Hey guys,
I’ve totally forgotten to tell you about my so far only race in 2025. The American Birkiebeiner 53K classic Cross Country Ski Race. This is the largest Nordic ski race in North America, with 11.5K skiers over Wednesday to Saturday Birkie week.
As a Nordic girl, it is as close to home as I can get in the USA. And believe me, it is saying a lot coming from a Finn/Norwegian.
Living in Texas, I didn’t get much ski time under my belt before the race. I mostly roller skied in a paved park trails (flat) few weeks before the event, dodging alligators along the way.
I had a lovely ski trip to Revelstoke to ski with @Prof and @cmaloney
And mostly followed my running marathon plan as I prepped for this race. Originally I was supposed to run a regular marathon a week after this race, but more on that later.
Back to Birkie: I was starting at wave 4 since I didn’t have recent seeding time. Most of the way there is two tracks for classic skiers. 53K at Birkie includes shorter, continuous hills, and you reach the highest point around 14K. But the climbing doesn’t end there. It is pretty much hills all the way to the lake just couple of K before the International Bridge and Main Street Finish. The hills are short, but they just keep on coming. Total elevation roughly 1400m My plan was to start conservatively.
My wave starts and that plan was already forgotten. I noticed there wasn’t many ahead of me from my wave, and I started passing wave three, then two, and even wave one towards the end. I knew I was doing pretty good. It wasn’t as packed and difficult to pass people on the classic trails as it is on skate (the two tracks are separate in the beginning and then come together after half way point or so), so it gets really congested at times. You’ve got to be careful on the hills so you don’t fall and break your poles, or let someone else break your poles. Luckily, I was born to do this and I know where to take my lines on downhills, keep working over the crest of the hill and push into the down hills for free speed. I felt like I was flying. I was smiling ear to ear. I miss this. 
Having done Athletica’s 30/30 weekly since December 2023 , before that regularly, but definitely not as religiously and hard. Thanks to our group rides, these weekly sessions prepared me well for the hills. I was able to keep a good rhythm, and recover quickly on the following short downhills.
My glide wax was amazing, haven’t lost the touch since I last skied regularly 2008 (when I still lived in Norway). However, my grip wax was done by half way mark, but I didn’t want to stop and reapply, thinking “I feel good, I’ve got strong upper body, I got this”. See those last five hills at the end? I should have stopped and reapply - cause I wasn’t exactly running up those hills anymore. Lesson learned. I definitely lost more on those than it had taken me to reapply.
I brought with me a couple of chocolate bars but didn’t feel like eating those. Had some oranges at aid stations. I may or may not have stopped for a beer along the route by numerous “aid stations” that the locals set up. That little boost may or may not helped me over the lake with very slippery skis and barely functioning arms.
I crossed the line, first woman in my wave, and 5th in my age group. I missed wave 1 placement for next year by little over 1minute. GRR! Definitely should have reapplied the grip wax. Next year I start with Wave 2. Will be fun! AG podium next year?
I was really happy about my race. Pretty stoked about how well my body remembers to ski - even after 17 years of not much skiing at all. I guess it is a bit like biking 
BUT - it became evident that my feet weren’t used to the plantar flexion action for 4 hours, and I ended up getting bit of inflammation on my first metatarsal joint and reduced running for most of March. It’s end of May now and am slowly getting my running legs back.
Note to myself: Even though you think you can still throw yourself into things, doesn’t mean that you can survive without consequences.
“There once was a girl who really loved skiing. It was me.”
Next year, I will prepare better with Athletica’s Cross-Country Ski Training Plan. Who is with me?
MJ