skilauf rund um die welt: The Great American Birkie

This years American Birkie was the 3rd largest birkie ever, with 6,992 racers. It was also the 35th year of the famous grueling 51k race, the course starts off hard with a steep climb up a toll road for 5k, than it's rolling terrain with a few steep long climbs in the middle. I can't recall k for k anymore but I can recall the hardest steepest hill I have done in a long time, I will never forget this hill and I think the biggest reason for this is because it was at 41k. The last thing I wanted to do at 41k was go up hill.


A lot of people look at me like I have four heads when I tell them I am going to race the American Birkebeiner; there are several reasons for this of course, one being: "what the heck is that" and after I give them a discription they think I am nuts.

Today, the historic event of the rescue of Haakon Haakonsson is honoured in Norway by three annual sporting events, a run, a mountain bike race and a cross-country ski race, Birkebeinerrennet or the Birkebeiner Run. Common for these events is the requirement of carrying a heavy backpack weighing 3.5 kg as a remembrance of the child the Birkebeiners had to carry on their journey. The events are located in the Lillehammer and Rena area.

There are also sister cross-country ski races held in Hayward (USA), the American Birkebeiner, and in Edmonton (Canada). The difference is that We didn't carry a pack weighing 3.5 kg (thank goodness)!

This is the first official 50k that I have ever done, it was a great experience and I will do it again for sure. I was here last year but due to the lack of snow the race was shortened to half the distance.

This weekend!

No racing for me until Sunday :-( Been a little sick, gotta be smart so I don't kill myself. It's so hard to do the right thing when you really love to ski and race. I haven't skied since Tuesday, when I had to cut my workout in half!

Hopefully I feel good enough for Sundays race!

whoa...I'm Tired

This was a tough weekend! I started my travel and racing Saturday at 6am, the roads were ICY which meant a long drive to Craftsbury Marathon. We made sure to get there in time because the waxing conditions were not easy and a 50k with bad wax is just a nightmare!
Friday I woke up, and we had four inches of snow, I thought to myself that winter might be back in the east. But I was wrong by mid day it was sleeting or raining, by 4pm it was all rain. 20 degrees and raining to be exact and turning into ice instantly.
Before I woke up on Saturday the rain had changed back to snow and there was a 1 inch dusting on top of the ice. There was every condition none to man in the race: ice, slush, powder, dirty snow, wet snow, dry snow...you name it, we skied through it.
I ended up living my nightmare and missed my kick wax for the 50k, after about 8k I decided it would best to just ski the race for fun and call it a training day. I was slipping all over the place and figured the only way I am going to finish this race and live to see another day of classic skiing was to back off and take in the views. I had fun, even stopped along the way to eat some soup, still ended up 13th with the same time from last year; guess I can't complain!
The uphills were long with bad kick and the down hills where a disaster, just glazed over with ice. This is a bad combination with narrow winding trails through the woods. I managed to make it out without hitting any trees but I did land in a big pile up early in the race and later on during the race I went through a section and let my guard down when I found myself sliding on my stumach down the hill! WHOOPS...worst part was my hat fell off and I had to go back up the hill to get it! Lots of hard falls and I have the battle wounds to prove it.

On Sunday I woke up early to head down to Mt. Top ski area right outside of Rutland Vt. for Womans Ski day. I was there representing the Madshus racing team as a coach, I taught girls of all ages and abilities how to ski the up and down hills.
It was great, everyone was excited to be there and most everyone caught on really fast.
I would have to say the best part about womens ski day was the team relays at the end of the day (besides the great free lunch). I got to partner up with a 9 year old girl from NJ, it was her second time cross country skiing in her life. It was great, she didn't want to stop skiing. I know I was tired after a full day of being out side and skiing around, but this little girl just want to keep skiing. We ended up skiing one last loop together before I had to get ready to leave (for me leaving a ski race or skiing event takes at least an hour because I am too social...I guess I like to talk).

Team Today

photo essay of nationals

Peter Hale and I after the 10k classic race

Peter Hale and I discussing a few ski choice mistakes...argh

While stuck in WI I got to watch Anja's cat BEGGING to get inside.

MEOW!

COME ON!

This is WI! ugh!

Running in WI. with all the flying and magic!

WI. Endless entertainment!

Again, had to find something to do in WI.

ahhh...the house I stayed in in MI, just in case!

It was an all boys appt. one thing does not belong!

All boys, need i say more?

Didn't use the toilet in the shower

It was cold!

But I still had a lot of fun!

Hanging out with great skier/friend Anja!

Anja's parents took pictures and took good care of us while we were stuck in WI.

2008 National Championships

Anja Jokela and I are out here in Houghton, MI now. Relaxing, all we did today was go for a short am wake up jog, ate breakfast, went skiing than came home, and ate lunch. After lunch I did a little work on the computer while she practiced her violin, I have to say it was very pleasant to listen to her play while I was working. Anja was practicing Shostacovich, she says: "It's an AWESOME piece!" I would have to say I concur. Shostacovich, wrote a lot of his great music in a concentration camp in Germany...amazing!

I am very lucky with all the support I have this year with Madshus, currently while I am sitting here drinking hot chocolate, and typing way in the warm house Perter Hale, the Madshus rep. is out waxing my skis.

First race is tomorrow, 5k skate. This is the biggest nationals has ever been with a whopping 450 people here. I am very excited to race tomorrow with the great course that we have. There are a few technical turns at the bottom of some long downhills which I like, my skis seem work really well for me when it gets technical!

Well it's New Years Eve and I will keep everyone posted on how the first races goes for 2008! Nothing like the first races of 2008 being the hardest!

EPIC

First I want to say that there is something to be said about getting up really early in the morning to go skiing. To start in the pitch dark and ski in the valleys surrounded by mountains while the sun comes up. The sky looks like it is on fire, the snow is a bright white that starts to sparkle in the sun, you can see your breath, you can hear everything you around. It's just me, my skis and the snow! Amazing!

Second I should tell you about a great weekend! Saturday it was cold, very cold; the race started at 10am, it was 3 loops, so very spectator friendly, which was nice because it was so cold that the snow was squeaking under my skis. I think in some sections I could have started running up the hill with my skis...it was that slow! I remember thinking to myself that I had to have very fast tempo on the uphills cause there was so little glide...my turn over was very high, I motored myself around the loop three times for first place. Anja Jokela was second just 12 seconds behind me. It was a very tight race for the two of us. After the race I headed to Stowe to get in some good skiing before the storm...WHAT YOU SAY...STORM?

Sunday was AMAZING we got another foot of snow. It was important for me to train on Sunday, I had an OD planned of three hours. When it gets tough the tough get going , is what I had to tell myself in the morning. It was really cold, WINDY and snowing hard. I believe I was the only one out at Catamount skiing. For a good reason, the wind was so strong that it blew me over three times. I decided it would be best to stay in the woods...it was cool, I was skiing along in the light ungroomed fresh snow, at some points it was up to my knees and all I could hear the wind.

Monday I got to take the day off from training and go work...I love my new job.

Tuesday a massive truck t-bones me on my way into work...the good news is I got my training in first and no one is hurt (good thing the truck driver was four times my size, when I got out of my truck the first thing the driver said to me was: "happy holidays"). I had another early morning ski with Anja, at one point we could see the hills sparkling with the sun rising...boy I wish I had my camera for that one!