2026: American Birkebeiner
After a disappointing DNF in 2025 – my only one so far in cross country skiing and I had no one but myself hold accountable for it, my primary goal for the 2026 edition involved something I had done several…
Category Cross Country Ski (Classic)
2026: Pre-Birkie and North End Classic
After skipping the 2024 and 2025 editions (not enough snow and the events were canceled), I signed up for these events only a few days ago … chats with and subtle hints from Stephen doing the trick for Pre-Birkie. For…
2026: Noquemanon Ski Marathon
After skipping the 2025 edition (not enough snow and the event was canceled), I signed up not long after the registration opened up. For a vast majority of my cross country skiing Winters, Noquemanon has served as the second family…
2026: SISU Ski Fest
After having missed the last three editions for various reasons (Michigan Tech was hosting the US Cross Country Ski National Championships in 2023, and not enough snow in 2024 and 2025), I signed up not long after the registration opened…
2024: Mt. Ashwabay Summit Ski Race
To (continue to) say that the 2023-24 Winter has been subpar and has negatively impacted snow-dependent communities in the upper midwest continues to be an understatement. The Canadian Birkebeiner, the North End Classic, the Pre-Birkie and the Vasaloppet USA (all…
2024: Noquemanon Ski Marathon
To say that the 2023-24 Winter has been subpar (a result of El Niño) and has negatively impacted snow-dependent communities in the upper Midwest is an understatement. SISU Ski Fest (scheduled for the first weekend of January) and Wolf Tracks…
2023: American Birkebeiner
The 2022 edition involved skiing both the 29 km Kortelopet and the 55 km Birkie on back to back days with correct form, terrain-appropriate technique, situation-appropriate strategy, ease and peace (and not necessarily racing) as a tangible metric of improved…
2023: Pre-Birkie and North End Classic
Last weekend’s racing opportunity shed light on things I hadn’t done well: paying careful attention to the wax recommendation (I had missed a glide wax layer) and nutrition before/during the race (I had forgotten the race day breakfast and had…
2023: Wolf Tracks Rendezvous
For a variety of self-imposed and healthy reasons, racing opportunities have been limited during 2022-23 winter. This event – Wolf Tracks Rendezvous (WTR) – and I have had a love at first ski kinda relationship since 2020, and over the…
2021-22: Ski The Keweenaw
Similar to most events/projects that began in a pre-pandemic era, Ski The Keweenaw too had a break during 2020-21 winter after its maiden edition in 2019-20 winter. Unlike other events, it wasn’t COVID-19 but very poor planning on my part…
2022: American Birkebeiner
My primary goal for the 2021 edition involved skiing both the 29 km Kortelopet and the 55 km Birkie on back to back days – as a tangible metric of improved fitness derived from a healthy lifestyle. I got to…
2022: Pre-Birkie and Vasaloppet USA
Having skied the lovely trails in and around Mora, MN, three times so far and having experienced the hospitality of the organizers, volunteers and spectators (don’t let me forget to tell you about the soul warming blueberry soup they serve…
2022: Wolf Tracks Rendezvous and North End Classic
The Wolf Tracks Rendezvous (WTR) had gone virtual and the North End Classic (NEC) had indeed taken place in a real format in 2021. I had been a 3-time participant of the NEC by 2021 while 2020 was the first…
2022: SISU Ski Fest
After having skied the virtual edition of this event in 2021 (attempts #1 and #2), I signed up for this year’s edition as soon as the organizers opened up registration. Each winter, this event serves as the first of many…
2021: Great Bear Chase
Being a hometown event and the last officially timed nordic skiing race for each winter, this was an event that I wouldn’t miss – pandemic or not. The organizing committee did an excellent job of staying ahead of the game…