You signed up for Birke or Korte. “What’s next?”

You signed up for Birke or Korte. Yea Birke Fever! You are excited but ask the question, “What’s next?” You need more training and fitness yet are unsure of the next steps and where to find helpful information.

Let’s drill down on how to best answer your “Looking for Birke Preparation Guidance Questions.” Might this description fit you? You are a busy adult with career and family goals, all of which demand a lot of time. Given a busy schedule, how can I best train for February’s skiing event?

Or is this you? Are you a retired adult who now needs to focus on building fitness to regain your physical ability to ski the Birke hills?

Or maybe you have always allocated training time for cycling, racing triathlons, or running. You hear cross country skiing offers great cross training and aerobic benefits, and you aim to master the technique. You are fit, you registered for “The Birke” because the goal of racing another sport tantalizes to you. Now it’s time to train. What are my next steps?

If you relate to any of these profiles or if you fit another unique niche, now is time to create a game plan. Welcome to the most fun sport in the winter land! All your effort to ski the Birke will be rewarded in spades: outdoor beauty; a wonderful all body workout without pounding on your joints; fitness without the boring repetition of cycling indoors; the fun of enjoying ‘up north’ winters. All of these experiences and more can be found through the sport of cross-country skiing.

Quick bullet points of how to start Birke cross country ski training:

• Build out a plan. Do it yourself or find support. Put a rough plan to paper (or to a computer) and stick to it. Ask the questions, when can I train and how will I train.
• Create a form of accountability. Identify your non-negotiables. These are events or commitments you MUST do to prepare for the event. They might include buying the correct ski set-up. Hiring a coach or signing up for ski lessons. Perhaps you must commit to allocating the time needed to ski a minimum of 2-3 days / week. The list can go on, but whatever YOU know you must do in order set yourself up for success, commit!
• Learn what you need to know about the sport. A knowledgeable ski store can certainly help. Understand the equipment requirements for your weight and ability. Find out where you can where you can ski, or where you may have to drive to find man-made snow. Skate or classic techniques or both. Lean the why of each.
• Connect to a respected cross country ski store and bring your list of questions. They can answer 95% of them 😊.
• Commit to a training schedule. You can’t cram in fitness 30 days before the Birke. Build out a program for the next three months which relies on all the dryland and on- snow training you can build into your available time.
• Don’t lose the fun~ Committing to a fitness goal is a great goal. Remember, enjoying the journey will make the effort all worthwhile. Embrace the challenges, welcome all your new skiing friends and celebrate your passion for skiing.

Still have questions? Reach out to me! Jan@gearwest.com. I learned to cross country ski AFTER I graduated from college. My journey grabbed me away from corporate America, into starting Gear West 33 years ago. Skiing delivered me to the Olympic trials, to European marathons, and to enjoying over 36 years of racing the Birke. During those years I worked beyond full time and co-raised two boys with my husband, former ski racer and Fischer ski rep, Brian Knutson.

I would love to help you live out your Birke dream!

Jan Guenther, Founder Gear West