I competed in the American Birkebeiner cross country ski race this past weekend (http://www.birkie.com/). This is one of the truly great events in the country, with a record 10,000 participants this year.
It’s been 13 years since I’ve raced the Birkie, and it felt somewhat like a homecoming to me. While the race has been changed (and improved) since I last raced, some things haven’t changed, including:
- The start at Telemark Lodge and the finish in downtown Hayward in front of huge and enthusiastic fans and supporters.
- The beautiful, rolling hills of the course, and some nasty ones (including Bitch Hill)
- The sharp, icy, downhill turns where throngs of snowmobilers eagerly anticipate skier wipe outs, and the incredibly loud cheers, hoots and howls when a crash occurs (which is often).
- The phenomenal grooming of the course and outstanding conditions
- The flat dash across Lake Hayward then the turn onto Main Street to the finish.
So the race felt at once new and familiar, and I’ll have to say that it felt great to be back.
I got into the race late, very late. And I didn’t ski more than 6-8 times this winter, so I was a bit hesistant going in. I knew my fitness was pretty good, but unsure of the level of my ski fitness. So what did I learn?
- Cycling and XC skiing are highly complementary. While I didn’t really do any ski training this winter, I’ve trained hard on my bike. And the cycling training had my fitness at a high level, higher than I expected. My “motor” was good and my legs were good…….again, both better than I expected. So cycling training paid off!
- Climbing ability is crucial. And alot of it comes down to power-to-weight ratio. SO in both sports its important to be strong, but with as little excess weight as possible.
- Technique is critical. While my engine was good, doing some actual ski training would have taken me to the next level. Bike training gave me the raw materials, but I needed to polish and refine my abilities through specific XC ski training. Skiing is a very technique-driven sport, and my limited time on the snow was reflected in my less-than-perfect technique.
All in all, it was a fantastic day, and I look forward to going back next year. And I was encouraged about how prepared I was, mainly as a result of my cycling training. You can be equally encouraged. So I’ll plan to see you at the Birkie next year!
The Birkie is typically the unofficial conclusion to the XC ski season. The sun is out, the snow is melting, the roads are pretty clear, so it’s time to GET OUT AND RIDE!
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