How it was, how it felt and how “we†did in the 2004 American Birkie. Here are a handful of e-mails we received from various Team TorbjornSport members that skied the Birkie last week. Sure, there are some Solda wax testimonies involved but more than that it’s about how these skiers experienced the race itself. It’s from a mix of “in the middle of the pack†and top skiers. Very inspiring. Â
Birkie Tales 2004
FasterSkier · March 2, 2004
, and then a steady 50K training ski with a friend on Sunday at Bowheart in Bozeman. The week up to the Birke I really backed off. I skied an hour easy on Monday, about the same on Tuesday, took a easy hour run on Wednesday, skied for about an hour on Thursday when I got to Cable and then just did some easy skiing testing skis on Friday. The Birke is a very physically draining race, especially on your arms and stomach. You're always going up or down with very little recovery time so I wanted to be completely rested. I had three large meals on Friday, spending the afternoon waxing. I waxed two pair of skis, one with Solda orange/violet covered with HP05 and the other( the ones I used) with pink/violet covered with a mix of warm Fluor/Hp05 covered the next morning with a thin layer of Solda Power jet 1 – warmed in and brushed out. Needless to say, I had great skis right from the start and they stayed fast the whole race. I left quite a few guys behind on the downhills and they couldn’t bridge back up on the climbs. My strategy was to get out as fast as I could and then just ski my race, not sitting in a group if it felt like I was holding anything back. My plan went well but the additional 50 skiers added to the elite wave to accommodate more FIS entry’s definitely made the start more congested. Last year the elite wave was 150 and they sent off the 50 FIS skiers two minutes early. That left 100 skiers in the elite wave and a much less congested start. I probably went into the power line in the middle of the pack and spent the next 50 K working my way up. I felt strong the whole way and enjoyed every kilometer. The course was in great shape, the weather perfect; what better things to do than go skiing with 6000 good friends. In a couple of weeks I head up to Alaska for the Tour but the Birke will still be on my mind.</p><p> Thanks for your support, Randy Beckner (1st age 50-54)</p>
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John and Torbjorn!</p><p>“Whew, what a kortie! First, I must say that I have NEVER has skis as fast as the ones I skied on Saturday. I used your wax recommendations and wow, I was actually worried on a couple of downhills! A believer in SOLDA!</p><p>I started in wave 7 and was skiing classical again this year. I was a tad worried about the course since the new snow would make it soft and being a bigger guy that isn't the greatest for me! However, the course was in decent shape … although the uphills on the last half were pretty trashed by the time I came through. Last year I skied the race in about 2:37 and was pleased with my first attempt. However I knew I could do better, much better. I lost a lot of time having to herring-bone up some fairly easy hills on the last half of the course because the tracks were gone. That really took its toll on my legs towards the end. There was one guy with waxless skis that I played cat and mouse with all during the race. I was smoking him on the downhills and watching him “run” past me in the slop on the uphills. In the long downhill coming into the finish I caught him and past him at the end … nipped him by 3 seconds. I ended up shaving nearly 30 minutes from last year’s time and finishing 43 overall in the classic division (of 325 skiers). Unfortunately, I was in the largest age group of classic skiers and landed a 9th place in my age group … a year older and I would have finished 2nd! I was only 14 minutes from the winner of my age group and with some more work with you I am confident I will not only make that up but can see myself shaving at least another 30 minutes from my time. THANK YOU!â€</p><p>Jeff Reed</p>
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<p>Hi Torbjorn,<br />
â€I did the Birkie and had a pretty good time. I was second in my age class (60-64)<br />
and recovered well after the race. Conditions were soft (after 6 inches of<br />
snow the day before), so I decided to conserve energy in the first half of<br />
the race. My skis were gliding well (with Solda) and I felt good at the half-way point. </p><p>At 35 km I started to gradually up the effort and began to pass a number of people. </p><p>The last two hills before the lake seemed shorter than usual and on the lake I was able<br />
to keep up a good pace. Entering Hayward, I gave everything I had left to a<br />
finishing sprint and was able to pass 6 more racers.<br />
The organization of the race was excellent and the volunteers were very<br />
helpful. The changing tent was a bit crowded, so the men spilled over into<br />
the less crowded women's half, but nobody was complaining.<br />
I would like to dedicate this race to my mother, who passed away one week agoâ€.</p></div><div class=)
Gordon Faulkner
Hi Guys,
‘I skied the Birkie in Wave One in 3:05.  I use the second recommendation for wax due to the warmer temps. I had great skies the whole way and no one dropped me going down hills. I did pass a number of people on the flats and downhills.
