Birkie, Biking, and Baseball
The American Birkebeiner. That’s what I spent my Saturday doing. Fifty-one kilometers through the beauty of Wisconsin’s Northwoods, from the Cable to Hayward. That’s about 32 miles for all of you baseball fans who aren’t from Toronto. One of the greatest races in North America, and one of the largest cross country ski races in all the world. It’s not an easy one by any stretch of the imagination. The hilly, rough, 51 kilometer course is filled with difficult slopes, aching climbs, and windy flat stretches. Luckily, the temperatures cooperated with the race. It was a balmy 16 degrees at race time. Before you complain about those frigid temperatures, just realize that in the days preceding and proceeding the race the morning temp was -15 degrees. So, I wasn’t complaining one bit.
I’ve skied the Birkie once before, and the Kortelopet, which is the only 25 kilometers once as well. Thus, I’ve become somewhat familiar with the course, the training, the pain, and the festivities surrounding the event. Knowing that I would be doing a whole lot of training on the bicycle this winter, I knew that cross training would be a necessity in the preparation for this summer. By signing up for the Birkebeiner, I knew that it would force me to get out and do some cross training via cross country skiing throughout the frigid Wisconsin winter. The plan worked to perfection, as I regularly incorporated some skiing into my workout schedule. If you’ve ever cross country skied, specifically on skate skis, you know how cross country skiing can work muscles you don’t even know you have. It’s a complete body workout. It was a great addition to my daily bike workouts as well. On race day, I was even able to wear some old softball pants that my old man himself wore in the 1982 Birkebeiner. The powder blue elastic pants are second to none.
Skiers a plenty!
Along with 12,000 other skiers, I weaved through the Wisconsin Northwoods. A slight snowfall fell throughout the morning, which covered the trees with white. The trail conditions could have been slightly better, but nothing that would ruin the race. At different points along the race, specifically on the difficult down hill stretches, snowmobilers will line the trail and cheer for any crash or fall. It adds all sorts of excitement to the race. The finish line brings you to downtown Hayward, which trucks in snow to cover the downtown streets for the finish. As skiing enthusiasts cheer you along from both sides of main street, you receive your last push of adrenaline after the long race. Nothing beats the warm chicken noodle soup awaiting you at the finish line. Beardcicles are a plenty, and wind burned faces are all too common. However, that’s the beauty of the birkie. There is no race where one experiences the cheers of the fans, the solitude of the Northwoods, the agony of pain, and the thrill of a swift downhill.
The international bridge which led you into downtown Hayward.
Flags galore!
A huge shoutout to the Vadeboncouer’s who graciously allowed us all to crash at their cabin for the weekend. They kicked our butt’s in the race, but showered us with kindness throughout the weekend. Hi5! They’ve even got over 100 miles of single track mountain biking around their cabin, an intriguing lure to bring me back to the Northwoods during the warm summer months sometime in the future.
As pitchers and catchers report to their respective teams in Florida and Arizona, I too am preparing the final weeks of training before the bike rides begin to count for real. I’ve been training ridiculously hard throughout the offseason, undoubtedly the hardest I’ve worked out in my entire life. Now it’s time to do the little things right. Getting those sacrifice bunts down. Covering first base on a ground ball to the right side of the infield. Knowing who’s covering second when the runner tries to steal. On my end, I’ve been preparing taking down my tent in record time. I’ve spent a few nights on my small sleeping pad. I’ve even prepared taking my bike apart to fit in the box for the Amtrak ride out to Seattle.
As for now. We are only a few days away from being able to watch some baseball! Despite only be spring training, I can’t contain my excitement. We’re only weeks away from Opening Day and being able to watch ballgames every single day. I can smell the bratwursts on the grill, the calls of crackerjacks, and the soothing taste of an ice cold beer on a summer day. I see the end of winter hibernation in sight, and the crack of the bat, and smell of freshly cut grass are awaiting me. Baseball, we’re ready for you.