Team Victories, Kilts & Stinky Cheese

First of all, Happy Birthday yet again to my awesome husband Rob (March 30th) and a special thanks/shout out to my incredible sponsor, Salomon & Josh Korn for helping me get a pretty kick-butt birthday present for him. I hate missing special occasions while on the road but these skis certainly help soften the blow..... 

We haven't seen each other since the American Birkie in February and while we've gone this long before, I'm pretty "home & husband sick!"

Following the Norwegian Birkebeiner I spent an awesome week with Anders Haugen (from Alaska) and his girlfriend, Christine.  The week that I crashed on their couch was literally the week that Anders relocated to Trondheim, Norway and I'm so grateful & thankful that they let me stay. The three of us had a blast together and the joke was that we were a little family considering the fact that their apartment was tiny. We were in close, close quarters and had to get used to it quite quickly! Every night I would turn the couch into a bed with sheets and every morning, we would convert it back to the group living space. It's funny how Europeans have different standards for living and space - everything is functional over here and it works. It made my desire for a bigger house seem a little bit frivolous in my head but hey, part of that is cultural right? 

The skiing in Trondheim was pretty minimal but I'm happy that we got out for a couple of quick skis. Anders (who also used to race for APU!) skied with me and it was fun to have a training partner! I was nervous as I only had my best race skis and the coverage was super minimal. Somehow I made it through the week without any huge assaults to my skis. 

Time spent in Scandinavia isn't complete without a trip to IKEA! While I saw stuff I wanted, I didn't dare buy anything as I don't have ANY space to carry anything. Alaska has no IKEA and they don't ship to AK either so Alaskans are usually starved for affordable furnishings. I did take a free catalog for ideas though. 

This was my frist trip to Trondheim and I'm really glad I got to see a bit of the city. As a World Cup racer I've been to Olso and Lillehammer quite a few times but it's fun to break the mold and see a new place - and better yet, with local guides! 

This night we went to a beach bonfire to celebrate Max Olex's birthday. 

The next day Anders and I returned from skiing in the Trondheim World Cup stadium and Christine had made waffle batter because, DUH, it was "National Waffle Day."  I had a waffle with brown cheese and jam (my fav) and one with jam and sour cream/cream fresh which is also very traditional. Also, did you know that many Norwegians eat tacos every Friday night? That explains the "taco kits" that are plastered all over every grocery store.

And.... I continue to do school work while on the road. This time I was doing a case study for my abnormal psychology class. Lugging around the DSM (Diagnostic & Statistical Manuel of Mental Disorders) has been a bit of chore as it's a huge book but I'm happy to say that I'm chipping away at grad school.... 

We went out to Thai food ..... 

And Anna Barnwell of Alaska joined us! So fun to have a small group of Alaskans living in Trondheim. Thanks for treating me to dinner Anna! 

"The Family!" 

Next stop, Valadalen Sweden for the Arefjellsloppet & Swix Ski Classic final with Team Santander. We came into the race weekend with a measly 61 point lead over Team United Bakeries and there was a lot at stake in the race.  The course which was originally planned to be 75 kilometers point to point was changed due to low snow. It snowed hard two days and the day before the race which essentially made the race possible. 

Valadalen Reception and dining hall. We were spread out in little "stugas" or cabins throughout the property. Needless to say, it was "cozy."  

 A traditional Scandinavian fire with hot coffee and tea...

Santander Team Leader, Nils Marius getting pumped for the 30k citizen race the day before.... 

With Johan Olson, the Swedish World Champion & the newest member of team Santander AND NNF!!!

Tord Asle AKA "Aviator Man" had an awesome race and finished the day in second overall, scoring valuable points for the team. 

If you want to watch the race check out the LIVE CENTER HERE.  It's pretty sweet that Swix Ski Classics is able to have each race, in entirely LIVE online and on TV in much of Scandinavia! You don't even have to visit an illegal site like you do for LIVE World Cup - BONUS! 

