What is a lemon? Besides a zesty citrus fruit that brings life to all types of food and beverages, Loppet Nordic Racing (LNR) is home to the LNR LEMONS, the “Loppet Elite Masters On Nordic Skis”. The inspiration for the team was driven by the approach of the 2018 World Masters event in Minneapolis, and brought to life in 2016 by Kate Ellis and Piotr Bednarski. The group is comprised of invited skiers interested in year-round Nordic ski training.

One of the criteria for joining the team is a top-3 age group result at either the Loppet Skate or Classic ski marathons or an age group top 6 finish at the American Birkiebeiner race. The ability to rollerski is an important skill set for this group; training on rollerskis starts in May and continues until there is snow on the ground. The Lemons train in both skate and classic technique, and athletes do need to be comfortable roller skiing on hilly terrain.

Locations for rollerskiing may vary, often using the West River Road trails, most often meeting at the base of the Franklin Bridge hill. Training typically starts at 6:30am on Wednesday mornings at Theodore Wirth while on snow. A visitor to the event once remarked, “I can’t believe you can get this many adults out to do hard intervals this early in the morning!” There is a great sense of Loppet comradery and a great sense of humor in the group, supporting competitive master skiers of all ages.

Athletes may choose to participate in weekly coached year-round training, or can join for the weekly coached winter on-snow training. The head coach Piotr Bednarski describes the group as, “The Lemons is Ski Team in every sense- we have a goal of racing at a high level in local and periodically at the World Masters. But mostly its for people who want to get together because its way more fun to train with a group!” If you are interested in joining the Lemons, please contact Mary McKelvey, mkmckelvey44@gmail.com.

What is a Yam?  Besides a root vegetable, Loppet Nordic Racing (LNR) is home to the LNR YAMS, or the “Young Adult Master Skiers”.  The inspiration for the team was driven by the success of the LEMONS and the need for a similar group aged 25 – 40.  This group is composed of invited skiers interested in year-round training for Nordic ski racing. Most have a competitive background on college teams or consistent high performance on the citizen racing circuit.

One of the criteria for joining the team is a top-5 gender result at either the Loppet Skate or Classic ski marathons or placement in the Birkie Elite Wave or Wave 1. While each applicant is considered on a case by case basis, the ultimate goal is to ensure YAMS come in with an adequate base level of fitness and ability to complete demanding workouts. Workout formats vary from week to week and include track repeats, hill bounding, rollerskiing intervals, strength training, and eventually ski intervals on snow.

As opposed to other LNR groups, YAMS training sessions focus more on intensity and fine tuning of skills and less on formal technique instruction, as it is assumed there is already a strong technique foundation. Existing proficiency on rollerskis is also an important skill set for this group. Rollerski training starts in May and continues until there is snow on the ground.  The group balances rollerskiing and running workouts fairly evenly during the summer and fall seasons, with emphasis increasing on ski-specific training in the late summer/fall.

Group training starts in mid-May and runs through the end of competition season (early March). Weekly schedule is as follows:

Tuesdays 6-7:30 – Running/rollerskiing/skiing workouts

Thursdays 6-7:30 – Strength training at the Trailhead (typically held mid-Summer through late fall)

Saturday/Sunday mornings – Group distance ski/runs (time varis, organized on an ad hoc basis)

Location will vary from week to week in order to take advantage of all the terrain the Twin Cities have to offer.

There is a great sense of Loppet camaraderie and friendly competition among this group. Email Chris Harvey (harvey@loppet.org) If you are interested in becoming part of the YAM FAM!