Last month, I competed in the American Birkebeiner. It is a cross country ski marathon from Cable to Hayward, Wisconsin, held every winter since 1973. It is modeled after the Birkebeiner Rennet, which has been held in Norway since 1932. Both events honor and re-create a historic Norwegian event when in 1206, two warrior soldiers, called “Birkebeiners” (because of the birch-bark leggings they wore), skied infant Prince Haakon to safety during the Norwegian civil war. Prince Haakon subsequently became King of Norway, and the Birkebeiner soldiers became a Norwegian symbol of courage, perseverance, and character in the face of adversity.
For some, skiing the Birkie is an annual tradition. They even honor your participation with a badge on your race bib indicating the number of Birkies that you have completed and you achieve unique perks with each completion. The race course itself was modified a little this year and ended up being 45 kilometers or 28 miles long through beautiful rolling hills of the Northwoods. For a variety of reasons, it took me a bit longer than expected and I ended up skiing for over 3 hours and 20 minutes.
Why’d I do it?
First, both sides of my family emigrated from Norway to the US and settled in a Norwegian-American farming community in Illinois (Norway, IL). Being 100% Norwegian has always been a point of pride for me, so Nordic skiing was a natural fit. Only recently have I started competing in events, however — and I look forward to skiing with my family for years to come!
Second, competition has always been close to my personal identity, whether it was through team sports growing up, racing bicycles, or now with skiing and running. I need an event or goal to give my workouts purpose and make staying active easy. This year training was extra fun as I got to ski with my boys while pulling the girls in a sled behind me! My wife Brooke is even getting back into it.
If you’ve never been on skinny skis, I highly recommend it. The Twin Cities have excellent trails that are maintained and plenty of places to rent equipment. If you can ice skate or rollerblade, skiing will come naturally to you.
Our bodies were designed to move!
Besides getting adjusted regularly, exercise is one of the critical things you need to do for overall health and wellness. I’d love to hear how many of you have skied the Birkie or participated in any major racing events at some point in your life. Next time you are in the clinic, please share your favorite Birkie (or other competition) story!