I did not have such a good race, in fact, I dropped out of maybe only my second race ever. I started the 47k classic with the field of elite girls and low energy right off the bat. I had been exhausted in Trondheim the week before so perhaps the signs were all over the wall but..... I decided to drop and save my energy for Russia, the race where my points would really, really count. Normally I would be torn up about a DNF but in all actuality, I'm proud of myself for making a smart, calculated decision. In the past I've gone so far as to check myself out of the ER to finish a race and in reality, being that stubborn isn't always the right answer.  I skied about 10k of the course and then skied up to Nils Marius to get drink bottles to help out the team. 

 

While I didn't have a banner day personally, the team DID! We eeked out the victory over United Bakeries by TWENTY SIX POINTS. When the team scores 3556 points in a season 26 is NOTHING. It came down to the last placing, the last sprint.... it was crazy. I'm trying to think of the North American equivalent in sport - maybe making one last free throw in the last. .25 seconds of an NBA final? Needless to say it was crazy, crazy awesome and I'm so happy that our team came out ahead on the right side of that tiny margin!  The picture above is the team at the venue after we confirmed the victory. The picture below is our team after going up on the stage to receive the top team of the year award.

And yes, I know that I'm holding up a dorky #1 finger in both of the pictures. I was just so psyched!

The final Swix Ski Classics banquet is a formal affair and many people wear black dresses, coats, and ties.  Every year Santander wears something fun and festive. This year it was matching kilts - a tribute to Team and Nils Marius's year spent "studying" abroad in Scotland. I felt a bit like Brittney Spears circa 1996 (Opps I did it again!) but it was really fun and I think in mass, we were a hit!

No party is complete without speeches and toasts from the hotel bed!  Here is Team Chief Magnar Dalen delivering some words from the pulpit!

During the banquet they called up "Swix Ski Classics Legends" which were people who had won over 5 SSC races. Lots of kilts up there including Anders Auckland leading the charge with 12 victories. Jorgen and Jerry Arhlin where representing as well! Needless to say it was an awesome night and fun to spend it with lots of new friends. The only regret is that we didn't have a set of bagpipes for Magnar because that really would have established our look! 

Afterwards we drove from Are to Trondheim, and then flew "home" to Oslo. Being a Norwegian team many of my teammates were home but my adventure, of course, continues..... That night I met up with Knut-Eric Joslin, a former Dartmouth skier working on his PhD in Economics in Oslo. He hosted me for the night and let me crash on his couch. (Thanks Knut-Eric!) The next morning I got up and booked it straight to the Russian VISA center in Oslo to pick up my passport and Russian VISA. I'm SO SO happy to say that it came through, finally. In all I most definitely sent over 150 emails, made countless phone calls and even shed a few tears to get it. The directions are confusing as all heck (!) and getting a VISA outside of your own country when you cannot give up your passport for weeks at a time because you need it can be difficult. I owe a huge thank you to Andrey Kascha, Alexei Sotskov, and Yacopo Cararra for helping me obtain it. Thanks guys! 

Thanks goodness! 

Where in the world am I now? Good question. After a crazy Monday travel day which included 2 buses, 2 airplanes, 1 train, 1 tram, and 1 shuttle bus I'm Chamonix, France with my friend Anouk from the French National Team. Anouk has been awesome offering me a place to stay for years and I'm finally taking her up on it. 

It's a funny time of year though because she's done with her season and essentially home so she has tons of business to take care of while I'm still living out of my roller bag and trying to prepare for one last 50k.  Yesterday we made a small attempt at going Alpine skiing. It's warm here and raining in Chamonix. Of course this meant snow at higher altitudes but the avalanche conditions are horribly dangerous right now. Ironically we skied a super short run on one chair lift (after taking a gondola) in freezing rain yesterday. We didn't last long and I'm left with the impression that I have to return to Chamonix when a) I have more energy and b) during better conditions. 

Otherwise, I'm sleeping as much as possible, strolling through stinky cheese shops, and trying to get some school work done and catch up on email. Next stop, SIBERIA! Happy Early Easter to all of you and check back soon. The Marathon of Marathons is almost over :) 

Sausages, cheeses and wines through a store front window. 

Holly 

Birken backpacks & Cooking dinner for Norway's (potential) next Prime Minister!

