Birkie Fever- the American Birkebeiner Race Report
(Cont from Birkie Weekend post)... Finally, it was the big day. Though we thought through departure and traffic timelines, the parking and bussing was all a bit slower that anticipated. Upon arriving, I ran out of the car and into the line, using the bus ride to change boots, put on my hydration pack, and get myself ready to race. That was a good choice as I essentially walked off the bus and over to the gear check. I had enough time to arrive at the starting line calm and collected, but no extra time to take in the scene or get a photo of the start area. All in all, this quick transition forced me to commit to my layers and not overthink the details. I joined Wave 4 as we ran from one pen to the starting area, laying down my skis about 6 people back from the starting line. Once the gun went off, I quickly found my stride and fell into the first line of uphill skiers. As advised by many experienced Birkie skiers, it was best to line up t...
