nancy
02-27-2009, 07:35 AM
Hi, all,
For those of you that may recall, Jim and I skied the Birkie this year. I went in feeling pretty confident despite the fact I had only been on my skis two or three times. I figured the Goofy Challenge would serve me from a cardio perspective, and I incorporated some Pilates for core and upper body strength. Well, there is something to be said for sport-specific training.
Jim really did not want to do the full Birkie. He was pushing for the Kortie, but I kept saying, "No, it's gotta be the full!" He is totally thrilled with the fact that I forced him to ski the full, besting his personal record by 40 minutes - a 3:53 finish. He skied skate/free-style. He is also smug about how I got my butt kicked. He says I didn't give the Birkie its proper respect. I agree. I skied it classic-style last year in six hours and felt great. I figured with all the base cardio I'd feel the same way. The race was 4 km longer this year and it took me 20 minutes more to finish. That means I was about 4 seconds off pace. But that's not the half of it.
I wiped out fairly early in the race going downhill. I quickly rolled right to get out of the way of the skiers behind me. I felt my left hammie and groin strain a bit, but I quickly righted myself and headed down the trail. Still before the half way point, I fell again, but in a less dramatic style. Keep in mind I didn't fall once during my first Birkie. Oh well, get up and keep going. I couldn't tell if my wax was wrong or my technique was bad, but my legs were really getting sore. The downhills were now making me nervous. So, for the third time, as I approached a downhill, I surveyed the situation while moving at a very slow - to almost standing - pace and promptly fell over again. Arg!
The last 2 km have you crossing Lake Hayward. As late as I was in the race, the classic tracks had taken a beating by then, and there was only one set. So I'm moving forward - no herring bone - and my cardio base was kicking in - I leave land and start off on the ice. There is a big party crew about 50 yards from shore. They're there every year drinking beer and Rumpleminz. They have a Christmas tree covered in beer cans and a big beach umbrella. I figure I'll smile and otherwise ignore them. But with all the grace of a woman who had not trained specifically, I promptly fell over, smack in the middle of their party. You know what, they didn't even offer me a beer! They did help me up.
Well, I am thoroughly whipped. I could barely walk Saturday afternoon, I think my thighs have swollen several inches and my feet are puffy. I can say I have never felt like this before - except maybe after 18 hours of labor and no pain pills.
That's my story, I'm sticking to it, and next year I'm doing the Kortie.
For those of you that may recall, Jim and I skied the Birkie this year. I went in feeling pretty confident despite the fact I had only been on my skis two or three times. I figured the Goofy Challenge would serve me from a cardio perspective, and I incorporated some Pilates for core and upper body strength. Well, there is something to be said for sport-specific training.
Jim really did not want to do the full Birkie. He was pushing for the Kortie, but I kept saying, "No, it's gotta be the full!" He is totally thrilled with the fact that I forced him to ski the full, besting his personal record by 40 minutes - a 3:53 finish. He skied skate/free-style. He is also smug about how I got my butt kicked. He says I didn't give the Birkie its proper respect. I agree. I skied it classic-style last year in six hours and felt great. I figured with all the base cardio I'd feel the same way. The race was 4 km longer this year and it took me 20 minutes more to finish. That means I was about 4 seconds off pace. But that's not the half of it.
I wiped out fairly early in the race going downhill. I quickly rolled right to get out of the way of the skiers behind me. I felt my left hammie and groin strain a bit, but I quickly righted myself and headed down the trail. Still before the half way point, I fell again, but in a less dramatic style. Keep in mind I didn't fall once during my first Birkie. Oh well, get up and keep going. I couldn't tell if my wax was wrong or my technique was bad, but my legs were really getting sore. The downhills were now making me nervous. So, for the third time, as I approached a downhill, I surveyed the situation while moving at a very slow - to almost standing - pace and promptly fell over again. Arg!
The last 2 km have you crossing Lake Hayward. As late as I was in the race, the classic tracks had taken a beating by then, and there was only one set. So I'm moving forward - no herring bone - and my cardio base was kicking in - I leave land and start off on the ice. There is a big party crew about 50 yards from shore. They're there every year drinking beer and Rumpleminz. They have a Christmas tree covered in beer cans and a big beach umbrella. I figure I'll smile and otherwise ignore them. But with all the grace of a woman who had not trained specifically, I promptly fell over, smack in the middle of their party. You know what, they didn't even offer me a beer! They did help me up.
Well, I am thoroughly whipped. I could barely walk Saturday afternoon, I think my thighs have swollen several inches and my feet are puffy. I can say I have never felt like this before - except maybe after 18 hours of labor and no pain pills.
That's my story, I'm sticking to it, and next year I'm doing the Kortie.