Eric Troyer, head media volunteer for the Sonot Kkaazoot, skate skied his 50+ km virtual Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot on Sunday in corrected time of 4:40.22.

Eric writes (at 4:53 p.m.): “I did my 50k Sonot today, completing the Sonot Hat Trick (10, 30 and 50k versions). My time was 5:14:22. That has got to be one of the toughest just-shy-of-50 50k races out there! I was darn happy to see the 48, 49, and 50k signs right there at the Timing Building. Another 3k, especially if it had gone down into the Black Loops would have killed me. I tried to convince myself that the last 10k was flat, just like in the original Sonot, but my legs and lungs argued otherwise. Thanks to everyone for putting this on, especially to those awesome groomers (tracks and trails were outstanding!)!” 

At 5:53 p.m. Eric adds: “Whoops. Corrine pointed out that I screwed up. I did the Black Loops twice! I just checked and I actually did 53.5 kilometers. Corrine checked my stats and says I spent 34 minutes in the Black Loops on the second round, so I guess I’ll take that off my time.” 

Eric never responded in my request that he submit his final official 50 km time so this current English major will do the math for him getting a final adjusted time of 4:40:22.

By finishing her 30 km virtual Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot today, Susan Sugai joined her “Kneed to Ski” teammates Bill Husby and Byron Broda in completing the Sonot Kkaazoot hat trick (all three of the official 2021 virtual Sonot Kkaazoot courses). When Bill, Byron, and Susan skied in the 2015 Turkey Day Relays, “Kneed to Ski” had the oldest skiers with the youngest knees because all three skiers have had bilateral total knee replacements. (https://www.adn.com/commentary/article/kneed-ski-team/2015/11/28/)

When Bill and Byron completed the 10, 30, and 50 km virtual courses, some of them more than once, the pressure was on Mother SCUM to ski the 30 km this weekend. She skate skied the 30 km virtual Sonot Kkaazoot in two segments, 15+ km on Saturday and the remaining trails on the 6 deg snow this morning. Her combined time was 3:18:51.

On Saturday, temperatures warmed from 22 to 26 degs as Susan skied the start loop of the South Tower and Roller Coaster Bypass, then completed all the black loops, blue, Outhouse, Tower and Medevac trails:

On Sunday, temperatures were in the low single digits so Susan utilized some of Christina Turman’s power hour training to doublepole in the tracks when it was faster than skating on slow snow:

Norma Haubenstock, who wisely chose to classical ski, motivated me to ski faster and more efficiently so I wouldn’t lose the distance I gained on the downhills and graduals quite so quickly on the steep uphill sections. Watching younger skiers ahead of me pause on Heartrate Hill and in Moilanen Meadows convinced me that my pain was real.

However, once the finish line was in sight, I knew I could doublepole across it. The pain of having to doublepole and single stick uphill in subzero new snow at UAF in Christina’s power hour FXC Masters class made my finish today possible. My legs thank you Christina! (However, my wrist is complaining).

Byron Broda skate skied his 50 km virtual Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot in 4:38:31 today.

Byron writes: “I finished just before it finished me. I needed those short k markers near the finish. 48k, 49k and 50k are about ten feet apart at the timing building, 

Nice temps. Good glide but trails a little soft.

This completes my Sonot hat trick, 10, 30 and 50. That ought to hold me over ‘til next March. Now rest.”