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   December 13, 2013 
                    
SWIX - Birkie Ski Events Logo

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Check out Swix tips, videos, training, more!
Here and BIRKIE.com!  

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Next Event:
BIRKIETOUR
January 18, 2014
Click image for details!

Presented by Brent Carlson, MD

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FAT BIKE BIRKIE
March 8, 2014
Click image for details!



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Birkie Store
About Us
   

 

 

 

 

CONTACT US: 

 

715-634-5025

[email protected] 

Greetings from the American Birkebeiner!

Dear Friends -

Winter is here in the Northwoods with highs barely reaching zero this week! The Birkie Trail received approximately 18 inches of new snow and the trail crew has been grooming and removing limbs that have come down with the heavy wet snow that fell. The skiing we have now is some of the best early season skiing we have had in some time. 

 
With skiing now upon us, it is also the time to purchase your Birkie Trail Pass if you plan to come up and ski this winter. Get more info on the Birkie.com Trail page. As we say, "Trails don't just happen," and it is the sales of trail passes that help off set thecosts of trail maintenance and grooming, which cost the ABSF nearly $300,000 a year, including grooming and trail repair, as well as things like plowing parking lots and keeping the buildings maintained. 

 

There is now a Tuesday night ski at "OO" that is open to anyone who is in town. Folks gather for a ski and follow it up with a potluck and stories of the night. Get out and enjoy winter! 

 

Happy Holidays - enjoy the season. I hope we get to see you up north!!

Get Out & Go!

Ben Popp

Executive Director
American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation
   


 In this Issue: 

Here's what's new for December!
  • Update your email address
  • Birkie Store - Contest T's are In!
  • Birkie Ski Trail Passes
  • Ski for a Cure / Get a Birkie or Korte entry
  • Trail Reports / Trail Cam at "OO"
  • BirkieTour - Next fee deadline Jan. 4
  • Welcome Back to FITS
  • Tuesday Trail Nights  - "OO"
  • Training Tips 
  • Swix Corner
  • Birkie Pro Shop
  • Eating to Ski
  • Sports Medicine Tips
  • Getting Around
  • Crowdfunding for CXC
  • Birkie Sunday Ski Demo - Feb, 23
  • BIRKIE FEVER
  • Board of Directors  
Get your Official 2014 Birkie T-Shirt. For tyles / colors


 Email Change?  

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 Birkie Store

Order This Year's Official Birkie T-Shirt & More

Get the 2014 Birkie Design Contest T-shirt and check out other great Birkie shirts, hats, gifts, and more, including the official 2014 Birkie Poster! Go to the ...

Shop the Birkie Store Online
Or at the Birkie Office, Hayward




Birkie Trail Passes 

Get Your Annual Birkie Trail Pass Now! 

If you don't already have an Annual Trail Pass for the Birkie Trail, the time to buy one is NOW!  If you do have one, please check the expiration month & be prepared to renew.  Did you know that the ABSF spends over $300,000 annually just to ... Keep Reading  
 
Buy Your Trail Pass Online
or at the Birkie Office

Questions? Call the Birkie at 715-634-5025
or email [email protected]

SKI for a CURE! 

Make Your Skiing Count  

Get this Hat, a great cowbell, and even win a trip to ski in Norway! Simply support JDRF, our Birkie Skiers for Cures partner, and its research for treatment and a cure for type 1 diabetes. Click Here for complete details.

Learn More about
Birkie Skiers for Cures at:
 

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You Can Still Get an Entry for the 2014 Birkie or Korte

There are now less than 10 of the 50 "Second Chance" Entries left. These entries are available from JDRF in exchange for raising $500.

Deadline Extended to Dec. 23

Go to
for Details and to Sign Up!




Trail Reports / Cam! 

Check Out Birkie Trail Conditions Anytime! 

See exactly what's happening on the Birkie Trail 24/7 Here's how ...

Grooming Reports: 
Check out the almost daily reports posted by the Birkie's Trail Manager. Read what's been groomed and where.

Birkie Trail Cam: 
See snow conditions and grooming at the Birkie "OO" trailhead live and first-hand! Click on the image at right to watch right now.

           Get it all at:  
    birke.com/trail 


First Event of 2014! 

