Fighting the odds: 46 weeks to become a Cross-Country Skier

I suppose I'm again looking at 46 weeks until high-season on snow. Not that I ever really had a "season" on snow.

Some updates on my progress:
- My running coach just mentioned that I look slimmer.
- And, although I've not done a solo run to mention, the 2 track practices a week do seem to be getting better. My times are not world shattering, but I've been off this pace for some time. And when I was on it, I seemed to be working harder for it. I'm running with, and away from faster teammates (girls mostly, to be honest).

This winter I spent 2 weeks on snow. One in Reit im Winkel (Germany), one in Leutasch/Seefeld (Austria). Some 14 days on skis. 2 of them with a bit of classic in there. One classic lesson and bits before and after, and ~15km on renatal the last day in Seefeld. No big love just yet. I sort of like it for recovery training though, change of pace and muscle groups. I just can't deal with classic skis on downhills. Slow seems like it would make it easier, but the things are just SO sketchy...

It's really time to pick up:
-longer easy runs outside of the practices.
And weight work, push/pull-ups, etc, etc. I'm terribly weak now, a miracle I can run.
And regular rather than incidental street skating
And actual bike rides exceeding the 7km to work and back again.

I'm contempleting the huge investment of a SkiErg trainer. Made to train double poling. Half the skating muscles or more, I suppose. I'd prefer to be able to do skate-leg work at the same time though. Please tell me if you know this to work. No SkiErg in shops here to try it out before purchase. Apart from the price and my nitpicking over it's workings, there is the reputation of indoor training equipment, especially when noisy. People look at it, try to ignore it, and then feel weaker than before they bought it.

Oh, now that I feel like my balance is better, and I carry around less excess weight, little reason to keep from trying the Skikes again. First time ever, at a club test practice, I liked them. Second try, I owned my own pair, sort of liked them, but shitted my tights on anything pointed down. Disappointed at the off-road rolling capacity, or utter lack thereof. Third try, I was standing there, feeling very unstable, skates tipping laterally like a small pendulum clock. Shin straps seemed to turn around, making for very sketchy "hold". I want it to be without movement!
Skikes, as limited as they are, should make touring from home much better, by rolling over old pavement better, and having actual brakes.

I recently broke a carbide tip off a pole, that sucked. I stuck it between 2 bricks that made up the pavement, and the leverage did the rest. Sucks.

Now I have 180cm Skike One4You poles. Heavier carbon ones, really, really stiff. They are so heavy, it's uncomfortable to freeskate them. They jerk in the hand. Considering to try counter weights on the other end, so they'll just be heavier, bu better balanced. I skated the longer poles ones, for the Inline they are definately better than the ~172.5 Fishers and Rossignols. The former should be 175cm, I bought them such, but they work out smaller.

Another issue I have, even rand new pole ferrules slip out on asphalt. Is that normal? Should I make them sharper still, or add the rubber socks to make transitions smoohter? I do dislike the loud sound of the ferrule on the street...

On www.xcskiforum.com I posted a review of some new top-end Salomon and Atomic skate stuff. And a full trail desciptionf or Seefeld/Leutasch. Check it out.

I just want to mention that Ziener gloves are great value, scored a pair for €20 that worked out well for may XXL square hands with pianists' fingers.
And, I still have a brand new pair of Carbonlite 187 Cold stiff skate skis for sale. Won't break the bank for you.