In and around Grainau, there is a fantastic and varied cross-country skiing area for classic cross-country skiing as well as skating. This gives you the option to only do small laps as well as to run a distance of several kilometers. And the illuminated night trail allows you to do a few more laps in the snow late in the evening.

Cross-country skiing is a great endurance and fitness sport that also trains a lot of muscles and that you can also do after work, which is why I decided to learn cross-country skiing.

I had no contact with cross-country skiing for years. As a child, I went cross-country skiing with my parents, but that was now half an eternity ago. My winter sport is alpine skiing, but now that I live in a winter sports destination, it's worth trying out other winter sports as well. The advantage of cross-country skiing is that I can also do this sport after work, do a few laps for half an hour or an hour and can therefore say with a clear conscience that I have done some sport.

First off classic cross-country skiing

Since I used to do classic cross-country skiing as a child, I will start with it. The ski rental and ski school in Grainau provide me with cross-country skiing equipment and a trainer who is supposed to teach me the art of cross-country skiing. Well equipped, the cross-country skiing trail on Krepbach is not far from the ski rental shop. Unfortunately I chose the wrong time for my training day today. A lot of snow came down overnight and the trail trail is covered with snow. Accordingly, we first have to track ourselves until the snow machine arrives, which prepares the cross-country skiing area accordingly again. However, there is one advantage for me. There is nothing going on yet and no one will notice my possible falls and the initial clumsiness for now.

My trainer teaches me the correct gliding technique and stick posture and we first practice them on a small, approximately 500 m long section of trail. The start works pretty well, because there is a very minimal inclination in the running direction. Then it's time to turn around again and get back to the starting point. That's a bit more sweaty. Even if you barely see the inclination, you can still feel it in your legs. At first, the sticks are not used, it is primarily about pushing yourself off and letting yourself slide, pushing and gliding over and over again, swing and glide. That's when the sticks are used. Always nice right arm, left leg, left arm, right leg. Always crossed diagonally. And it's best to lift the back of the ski for more momentum. After we have trained these movements for a while, the snow machine arrives and the cross-country skiing area is perfectly prepared again in no time at all. Now the first cross-country skiers are already coming, who are already experienced in cross-country skiing. It all looks very easy with them. On the other hand, I'm already quite warm and I can feel my muscles.

The second training session then becomes more intensive. We're going to do the first rounds now. But the curves are probably the worst (this is where childhood memories come up. As a child, I crashed from time to time during curves after inclinations.). Fortunately, the area is fairly flat, but you still notice the inclination as you glide along. And, of course, some falls are inevitable for me. It's too easy for me to lose my balance on thin skis. But okay, get up and get on with it. After two hours of training, I'm exhausted, but the technique is pretty good and the first big laps are behind me. From now on, it's time to practice, practice and practice again so that in the future I'll be as good as the other cross-country skiers I meet. For now, I've earned a break and a hearty lunch. And I am happy that I have hired a trainer who has shown me the cross-country skiing technique once again.

More about classic cross-country skiing

I will spend the coming winter weeks, when there is also enough snow in the valley, putting the knowledge I have learned into practice and training diligently. From time to time I go for a few laps on the night trail after work and on some weekends I'm even drawn to the trail after alpine skiing. In any case, one thing is certain: cross-country skiing is a true competitive sport and after an hour I feel completely exhausted, but also happy, because exercising in the fresh winter air is good for me.

Cross-country skating

One winter later, I'm ready to improve my cross-country skiing skills again. Even more so this winter, after Corona has caused a lock down of the mountain railways and cross-country skiing is now also on the agenda at the weekend instead of alpine skiing.

I want to try out cross-country skating this winter. Skating always looks so sporty, the skaters are moving fast and the lateral leg muscles are also trained enormously. Actually, skating shouldn't be that difficult, because after all, it's the same movement as rollerblading. And in alpine skiing, people skate very often on flatter slopes. Accordingly, I am motivated that I will be able to master cross-country skating quickly.

Once again this year, I book a trainer through the ski school in Grainau, where I also rent skating skis. Skating skis are slightly shorter than cross-country skis, but the poles are longer. Together they go once again to the training trail on Krepbach in Grainau. On my first day of training this year, I will at least benefit from trails that have already been groomed and a vacant skating area. However, I notice right away that I may have imagined skating a bit easier than it actually is. While skating with my alpine skis is super easy for me, I feel a bit shaky on this thin ski with loose cross-country skiing boots right now. The safety of the trail has now disappeared and I am thinking about whether this was really such a good idea or whether I should have stayed classic in cross-country skiing.

The first skaters are already passing by me and I'm looking at them with envy. It looks really easy with them. Well, everyone had to start small after all. After all, I'm not going straight to the skating rink, but rather onto the cross-country ski trail first. While one ski stays on the trail, the other ski is now used to train the skating movement. The sticks are not used for the time being. Down the trail first with your left leg, then up the trail again with your right leg. The push is always carried out with the leg, which is outside the trail trail. The downhill trail seems easy to me after a few times, once again the slight incline is noticeable, while I have to work my way up the trail more with the ski pushes and I can clearly feel my muscles.

After we've trained for a good half hour, it's off the trail and onto the slopes. Place the skis in an open V, do not cross at the back, push weight onto the inner edges and then push the weight off first on the right then on the left. Repel sideways again and again. Here, too, we practice without sticks at first. It's faster down the trail than I'd like and I'm thinking about how to brake with my skis. It's supposed to work the same way as alpine skiing. But when it comes to alpine skiing, this is clearly easier for me once again. So run out first and hopefully come to a standstill almost by yourself. Then turn again and it's slightly uphill. Of course, it's inevitable that I lose my balance and fall into the snow. It's just good that the snow is nice and soft. On the other hand, I find it harder to get up again with cross-country skis, but you can simply release the binding and get up like that.

After we have also trained this a few times, the poles are now being used. In contrast to classic cross-country skiing, you push yourself off with both sticks at the same time. You start this a bit further forward to generate more momentum. That works very well once in a while. A short breather and off we go for our first big round. First it's slightly downhill again, which is easy for me once again, then comes the curve, the first challenge, then it's always slightly uphill. My pulse goes straight up and I'll be pretty warm in just a few minutes. However, once you get to the top of the course, it gets easier again. The first round is done. We do a second and third round again, then my private cross-country skiing course is over. I'm wiped out now too. I say goodbye to my coach and think about whether I should do another round or end the day for today. All right, there's still one round left. Once I run the 3.5 km long round again, then I'm really done for the day and I'm just looking forward to taking off my ski clothes and relaxing.

More about cross-country skiing techniques

The coming winter weeks will then be time to practice, practice and practice again. As long as there is enough snow and the trails are prepared, I'll go for a spin. But it needs at least one more winter before I can glide around as easily as other skaters. But I am confident that I will also be able to do that if I just train enough!

Try it out too!

Tips & info:

• You can rent equipment and book a course through the Zugspitze-Grainau ski school, right here on the Lower Village Square.
• If it's already dark outside, you can use the illuminated trail.
• A very beautiful stretch of trail runs through the Grainau Forest between the Krepbach trail and the Hammersbach trail.

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