BirkieTour - January 18


_ Two distances: 25K or 43K


_ Get Worldloppet credit for 43K

Save $10 - Register by Jan. 4  

Are you getting ready for the Birkie or Korte, or would you just like to do a long ski on the Birkie Trail, followed by some great food and festivities? Now is a great time to sign up for the BirkieTour on January 18. This non-competitive ski event is a great way to do a fully supported, long-distance ski in January on the Birkie Trail. There are food stations, T-shirts, pins, followed by a chili feed, bonfire, and more--all at the new Birkie Ridge Trailhead off Hwy 63, just north of Seeley, WI. This untimed, non-competitive event makes for a great day of skiing the Birkie Trail with family and friends.

Thank you! Presenting Sponsor of the BirkieTour is Brent Carlson, MD     
 



For Details and to Sign Up 

Welcome Back FITS 

FITS Takes on Major Sponsorship of American Birkebeiner

The American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation (ABSF) is proud to announce its continued relationship with FITS, now a Gold Sponsor of the American Birkebeiner cross country ski race events on February 20-23, 2014.

FITS, in its third year with the Birkie, is also Presenting Sponsor of the Birkie Elite Sprints again, a head-to-head contest on Thursday of race week between the top national and international contenders in Saturday's 50/54K ski marathon. ...

"Our relationship with FITS has been amazing. Few companies are as proactive about not just gaining exposure for their brand, but quickly becoming such a big part of the culture. Keep Reading.


Check out FITS socks online
and at the Birkie Expo! 

www.fitssock.com



Caitlin Gregg, 2013 Birkie Champion (center) wearing FITS on Podium

Fat Bike the Birkie!   

March 8, 2014    


Don't Miss This - Get on a Fat Bike and Do It!
Second Annual Event

 

 

Event will be capped at 500 participants!

 

Tuesday Trail Nights!  

Under the Lights at the "OO" Loops  

 

Tuesdays evenings are now the weekly time for skiers of all ages to gather at the Birkie "OO" trailhead for group skiing, training, some casual coaching, kids games, and a pot luck.

Sound good?!
Just stop by at 6:00. It's informal, and the size of the group may vary from week to week, but the fireplace will be blazing, and the cider will be hot. You'll find friends you know and make some new ones. Hosted weekly by New Moon Ski & Bike and the Birkie. 


For More Info
 
       Call New Moon at 715-634-8685
       Call the Birkie at 715-634-5025.  

 

 Check for Updates Every Monday on
 Birkie Facebook



 Training Tips   

The Matriarch's Guide to Marathon Mass Starts


By Annie Pokorny

National Nordic Foundation Skier

Of the events available to cross country skiers, only one offers female racers the opportunity to line up against the less-fair sex: ski marathons. While sprints and middle distance races place women a few kilometers short of men, races like the Vasaloppet, and the Birkebeiner give women the chance to cover the same 40, 50, or 90 kilometers as male competitors.

 

In the world of running, research reinforces the potential of female marathoners to compete amongst men, as women are now finishing in top places in ultramarathons. Female ski ... Keep Reading. 

 

 Swix Corner   









____________________ 
Layering for Comfort 

With temperatures dropping throughout the US, finding just the right layers for cold weather performance is crucial. Follow these tips for better layering and more cold weather comfort.

*    Preserve the heat. Getting dressed near the woodstove or next to the hot air duct can help warm up the core against the elements. In the coldest days, tossing a baselayer in the drier just prior to getting dressed can add an important bit of thermal comfort.

*    Spread layers thin to thicker. A fine layer next to the skin keeps ...
Keep  Reading for All SIX Tips
 
    



Get More Swix Corner Tips at

Birkie.com/swixcorner
 

 NEW! Pro Shop      


COMING SOON!

A complete line of Swix-Birkie technical apparel plus training and casual clothes and great gear and accessories!
Watch for the PRO SHOP logo on the Birkie.com Home Page.

 Eating to Ski   

The Truth About Carbo-Loading

Ever since first research on the subject in the mid-60s, many athletes have adopted a variety of carbo-loading methods in the week prior to their race, in the hopes of obtaining an edge on race day. The key questions are: Does carbo-loading work and, more importantly, what do you need to do in order to gain the desired edge that carbo-loading-more appropriately defined as maximizing glycogen stores-will provide? One of the most widely utilized carbo-loading protocols is known as the Astrand Method, named after the Swedish scientist Per-Olof Astrand. In this particular regimen, an athlete will spend ... Keep Reading.
 


