I stepped outside at 6:00am Saturday and cursed every weather geek ever born. 29 degrees and humid. My plans for a classical Birkie got flushed with the thought of new snow and freezing conditions (for non classical skiers, waxing in those conditions is as hard as George Bush speaking using whole sentences). The skate boots went on and I prepared for a sugar fest on every uphill.  My race , at least the 1st 12km went well, then I saw my old buddy.....Firetower Hill, he asked me how my training went this year, did I get lots of k's in, did I stay off the rivers and go do some hill work? I kind of stalled on my response so I don't think he heard my answer. My next pal, Mr. 18 K Guy was not so charitable. He took one look at me and said NO WAY buster. Want to ski fast.....you have to go over me first. Knowing he had my number I coughed up what they wanted to hear, that my 32 minutes a day average on Duck Creek was as good as it got, that skiing the Birches gave me nose bleeds, that I was......well.....not worthy of a sub 3:00.

I used to race where with 20 k's to go I would say, hey, I am less than an hour out, I can do this. I still say that except now I can see Lake Hayward when I say it! Talk about going down with the ship, I tied myself to the mast. Folks I knew would go by and where I used to just kick it in to “egodrive” now I just shrugged and coughed up a little spittle. Getting old and beatdown really stinks!

Motivation comes in many forms. In years past it was the selfish desire to really do your best. Now my mind wandered to just keeping my streak going. I thought about watching my kids skiing their 1st Barnebirkie, then Korte and will I still be able to ski one more Birkie at the same time as them. My head was really not in the race but in the future, will the race continue? Will the trees cut from the sides of the course grow back in time for my kids? Doing your best does not only mean on race day, it means doing what it takes to be a good parent, a good stewart.....even if you don't get the time you want. Skiing across the lake I saw the place where my father stood those 28 years ago as he he waited for his son to finish. I dreamed ahead of the day when my sons come back out on the lake to ski in with their old man. It was motivation enough, all the cramps, the stiff joints, the getting passed, they all faded in importance as my old Pal Main Street welcomed me back. I used to speed up toward the finish but I now savor it a little longer, I just wanted to say..........it's good to be home.

We always listen to WOJB radio after the race and listen to all the skiers talk about their race at the finish line. They sound so tired yet so elated. These are the 5-8 hour finishers and though exhausted you can hear how they too, are every bit as much as the Birkie..... the event. I finally think I am starting to understand why we do this, all the training, the hard work, the lost time. I think I know the motivations of the two original Birkebeiners, who really did risk their lives so that a new generation would emerge and take their place. In Norway you FEEL the pride, the acomplishment. We do not have that history but we are finding our own pride and our own sense of acheivment, just for making the journey.  

Congratulations on a successful year. My “New Years“ resolutions start today. I will get up earlier and workout harder and smarter. I will be lighter and more flexable. I will spend more time playing with my kids and a whole lot more just working out with Deb, my best training partner and  I think I will have a better Birkie next year......regardless of my time.