[skibum]

Time to prep for ski season
By JANE MCMANUS

Sandi Bushnell once found skiing fun but frustrating. The 43-year-old mother of two was a regular runner and worked out at a gym, but after half a day on the slopes she felt sore and exhausted.

"I thought it was the altitude," Bushnell said.

Last year Bushnell started working with Congers-based physical trainer Alex Chemerov. He took her outside and got her moving like a skier. She might not have had snow at her feet or poles in her hand, but she was preparing for the season in a way an aerobics class just couldn't.

"I'm a runner and I walk," Bushnell said. "I thought I was doing the appropriate cardiovascular workout. But it's the lunges and the side-to-side, that's what I'm doing on the slopes. I'm not running."

Getting ready for the ski season means different things to different people. For members of the Mogul Meister Ski Club, there is an open house on Tuesday and a chance to pick out ski trips for the season. For Luis Torre, the general manager at Princeton Ski Shop in Elmsford, it's time to get ready for the first sale of the season.

There are time shares to secure and mountainside hotel rooms to book from New Jersey to Vermont. Those with the means already have plans to head out west to seek the perfect powder.

"This is actually the perfect time because skiers like myself go out Thanksgiving weekend," Chemerov said.

The warm weather last winter, which hurt sales in January and February, is still affecting many local ski shops. Some ordered less inventory for this season, and there are deals to be had on last year's equipment.

"People now are buying last year's stuff because they're getting a good price for it," said Don Peters, who owns the Sports Barn in Yorktown. "A lot of places have a lot of inventory left."

In the last few years, several ski brands have changed ownership or changed headquarters. Peters has even noticed that gear produced in Asia or elsewhere can be slowed down en route to the U.S. with scrutiny of shipping containers.

This year the Rossignols were a little late after the company was bought by surfboard maker Quiksilver and the manufacturing plant was moved from Vermont. Changes like this can mean delays in getting skis on the shelves.

"You do worry a little bit," Peters said. "But if one fails, you always have another brand to help you out."

And there is plenty on the shelves. Skis look very different now than they did 10 years ago. Tips are wider on all skis, and so-called freeskis made to appeal to the snowboarding set also have wider ends to facilitate tricks. There is a design element as well; polka-dot skis for kids as well as computer graphics or graffiti to appeal to teens.

Torre, in his 13th year at Princeton, has seen the technology change dramatically. The skis have been shortened, and some skis have integrated bindings that sink well into the frame. He said it used to be that men's and women's equipment differed only by color, but now skis are built to reflect differences in average height and center of gravity.

A full set of ski equipment - boots, skis and poles, can be rented for the season at about $260 for adults and $214 for kids. It would cost at least about $400 to buy a set of new gear. Kids and adults are also buying insulated ski helmets, which many ski schools require for children. Torre said not everyone bought into the idea of helmets for skiers.

"I was one of them when they first came out," Torre said. "But now I won't go skiing without one."

It costs about $300 to get outfitted head-to-toe in the compression socks, technologically advanced under garments, water-resistant pants and a jacket.

Once a skier gets the gear, it's time to get in shape. Chemerov has put together an e-book with partner Tommi Paavola for those who want to get their bodies ready. With a one-day lift ticket going for up to $72 in Vermont, an afternoon spent aching in the lodge is money wasted.

"It's one thing to do a leg press to strengthen your leg," Bushnell said. "But to move your leg in that motion is more effective."

Bushnell is planning ahead, but most people are a little more capricious, which is why business suffered during the strange winter warmth last year. This year, merchants are waiting for the first cold snap to draw customers.

"As soon as the snow drops, I don't care if it's a Monday morning, it's crazy in here," Torre said.

[zoro]

Thanks for the reminder. Im trying real hard to stay on top of my exercise routine. Ill slap myself if I find myself on the slopes with jelly legs again this year