 Sports Medicine Tips

Sports Hernia:
What Is It, Who Gets One, How to Treat It


Groin pain is a common complaint among athletes. It's involved in 5 to 20 percent of all sports injuries to athletes, but diagnosing it may be a challenge. A long list of groin injuries share similar symptoms. Athletes often are given a diagnosis of groin strain and told to rest. Rest is sufficient treatment for some, but if the groin pain doesn't resolve in a reasonable time, it may be a sports hernia.

 

A sports hernia is not the same as the more common inguinal hernia caused when an actual separation or hole occurs in the
abdominal wall allowing a visible bulge to appear. A sports hernia occurs when a ... Keep Reading. 


 Getting Around     

To Buy or to Lease?

The decision to lease or buy will always depend on your personal circumstances. If your objective is one day to be rid of pesky little car payments and you actually want to take ownership, buying a car may be the best option. If, however, your goal is to drive a new set of wheels every two years and minimize your monthly costs, leasing a car may be a good alternative.

About 80% of auto consumers either pay cash or finance their purchase with a loan. The other one-fifth of intrepid consumers are willing to ... Keep Reading.
Ford Escape is the Official Vehicle
of the American Birkebeiner

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Are You in Hayward This Weekend? 
 
You're Invited, to Win Free Packers Tickets and more! It's great to see what area businesses are doing, especially our sponsors. Timber Ford, Presenting Sponsor of the Birkie's Prince Haakon 12K, is hosting its Customer Appreciation Banquet and second annual "Give Back" event. Click Here to see all the local charities that benefit! Open to the public, SATURDAY, Dec. 14, from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm. 

.  Open to the public
.  Door prizes
  Silent auctions
  Live music
  FREE food and drinks (3pm-7pm)
  Drawing to WIN 2 Green Bay Packers Game
   Day Tickets (Enter once per day
   per household through December 14th,
   2013. Must be present to win.)

.  Presentation of local charity donations
.  Visit Timber Ford online for more details  



 Birkie SUNDAY!   

The On-Snow Ski Demo ...

                         Sunday of Birkie Weekend
                                      February 23
Don't miss this year's party!


 CXC Ski Campaign

Help develop and promote Nordic skiing for all ages and abilities. Check out this crowdfunding campaign for Central Cross Country Ski Association (CXC).

GOAL - $40,000
ONLY 18 Days Left

The video is amazing! Watch at
https://cxcskiing.fundly.com/support-our-sport

 
 BIRKIE FEVER!

Confessions of an Old Classic Skier

Today is also a very special day for me because I have in my fanny pack (Is it called that if you wear it in front?) my friend Vaughn's medal from completing his very first Birkie. I have that with me because my friend and fellow worker passed away the previous year after a long battle with cancer, the residual effects of a bike-van accident, and a stroke which left him partially paralyzed and partially aphaisic. In my eyes Vaughn was a fitness nut and incredibly determined not to give up.

... The gun goes off and we are on our way ...

 Keep Reading to listen in on the "conversation" between these two friends as they ski the hills from Cable to Hayward.
The author's friend Vaughn, coming up Main Street for his first Birkie. here.

 Get the Latest

Get Birkie news, announcements,
photos, contests, registration info,
and more ... as it happens!


 Board of Directors

Become an ABSF Member So You Can Vote in Board
Elections or Run for a Seat on the Board

 

Do you ever wonder how the Birkie geWarrior Logots pulled off year after year with great  success? The staff, Board of Directors, a huge network of volunteers, and the communities of Hayward and Cable pour their hearts and souls into the events every year.

 

The ABSF was formed in 1984 when a group of local business people realized that strong support would ensure the race's future for years to come. 



 Schedule of Events
 
September 21, 2013                Birkie Trail Run & Trek

January 18, 2014                     BirkieTour

February 20 - 23,  2014           SWIX American Birkebeiner Ski Events

March 8, 2014                          Fat Bike Birkie

American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation

The Birkie is a year-round lifestyle choice for thousands of outdoor fitness enthusiasts of all levels. From its signature ski race--the legendary American Birkebeiner--sponsored by SWIX, the Birkie has grown into an exciting array of fitness and recreational opportunities. The 88-kilometer Birkie Trail system attracts skiers, runners, bikers, trekkers, and hikers, from casual day-trippers to elite superstars. Located near Hayward and Cable, Wisconsin, the Birkie is now an outdoor sports mecca, a series of great races, a fitness destination, and a Lifestyle.
SKI . RUN . BIKE . LIVE!