Another week has passed in my "marathon of marathons."  The Norwegian Birkie, called "Birken" is the 9th long distance ski race I've competed in this winter.  As an ambassador and huge fan of the American Birkie I was extremely curious to see what the Norwegian Birken was like and how it compared.  It's safe to say that they are two completely different races for a host of reasons and both are completely awesome. 

Fun to be on a team with girls from 3 different countries!  Kerttu Niskanen, Me & Laila Kveli pre- Birken modeling our perfectly weighed 3.5k backpacks! 

The Stange Family! Erik, Emily, Henrik & Greta :)

A huge thank you to the Stange family for hosting me in Lillehammer for the week.  (And thanks to Ben Popp, ED of the American Birkie for connecting us!)  Erik is a former high-level ski racer and we have lots of mutual friends. I had a blast with him and his family. They fed me, gave me rides, loaned trail maps, and were awesome company. They had great Internet, a queen sized bed (!) laundry, and a wax bench so I was in heaven. 

Thanks to Andrew Young of Great Britain for providing some rides to training.  If you look closely you can see that the steering wheel is on the right side instead of the left side of their van.

After a long stint of traveling and racing alone it was fun to rejoin Team Santander for the Norwegian Birkie.  I didn't have to worry about waxing, accommodations or transportation which was a huge relief.  Many of these marathons (especially the point to point ones over mountain ranges) are logistically difficult and having a team to help was awesome! 

Plus, I had a new teammate and roommate for the two nights we slept in Rena (the small town where the Birken starts!)  Kerttu was coming off an impressive 4th place in the 30k Classic at World Championships in Falun so it was great having her on our team!

 

Kerttu weighing her pack after loading it with the necessary "survival gear" and rocks for added weight. 3.5 kilos is a lot more than you might think! 

Backpacks, rocks... 

 The finish line scale was out all week.... maybe as a scare tactic? As such, all the skiers in our house were obsessing over getting just the right weight, not too little, and not too much. If you're found without some of the necessary gear or your pack is too light you face disqualification! 

Team bread delivery from Baker Hansen! 

Jorgen Auckland: Bread for breakfast, bread for lunch.  There is no gluten intolerance on THIS Norwegian Team! 

Birken weather report

Race bib modifications and dinner preparation occur simultaneously. 

Rena is a small town and as such, it's hard to accommodate the thousands upon thousands of people that come to participate and help out with the race. Thus, many ended up boarding buses at 4am in Lillehammer to ride to the race start in Rena.  Many of the pro team opt to stay in Rena and for us, that meant renting a private house for the weekend.  The family moved out, and we moved in. 

While I heard of other teams bringing along cooks our team didn't have such a thing. In fact, that cook turned out to be ME! I enjoy cooking and am not intimidated cooking for large groups of people (thanks to years as a coach and perhaps training camps on Eagle Glacier where we take turns cooking for the entire camp!) It didn't set in until later that not only was I (along with help) cooking for the team but the guest list which included Norwegian TV, the CEO of Hewlett Packard, and Jonas Gahr Store, the leader of the Norwegian Labor Party and arguably the next Prime Minister of NORWAY! All of these aforementioned people spent the night at our team house AND raced the next day. Standard protocol in Norway. (Can you imagine Barack Obama and Bill Gates racing the American Birkie??!!) Yes, slightly different I know but I had to draw a comparison!

 Naturally I had to get a selfie with Jonas Gahr Store 

The day before the race was heinous with overcast conditions and temperatures around 32 degrees making waxing really difficult. We trained in late morning and attempted to ski the first 10k of the race following a couple thousand skiers who did the "open track" or more informal "race" the day before the real deal. 

However, the following day, race day was AWESOME. Oh, it should be mentioned that last year's race was cancelled due to high winds across the mountains so this year we were lucky with sunshine and low wind conditions! 

