Skinnyski Race Team Weekend Recap: Birkie Story

Somehow this year Per and I managed to leave town early and arrive in Telemark at bib pickup before dark. That was a big change from rolling into the cabin well past midnight last year! It seemed that maybe this year we were going to get to the start line relaxed and ready to go.

Somehow in all my years of skiing I have never actually done the birkie only the korteloppet. At some point I found the crowded trails not to my liking and decided I would not do the race anymore, that is until I realized two important things. First, there are no other races to do birkie weekend and second that it really can be fun skiing if you just relax and have fun.

Morning arrived and the temperature seemed warm and we were all excited to get out there and get the race started. When Per ran off to go check in for the elite wave I hung out with former St. Olaf teammate Alec Steward. We watched with amazement as people lined up outside the gates to get into the start area 30 minutes prior to the start. Of course, we knew that not entering early would put up at the back of the wave but with 51 km it is always better to start out a bit too slow than fast!

Once I entered the gate I realized that my first birkie was finally here! I am sure there are many out there that can barely even remember what that was like. Just as I cannot imagine how some people have skied the race over 25 times! At some point near the end of the race I was even wondering if I was going to make it to the finish, let alone come back for 24 more! That is when I began to realize that it is not just about having the race of your life (because we all know that can't happen every year) but also about enjoying the time you have skiing with everyone else out there and making new friends on the trail.

I found it inspiring that those around me offered me so much help during the later stages of the race. Informing me of how many hills were left and at what kilometer marker they would be near. What nobody warned me of, despite asking many times what the end of the course was like, was that Lake Hayward is nothing like the lake at the end of the Vasaloppet (which is what I had pictured in my mind)! When I got out onto the lake I thought I was done until the lake didn't seem to end. With a strong headwind that I am sure everyone remembers, I struggled all the way very thankful when after what felt like 3 km I had finally found my way to downtown Hayward.

So, my first birkie has now passed and I am sure that I will be back each year despite those thoughts I had during the race of not returning! A special thanks to all of the volunteers and those who helped me out along the way to make my first birkie a memorable experience!