do you ski in NYC? If you're one of the crazies out there on skinny skis like me, post in the comments below! 

I live in the Bronx now, so I have been excited all winter to ski at Van Cortlandt Park. With its large parade ground flats and wooded trails through the "back hills," it's a great spot for kicking and gliding.

Fresh tracks with Van Cortlandt Mansion in background

When I woke up yesterday to the scrape of snow plow on concrete and branches turned white with snow, I jumped out of bed, wolfed down some toaster waffles and a banana and headed out the door. Check out my GPS file below. I did a few loops of the Parade Grounds, went up Freshman Hill, and even took a run up and down Vault Hill, with slow conditions making it manageable going up and down.

Conditions were pretty good. I would describe the snow as fresh but heavy. We got roughly 5 inches, as you can see from the deep tracks in the picture below. The snow was made heavier by light rain on and off throughout the morning, but that also meant it was warm, and I quickly shed my second layer, skiing in a long-sleeved cycling jersey, long running tights, and a winter cap.

Van Cortlandt was delightfully quiet and I enjoyed some casual camaraderie with a group of 5 or 6 runners who were also braving the snow to log some miles.

Getting started in 2015: Setting goals and tracking progress

If you haven't done so already, now is a good time to set some athletic goals for 2015. What event or goal will motivate you to train this year? You can post your goals in the comments below. I'll post about my own goals soon.

Any athlete who is serious about achieving specific goals should track his/her training. A training log is a great way to chart your progress throughout each training cycle and throughout the year.

There are many training logs available. Many athletes use Strava or Garmin Connect to track weekly, monthly, and annual totals. You can also search for different templates for logs through Google Drive.

Chart generated by Doug Clark's Triathlon Log
You can see that my running was erratic until September, when I dedicated myself for half-marathon in December

My personal favorite over the past few years is available at www.triathlonlog.com Coach Doug Clark, an accomplished triathlete, experienced coach, and recent cancer survivor, puts this log together each year. It is designed for triathletes, but also useful for any runner, cyclist, or multisport athlete.