Johaug, skiing by herself on a perfect Birken Day.... Photo, Swix Ski Classics

For more race photos check out the Ski Classics Facebook page HERE

Although it's better, I'm still struggling with elbow tendinitis spurred on my racing the Marcialonga with a "blank ski" AKA, no wax. The double poling on hard, artificial snow wreaked havoc on my arms.  While it's a lot better than a month ago, I haven't been able to train classic as much as I'd like and consequently, my confidence for classic racing isn't quite there. I was happy that the Birken featured tons of climbing and opted for lots of kick wax on my skis. Unfortunately that also meant they were slow on the flats but so was I.  However, I met my goals for the race which were to have fun, enjoy the day, ski within my current capabilities, and maintain good technique.  While I wasn't blazing fast it was good enough for a respectable 11th place for women overall and 3rd in my age group. The added bonus is that my elbows survived and I didn't completely blow up.  I have two more marathon races this season and each of those will require a 110% effort so I'm glad I didn't completely "drain the tanks."  

That night we had a small party:

Alaska meets Norway! So fun to have dinner with new and old friends from both countries!  Left to right, Tora, Cathinka, Espen, Anders, Ragnild, Chris & Anne Marit

The next day I moved North.... 

Traditional Norwegian food at a road stop part way through the 6-hour drive with Anders from Lillehammer to Trondheim

Before racing the Birken myself and spending time around it, I didn't realize the social status and professional ramifications of racing the Norwegian Birken.  I didn't find out until after the race that many Norwegian's motivation over the 54 kilometers is to earn their "Merket" or a Diploma that stats their accomplishment. The Merket is a percent back standard from the winner's time(s) that amateur racers strive to achieve. The standard is gender and age specific.  Achieving the Merket is a big, big deal - such that people literally put it on the their CVs. In some Norwegian Professional Industries (like Finance) it is almost a rite of passage. This year, even Norway's prince, the namesake Prince Hakon achieved his Merket which made front page news. Here is Anders with his!  Also super cool is that Espen (the brother of Anders) made the Merket from the 26th/last wave of the race! Huge congrats to both of them! 

Anders with his "Merket" (pronounced "Marka")

Homemade Norwegian brown cheese, "Brunost"from Anne Marit (her mom, actually) and my third place age group award for the Birken :) 

This brings me up to today. I am currently in Trondheim staying at Anders and his girlfriend, Christine's apartment. They are so nice to let me infringe on their space and I am incredibly thankful for their generosity and friendship.  On Thursday I will meet up with teammates from Santander and drive two hours to Are, Sweden for the final ski classics race. Snow is minimal and the race course is TBA but the race is going to be an important one for Team Santander. After a difficult weekend result wise at the Birken we are still leading the team competition but only by a few points over Team United Bakeries. It's most certainly going to be a battle to the end! 

Thanks for checking in and have a fabulous week! 

Good luck to everyone at Supertour Finals in Sun Valley - miss you all!  Go APU!

Cheers, 

Holly 

Holmenkollen with friends!

Despite awesome home stays, chasing new opportunities and doing my best to hold onto the red bib traveling is exhausting, there is no doubt. While a life “ski racing in Europe” sounds glamorous  (and it’s sure, in some ways, it is) it can be quite tiresome. Now is perhaps one of those times. Daffodils line the sidewalks outside of grocery stores, Easter’s right around the corner according to the calendar, and skier conversation has turned to spring destination plans.

This past week I was in Oslo to apply for my Russian VISA, cheer on teammates at Holmenkollen, and stage for this weekend’s Norwegian Birkebeiner. 

Let me just say that the VISA process has been pain staking and that is perhaps, an understatement.  I've sent no less than 150 emails, made countless phone calls, and people made personal visits to the VISA center on my behalf before I even arrived.  It turns out that applying for a VISA outside of your own country (and) when you cannot give up your passport for weeks or months at a time is complicated. Phone calls (if you can get through) and emails (when they are returned) create more confusion as answers aren't always the same and "conclusions" are confusing. That said, the VISA center has my completed application and my passport, along with the Russian VISA is supposed to be available later this week for pick up. I'll believe it when I see it - however I'll have to stop by literally on my way to the airport (with 150# of gear in tow) so I really, really hope it works out. If not, I'll have to throw away the plane ticket and start again! 

A huge thank you to Andrey, Alexei & Yacopo (pictured below on my left) for their help in the VISA process. If I make it there these three are largely to thank! 

