Friday, March 19, 2010

Sue McNatt's Birkie Story

Sue's excellent story about Birkie 2010

Birkie fever, I’m eager as a beaver, get me to the start line, I’m ready to go!!

This is the Birkie song you will hear sung and broadcast on the local radio station several times before race day. This year, I was ready to go!!!

We had a compressed visit due to the dates of February vacation week and the Birkie date not cooperating, however, we made the most of it.  A delayed flight on Wed, Feb 24 landed us in Milwaukee at 10:00 PM with a 90 minute drive to Terry’s parents. A slightly wrong turn at nearly midnight allowed us a serene look at the WI state capitol in the moonlight. (not appreciated by the children!)  They were anxious for some sleep before the Barnebirkie, 4 and a ½ hours drive north in Hayward,WI the next day at 12:30 PM. Less than 8 hours at the in-laws and we were in the car again(fueled by Grandma’s yummy waffles and Peet’s coffee).  The drive was uneventful except a pee stop in a snow-covered cornfield for the kindergartner.  We arrived calmly at 11:40, greeted by my parents and the children’s race bibs.  We had a good laugh when I tried to call my parents at the cabin they had rented, but had the wrong number. The gracious gentleman who answered thought that he knew us and had recognized the cell phone number by caller ID.
He even had a sense of humor when he stated,”well, you didn’t bring the motorcycles, did ya!”  Ah, Cheeseheads are so friendly!!!

The Barnebirkie was a delight this year. A new and accurate course allowed the kids to ski appropriate distances, Kyler 1k( he claimed to come in 2nd overall!!???!!!), Lucy 3k and Carson 5k.  They arrived pink-cheeked and laughing with stories of poles flailing and falls by young skiers.  Cookies and HC greeted all.

The afternoon was spent getting our bibs, checking out the smallish cabin( a few kids slept in the closets) and waiting for Marcia, Lars, Anika and Leif Carlson and their dog Freya to arrive(Yes, those are their real names!!)

Freya delighted all this year by performing ski jouring duties with the kids.  Fun!
Friday was a light ski day and waxing, waxing, waxing(by Terry and Leif), eating, eating and eating(all of us) and of course getting psyched by watching the USA bobsled boys go for the gold!  I wish I could yell like that at the start line!

Race day, our thermometer at the cabin read 15 degrees-oh no!-too warm, but as we drove to the start in Cable it plummeted to 5 degrees, just right!  I heard one man in line for the porta state  “my skies may be too fast for me!!” I would say that mine were pretty awesome, I was skiing up on many folks at the top of the hills and even at the fuel
stations!   Thanks, Terry!

I felt so calm lining up, plenty of time, relaxed. I couldn’t wait to ski.  The only glitch of the morning was when we drove about ½ mile down the road and I realized I didn’t have my chip or bib! Oops, a quick ride back to the cabin, greeted by the “I want my Mommy”  6 year old and we were off again. I lined up in my usual spot(right side back as at Weston), amid many anxious skiers, jumping up and down and talking strategy. To my delight, my nephew Lars happened to line up right next to me. He was skiing the 23k Korteloppet.  What a treat, to ski with your 17 year old nephew. I lost sight of him in the mad rush to the Power line hills single-stickathon but we found each other near the first feed station.  At 9k the Korte folks peeled off so we parted ways.


The Ks melted away. I couldn’t believe it.  I glanced at my watch at 9k, missed the 10k split but checked at 20k. My brother-in-law predicted a 3:08 total time for me, based upon course conditions and fitness. At this point, that was certainly doable. I often hook up with a similar-paced skier during the race. Last year, it was blue girl, this year it was bearded red man. We skied together off and on a fair amount of the race.  At 30k I realized I was skiing under 3:30/ Ks at that point. Woah, I could break 3 hours for the first time in my life barring a crash or a bonk! I really never felt taxed until the last set of hills before the lake.  The lake is always hard and feels like a 7k(it is 2k
maybe!) I decided to make my move and just go as hard as I could-nothing to lose. I passed a woman on the lake and she tucked in behind me for a bit. We flew along. Flying in to the last turn and then mashed potato snow until the final sprint. Kindly bearded red man skied away from me the last 2k, but I kept him in sight.  I found him after the finish to congratulate him and he introduced himself as Odd (so odd, but classic ) I received my finish time-2:55.52!  For a while I doubted the accuracy but I did wear the chip for the entire race!

Nothing very eventful to report, except the skies were so fast, you occasionally careened into the aid stations and had to snow-plow lest you cause a crash. And on B (bitch hill) at 40k I put a B pin in my tights for safe keeping. It stayed there through the race, only to be lost in the changing tent. The pin is a matter of pride, so now I have to ski the Birkie next year to receive a coveted “B” pin.
Fun and fast times were had by all-PRs by most. A trip for burgers and beer to the snowmobile bar in the middle of nowhere followed the race.
My sister Marcia skied great, nephew had his best time and my brother in law Leif PRd despite some orthopedic issues. My niece, Anika, collected Mardi Gras beads this year and looked tanner after the race! Many days checking the website for times and splits followed. I reached my goal of a faster ski(by 25 minutes, probably 15-18 due to snow conditions) and making the 25 percent club.  Now next year, top 100 women and maybe a chance at wave 1!  I’ll try!

You should check it out.  Birkie Fever, now for Birkie withdrawal. I may need counseling.

Come out to the land of cheese and beer someday. Join us next year!
Only 345 days until Birkie 2011-better start training!

Sue McNatt

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