Race Report: The American Birkie by Al
("MEMENTO" STYLE...and if you havent seen that movie, you should. It
is scripted backwards...and so is this race report...have fun!)

Feb 25. 2008 6:00pm
Im home, i am holding this medal and a bin, trying to figure out
where to put it. I am also about to take more aspirin. No way I can
ride my bike tonight. I might as well take a nap.

Feb 25. 2008 2:00pm
I'm at work, with a half bottle of water. My legs feel ok. I think
i will go for an indoor spin tonight.

Feb 25. 2008 11:00am
OUCH...i better take four tablets of Bayer Aspirin. My whole body
just cant move on command. What the heck!

Feb 25. 2008 6:00am
I awoke or at least i think so. My eyes are open but somehow it
feels like my body didnt move all night, and it still wont move. Did
i just get hit by a truck?

Feb 24.
Im driving South. A guy named Andy Dressel is on the passenger seat,
Reto is sleeping in the back seat. It looked like we just got back
from a trip. The back is full of bags, sleeping bags and skis. It
must have been a good trip. I am following signs to Madison, then to
Milwaukee.

Feb 23rd 10pm.
We are in a cabin. My hair is wet. I think i just got out of the
shower. My head hurts...Law and Order is on TV. Christopher Krueger
and John (his dad) is talking about some race they did.

Feb 23rd 6:45pm.
Im freezing, walking in the darkened parking lot. It is very dark
and empty. A set of car lights approach me. I was assisted inside
by two guys.

Feb 23rd 6:30pm
Me and two other fellows, Andy and Reto got off the bus. Stepping
off the bus i decided to pee behind a big tractor plow. I am
shivering and my body hurts. I asked Andy and Reto to go on ahead
and get the car. They seem to be able to walk faster. "Just go
ahead, get the car and drive back towards me".

Feb 23rd 6:10pm
I board a yellow school bus, I am wrapped in a tin foil that I found
in my back pocket. I am wearing a red bike jersey. Insulated but I
am a bit cold.

Feb 23rd 6:00pm
Reto and I are skate-ski-ing down mainstreet Hayward. There were
some people cheering us on, but most of them are putting things
away. I hear the snow plow being started behind us. I am skate-
skiing like a pro, with a smile and rhythym you can set a watch to.
We cross the finish line without much fan fare. We were stopped by
radio DJs for an interview.

Feb 23rd 5:30pm
I stare at frozen lake. A group of people are gathered by the edge,
grilling and drinking beers. They tell me that i am close by. Only
4k to go. My body just seized working. My right arm, my left hand,
my back, my stomach, my left thigh, my right calf and foot. IT ALL
JUST CRAMPED...AT THE SAME TIME! But there is a McDonald sign
accross the lake. Someone says that it is downtown hayward...finish
line.

Feb 23rd 4:00pm
I just saw a 35k mark. I have been using my upper body for the last
few minutes. I just cant skate anymore. Im gripping that pole like
there is no tomorrow and leaning on it and pulling myself. I just
walked up 2 hills. One called the B-hill, i decide to unclip off my
skis and walk up that hill.

Feb 23rd 3:00pm
It feels like I have been skiing for hours. People are cheering us
on. There are not many of them. Although it seems like earlier
there were more of them...they must have left already. I just fallen
going down 2 big hills. The last one got me twisted as i fell and
hit a big snow pile. My legs folded all the way back. A move i have
never done before. I am sure that is good for my back. I cant
remember the last time i saw flat...it was either going up or going
down every single second.

Feb23rd 1:30pm
I dont even think i am in a race. There is nobody here! Me, Reto
and maybe 2 or 3 others in the birkie trail. Where is everyone?
There are hills, lots of it. And i have been "herringbone"-ing up
every single one of them. I wedge my poles on my lower back so that
it props me up as i pretend ski up every hill. My signature cow hat
has drawn a lot of "go cow!" and "nice hat!". Still, it seems like
it is just the 5 of us on a weekend. I feel tired.

Feb 23rd 12:00nn
What an amazing day. There is a sign that says that we are at the
highest point. I dont know how we got here. I am on a pair of cross
country skis...I can only assume that I skated all the way up here.
I am hard core. All smiles as we asked a couple of Ski-patrol to
take a photo of Reto and I next to the sign.

Feb 23rd 11:00am
After a series of up and downs, i look ahead into an aidstation.
They served bananas and warm gatorade, which they called energy! Why
would i need such things? Ill take one of each, please.

Feb 23rd 10:10am
I am in the starting line of a race. The banner said "American
Birkebeiner" I have skate skis on but i am on the left side of the
starting coral, grooves all over the place. Reto is still outside
the fence, "Cmon Reto, the race has started!"

Feb 23rd 9:45am
We start making our way from the warm lodge to the starting line. I
am wearing a bib #10223. I was told this is wave 10 and it starts at
10am and we better head over there. The cabin floor was nice. We
had stayed there for a while after having breakfast at McDonalds.

Feb 23rd 6:00am
My alarm wakes me up. Christopher says we have to leave in half an
hour. We quickly get dressed and I had a small bowl of oatmeal
before leaving. I wear my bike jersey over 2 layers of long
sleeves. I stuff a foil wrap, the kind you get after a marathon. We
drive to the parking lot where we hopped a bus to the Telemark Lodge.

Feb 22nd 7pm
We arrive at Cable WI. At the Telemark Lodge, I am in line for last
minute regsistration. It cost us 120 bucks and 6 hours of driving.
I may as well sign up for this race, whatever it is. Bed time is
10pm at a cabin rented by Christopher Krueger.

Feb 22nd 12nn
We leave Milwaukee. I meet Andrew at the Pettit and Reto at Barker
Road park and ride. We are on schedule. We are thinking of driving
through, eat while moving and we can make it to Cable Wisconsin by 8pm

Feb 21st
I get an email from Chris Krueger. It is ok to stay at the cabin
they rented for the weekend. I responded to a yahoogroup inquiry for
a ride and a lodge from Anne Banda. She was asking for an Andrew
Dressel.

Feb 20th
i get an email from Reto: "Hey, I was wondering if anyone wants to
go and watch the Birkebeiner. We know a few people participating and
i am up for watching. ALTHOUGH I HEARD THE REGISTRATION IS STILL
OPEN AND MAYBE IT IS A GOOD CHALLENGE FOR AL AND I!"

Too which I responded: "I am in if you are!"
Knowing quite well that I have minimized training after the Disney
Marathons in January, that i have no base miles on skis and more
importantly, I still don't know how to cross country ski!!!