Minus the VISA work, the rest of the week was great seeing my former US Ski Teammates...... but I couldn’t help but feel a bit abandoned as conversation focused on travel itineraries and how excited they were to go home. This is most definitely the time of year that a bit of homesickness begins to creep into your skin and it’s important to stay focused and live in the moment rather than wishing you were somewhere you are not. When and if I ever start to feel sorry for myself I remind myself that I have what a friend calls, "first world problems" and that my life is insanely awesome. I am SO lucky. 

Here are a couple more pictures from the week: 

 Warm conditions called for salting the course. Check out this sweet adaptation to the Piston Bully!

Pete was in town after racing the VASA. 

When in Norway, the cheese slicer is a staple...... & not just one

 A typical scene in Oslo - people getting on public transport with their skis

Friends enjoying the sun 

Mexican night at Astrid's! Me, Liz, Astrid, Emil 

 Pano from the top of the Holmenkollen ski stadium athlete room and waxing facilities.  This past week the Holmenkollen ski stadium was at it's best - nothing like the zero-viz fog of World Championships 2011!

30k Feed zone during the women's race 

 Dash Hoff & EBJ "commuting" to the 50k....

Trailside snacks, served with coffee

A great aspect of Holmenkollen is how accessible the course is. Outside of the grand stands it's free to attend and many Norwegians make a weekend out of it. Many World Cups, World Champs, and Olympic races you sometimes feel like you're out there alone. That is NEVER the case at Holmenkollen! 

A tired Brian Gregg gives a thumbs up! 

Now THIS is a cool app. I think it exists all over Norway. You can look at any ski area and see where the groomers are in real time. The colors represent how long it's been since the trails were groomed last!  You can chase fresh tracks and corduroy to your hearts content! No wonder they're good classic skiers here.... 

Super fun training ski out on the course pre-50 & 30k days... 

 In the finish pen with Sadie & Diggs!

 Liz and Matt post 30k. Liz signing some autographs

Me & Kikkan spent the 30k doing support. I was a cheer leader running from spot to spot and Kikkan worked at a feeding and spare pole station. When you aren't racing it's still fun to be intimately involved :) 

Everyone always looks forward to the Holmenkollen heart shaped waffles!

Thanks so much to Astrid Jacobsen for opening up her awesome home to me for a week in Oslo. While it was a busy stint for her with Drammen and Holmenkollen it was fun to get a small peak into her life in Norway. We got to know each other two summers ago when Astrid came to Alaska to join the annual women's training camp. She spent a week + doing dryland (hence, the Bomber Glacier picture below), a week on Eagle Glacier, and then some time visiting my cabin in Hope and a fishing trip on the Kasilof River. 

International friendships are most certainly a highlight and one of the best things about being an International ski racer. This year, spending time away from the World Cup I've actually gotten to spend some quality time with friends I've made over the years. 

Not only is Astrid an incredible skier - she skied to an amazing THIRD PLACE in the Holmenkollen 30k - but she's insanely well rounded too. She's currently enrolled in medical school (yes, you heard me right... ) and does a lot of work for her local community.  Two years ago she co-hosted the first ever Norwegian Fast and Female event. One of the nights I was there she went to a 3 or 4 hour board meeting for her ski club, Heming, two days before her race. 

Johug, Bjorgen & ASTRID! 

If you haven't been following FIS Cross Country on Facebook be sure to check them out. This year Jeff Ellis and crew have been doing an awesome job with their "Inside the Fence" videos.  Here is the last one of the year called the Magic of Holmenkollen: 

After a busy week where I didn't even race (!) I moved from one household to another. I am currently staying in Lillehammer with Erik Stange and his awesome family. Erik and his wife Emily are American and moved to Lillehammer four years ago. They have to kids and a great part of each day is reading Greta a book before bed. Last night we read Madeline which I absolutely love. 

Erik was an elite ski racer back in the day so he knows what it's like to chase the dream and live out of a duffel bag. He said that letting me stay here is like repaying a "karmic debt."  I had never met Erik before coming to stay in his home but we have one degree of separation and know a lot of the same people. Needless to say, there is no lack of conversation. 

The next report will be from the Norwegian Birkebeiner.  Can't wait to check it off the "skier's bucket list!" 

Thanks for checking in. More soon, 

Sincerely, 

Holly :)