Race Day!

Today is race day!

We arrived yesterday afternoon, after driving since 6:30 am. We got lost a few times on the way, as apparently Google Map has never been to Wisconsin. The first time we got lost we were driving through woods without any signs or roads in site. This got us both grumbling about how stupid our maps were, which somehow got us going on Packer jokes (don’t ask me how) and we used every opportunity to slam the Packers at ever wrong turn. (What can you expect? Packer fans probably made the roads.)

When we got there, the Packer jokes stopped, as we thought it wise to watch what we said outside the van while in Wisconsin. Telemark was the central hub yesterday, and Knut picked up his bibs, and we walked around at all the exhibits, as there was about every cross country ski vendor you could think of there.

The author of the children’s book about the original Birkebeiner was there, and I got to meet her, and she signed a book for our kids, so that was fun for me! Knut got bought a new Birkebeiner ski hat, and I got some cheerleading equipment. 😉

As soon as you walk in you see this huge fireplace. I told Knut that’s how I wanted him to finish up our new fireplace this year. Here we’ve been pouring over magazines, and pamphlets, trying to figure out how to finish the outside of the fireplace, and it never occurred to put an enormous viking over the mantle. That’s awesome!

Here’s Knut standing along the wall of Birke winners.

Here’s a torch. Kinda like the Olympic torch, but smaller. Kinda like the Birke. Like the Olympics…but smaller.

Freshly groomed snow at the starting line.

Here’s my official American Birkebeiner cow bell. It’s, of course, made in Norway, and has some nice sound. Last time I cheered Knut on an official event like this was at the Metrodome, in the high school football state championships. I was kicking myself that I didn’t bring my old cheerleading windbreaker…but there’s always next year.

Knut wanted to take my picture next to the Birke car that we kept seeing, with the vicious vikings on it. After we took this picture, the President of the American Birkebeiner got ready to get in it and drive away, but he stopped and chatted with Knut and I for awhile, which Knut really got a kick out of.

I’m sorry this picture is so blurry. It’s Knut checking out the starting line yesterday, where he’s going to start this morning.

Here’s Knut before he took off this morning. His bib has brown edging, to show which wave he’s in, and it has a big “C” on it to show he’s doing the race classic style, not skating style. He also has his “skating for MS” pin that he got yesterday, to show his support for MS research. Plus, they randomly pick people wearing the pin throughout the race and give them prizes…one of which is an amazing new set of skis. Now, Knut needs new skis like I need new sewing machines, so yeah, he’d love to get those!

Knut’s uncle just dropped him off at the starting line, and so he’s getting all set up and trying to work out jitters. We’re staying with Knut’s aunt and uncle, who have a great cabin just a few minutes from the finish line. So I’m sitting here on their sofa, in front of a warm fire, overlooking a lake, and I have a huge bear rug in front of me. Lena came with us, and I’m a little afraid that we’ll have to pry her away from Knut’s aunt and uncle who wish for her to never leave.

Silje, David, and Elias I’m sure are having lots of fun with Grandma and Grandpa, and their 2 cousins who are also staying with them. It was my first time leaving Elias overnight, and that dawned on me as we were leaving. Leaving them, I think was the hardest part. On me, that is. They were still sleeping, as Grandpa was staying at our house until they woke up. So there were no tears or tantrums…on their part!

So keep Knut in your prayers today, that he will be sustained, and race hard, and finish with no injuries. His starting time I think is around 9am, and it should take him about 5 hours, he’s guessing. He’s never done this trail before, though, so who knows how his time here will compare to how fast he skis at home. Some good friends have given him some fast racing wax, and he spent the night before we left waxing his skis to perfection. He said he’s a little nervous that his skis will be the fastest he’s ever been on them, and hopes he gets the hang if it quickly!