birkie fever

the birkebeiner is a big cross country ski race in northern wisconsin. we've always wanted to do it, but have never had time to train, aren't very good at cross country skiing, and kind of felt intimidated by the whole thing. a few good friends have done the race in the past, and david was there to cheer them on and came home convinced that he should do the race. finally, after years of lighthearted and playful consideration of participation, this year we really did it: we trained, we got better skis, we built a little muscle, and we drove up to hayward and completed the half length race with energy to spare. it was an exhilarating experience. the party in hayward is so unique and joyful, and so very wisconsin. we will do it again, and at least one of us will do the full 54 kilometers of the birkebeiner.

the weekend was short, and so full of activity. we dropped the kids at my parents' house, and headed for hayward first thing friday morning. well, not FIRST thing. first thing was to change a flat tire about 2 miles into our drive. perfect thing to do in 3 degree temperatures.


5 hours of driving in a light snow shower, heading for a 14 mile race you've never done before, provides a lot of time for fear and self doubt to creep into the brain. i did a lot of thinking about how i probably have no business heading out into the woods to do a physical activity that i've never done for more than 2 hours. so yeah, it's kind of a long drive. and there is a LOT of driving behind slow trucks full of trees and massive big scary metal pincher clip things hanging off the back. 'tis tree country, up there.


once in hayward, we picked up our bibs and race packets, checked out the finish line for the birkebeiner (our half length kortelopet was a loop, turning off the main course and looping back to the start. we didn't get to finish triumphantly through the downtown main street of hayward. next year....), had a beer at a local brewery with some friends, and then headed to the family cabin of a good friend. this place is charming and cozy, and these friends are wonderful and generous people. check out this nighttime cabin view,


and the view across the lake (from the outhouse--yep, the outhouse) at 7 am. breathtaking, even in -3 degree Fahrenheit temperatures.


we took a walk across the lake to cool our pre-race jitters,


enjoyed some old school music entertainment (christmas music in german, in need of a hand crank to speed it up),


and david showcased his evil race number.


the next morning, we loaded up the skis, donned the bibs, collected all the finger-and-toe hot packs we could find, and drove to the start line in cable.


of course, what we really had to do was park in a field, stand in line, and board a school bus to shuttle us all to the start line. look at all these people! and get this: at the time we were standing in this line, more than 50% of the racers had already departed in earlier waves. this line is a tiny fraction of the 10,000 race participants.


start line smiles,


and wave 9 taking off. we're in there, somewhere. wave 9 is for all new racers, and is about as far back in the race as you can be. next year, we should get an earlier wave placement.


but you know what? that race is just a ski in the woods. it was the best snow i've been on all year. the mood is positive and joyful the whole way. the refreshment stations are party scenes. the hills are nowhere near as bad as i'd been lead to believe, and i didn't fall down even once. it was, frankly, the best 3 hours of the whole winter. david and i skied the whole thing together, and here we are at the third refreshment station (about 11 miles into the race). total joy.


and the finish line! we were announced together, and it was really fun to cross a finish line with my husband. i have always crossed alone, in all my races, and i probably always will in the future. but this first time in a ski race, we did it together, and it was so very nice.
happy finishers, medals proudly donned.


then: a quick clothing change, a short shuttle ride back, and boom, we were in hayward. cheering crowds, packed bars, and that amazing main street finish line. birkebeiner finishers were pouring down the ramp of the bridge and spilling onto main street in a constant flood of very fit and very exhausted people in spandex. it is really a sight.


best beer and brat i've ever had.


we spent some time with this crowd,


but ultimately opted to trade this bar with it's moderate quantity of taxidermy for the moccasin, a bar that was more crowded than the worst college basement keg party, and more full of taxidermy and dioramas that the smithsonian. they've been featured on road side america, and if that isn't enough to pique your interest, just do a google image search. go ahead. i'll wait. it's worth it.

here's my favorite diorama: one victorious raccoon boxer, one fallen raccoon boxer, a rough looking beaver referee, and two supportive skunk coaches. (the wolf judge diorama is pretty epic, too).


and here is the side of the building. you can't miss this mint green gem.

it was so much fun. it is so rewarding to enjoy a race because training worked and the race wasn't out of your grasp. it is so fun to spend time with friends in the northwoods. it is so fun to cross country ski. you can believe that next winter, you will find us training with the first snow fall, creating even more reasons to wait for and hope for snow. 

i mean, just look at this! and listen: this race has its own song. everyone loves it.