Troll Roll

The new roller ski season has begun. The first training sessions are over. And on Sunday 21st April, I participated in my very first ever roller ski tour: the Troll Roll. This tour through the Wageningen forests in the Netherlands was organised by Troll Nordic Sports, an association of enthusiastic practitioners of Nordic sports.

There was a choice of 12, 22 or 31 km. Given my beginner status, I opted for the 12 km. And considering the wavy course, this was also a wise decision. Training for long distances is only on the schedule for the next few months. Everyone took off like an arrow at the start. I immediately thought that my adventure towards Mora was already going to end here. But it soon became clear that a lot of other participants took off to fast. So, it turned out, I was doing better than I initially thought. Shortly afterwards, we formed a group of 4 with which we completed most of the tour. On the last climb, 2 others definitely let go. And so 2 of us arrived at the finish together. Tired, but satisfied. Coffee, soup and sandwiches were waiting for us.

This fun tour ride makes me longing for more. The beautiful and slightly hilly course inspired me. I felt that a lot of training is still needed. But I also felt that I am stronger and more stable on the rollerskis than I was a few months ago. Progress is good. Finally, I would like to thank the people at Troll Nordic Sports for the fine organisation and friendly reception. Those interested can read the report (in Dutch) here.