I spoke with another TBS member on the bus ride back to Telemark Lodge and he used F31 Orange/HP05 and had great skis as well.
I felt good the whole race except for on the lake and the northwest head wind. This part of the race is pure attitude. It's going to hurt, but you are almost to the finish line.
The start was very congested and you needed to double pole and be patient. Many people fell and broken poles skiing too aggressive.
Thursday and Friday I skied very light with a few pick-ups.Â
Thank Justin for the wax update on Friday morning. I hope you can do this again next year.
One suggestion for a Faster Ski update is: When to use F31 orange and F31 pink? I had some confusion here to use more Pink because the snow was new. In hind sight it appears F31 Pink/Warm Fluor goes together if it is snowing and F31 Orange/HP05 in snow that was been tilled and packed even if it is only 12 hrs old.
Thanks for your help,
Jim
Â
Good morning,
“Birkie conditions:  about 6″ of new snow fell on Friday.  25 degrees at the start.  The flats and downhills were OK but the steeper climbs were pretty chewed up.  Since we can't control the weather, any conditions are great conditions!
  I waxed with F30 violet and HP05. I started in wave 4 and got away with several other skiers.  Caught up with the crowd at the base of the first big hill.  Through the race, my skis were as fast or faster than anyone else's.  The infamous Bitch Hill at kilometer 40 took the stuffing out of me.  I didn't bonk, however, I was fortunate that most of the remaining 11 km was flat.  My time wasn't what I'd hoped for but it was one of the better marathons that I've skied.  I can't describe how inspiring it was to do this race.  When we went to get our bibs at Telemark on Friday, the announcer for the kids' race sounded like he was broadcasting the Super Bowl.  He was that into it.  All the people you saw skiing at Telemark while warming up.  All the local people volunteering their time.  (Even the ladies doling out soup at the finish, do you think that Saturday was the only time of their own that they gave up?  I think not.)   The buzz from the spectators, especially on the lake, was incredible.  And on the flats and the lake, even when you're beat, seeing them, and all the skiers in front of you, just made you want to push it.
Pete Minde
“Hi TBS, Â
I got tangled up in a large group of first wave skiers in the beginning so lost time and places. I started too far back in the wave, huge bottle neck of skiers. Other wise felt good the whole race and was able to keep my heart-rate at upper level 4 the whole race and got in to lower level 5 crossing the lake where I pulled about 20 skiers (across the entire lake). I am going to start in wave 2 or 3 next year so I can be in front from the beginning like the ITALIANS. Wave 1 is too fast for me to start in the front. New strategy for me for next year! All in all I had fun. Waxed with Solda F31V mixed with F31P 1 layer, then crayoned Power Jet 1 and sprinkled on HP05 on top and ironed scraped+corked+brushed. Great skis the whole way!â€Â Â
 Peter Bartling
Torbjorn,
â€I can't report stellar results but I skied a good, very satisfying Birkie. I finished 320th male at 2:53:41  This was my first Birkie following my return to full time employment last fall(and following my 50th birthday earlier this month) and only my first skate
race of the winter (I have skied two 42k classic marathons since January)and with my training volume halved, I have to be pleased. I haven't quite felt that I have the long race stamina I've had in recent years this winter but I am enjoying my skiing every bit as much as ever. Here is the favor I am asking: You have a SOLDA
team skier. I am indebted to him for pre-race wax advice. Here is the story: They were not allowing first wave skiers to ski out ahead of the starting
line this year to where we could glide test skis. We were essentially “penned” in back of the starting line on flat ground. I went up to the nearest SOLDA
suited up guy and told him exactly what I had on two pair of skis. He told me to go with the HP05 over F-31 Violet and Orange mixed pair. I did so against
my own “better” judgment as the skis he was pointing me towards were my stiffer, hard track skis. By the first hills through the “power lines” I knew I had rocket fast skis, soft track or not. I was matching or out gliding anyone around me right through to Lake Hayward. (The Lake is always a nemesis for me
 My Fischer cold skis showed no signs of snow abrasion on the bases at the finish.  Thanks to you Torbjorn for taking the time earlier in the week to give me the primer on the optimum application of HP-05 flour. It worked just as you said it would and I think I will be applying flour, warm or cold, much better from now on. I never previously liked HP-05 and now I can't wait for HP-05 conditions again.â€
Mark Nienstaedt