American Birkebeiner statue in Cable, Wisconsin
I had the honor of participating in the 40th running of the American Birkebeiner cross-country ski marathon in Hayward, Wisconsin a couple of weeks ago. I raced in the 54 kilometer classic race. It took me 5 hours and 31 minutes to finish the race with Fischer skis.
I would have finished slightly faster had I not taken a few pictures and video with my GoPro video camera. The GoPro got some great footage of what it is like to be in the race. One thing it did not do is take pictures of me. At the beginning and at the end I grabbed a spectator to do the job.
At the start of the American Birkebeiner cross-country ski marathon
About ten kilometers into the race I paused and took a few pictures of the beautiful snowy pine forest. While I was doing this, a kind fellow skier came by and offered to take a photo of me. Thanks Dave from Colorado for taking a moment out of your race to get a shot of me in the Wisconsin north woods.
Taking one of the few breaks at the American Birkebeiner cross-country ski marathon
Another photo was taken on Lake Hayward where a group of spectators waited for skiers with bottles of jägermeister. Here is another place I could have shaved off a couple of minutes, but I could not pass up a shot with an ape or a gorilla. I am not sure what primate he is trying to be, but I did not ask questions and posed for a picture and took my shot.
Jägermeister with the great ape on Lake Hayward
The action pictures come from Marathon foto. I usually never buy these type of pictures, but I had to pony up as they had some great in action photos. They have photographers set up at random spots along the course and at the finish. Unfortunately, once I purchased them, I noticed a little white thing by my nose. When I uploaded them I noticed that it was a swinging booger.
If not for the phlegm, this pic would have been epic
The only problem with these random photo ops is you have no time to pretty yourself up. It is too bad that unfortunate body liquid is there or it would be an epic photo. At first I was thinking of calling up the company and asking for my money back. I know it was not their fault, but the tiny pictures that they emailed to me did not show the offending piece of slime. Then I thought, well, at least these pictures capture an accurate description of what it is like to participate in the race. Marathons are not pretty. They take everything out of you including your phlegm. I am proud to display these photos because I felt like hell and looked like it too, but I persevered and finished with a time I was ecstatic about.
Somewhere along the trail
Coming down to the finish line in downtown Hayward
Sucking wind at the finish – almost there
I look forward to racing again next year. This time I will be a little wiser when I see the random photographer in the woods and will place a hanky in my fanny pack and clean myself up before they start snapping pictures. On the other hand, maybe I won’t – perhaps I will swing my booger proudly to the world as I pass by on the way to another finish because I earned it.
TT
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I can’t believe you skied all that way with that big huge booger. Sucking wing and spewing boogers – that must have been quite a race!
Jeremy Branham recently posted..Winter Yosemite photos Part II: El Capitan, Bridalveil Falls, and sunset
That would be amazing if I could ski 54 kilometers with the same piece of mucus hanging from my nose. I blow my nose frequently when working out, so no same booger will stay on for long. These pictures were either taken close together, or it was a different particle of phlegm.
OMG hahaha.. I thought you were kidding. That really is a dripping booger – cool!
Kieu ~ GQ trippin recently posted..My Career Break Ends Today
Thanks, I am glad you approve 🙂
Hilarious but gross post 🙂
@mrsoaroundworld recently posted..5 reasons to love Chile by @Triptease
Not only do I love that you bought this photo, I LOVE that you actually posted it on here – good on you! 🙂
The World Wanderer recently posted..An Interview with Kirk Reynolds: Owner of Discover Outdoors.
Had I seen the offensive mucus, I would not have purchased, but since I paid $50.00 for the set of photos, I was going to use them.
I can relate – and that’s unfortunately what the nose does under the weather conditions. This one made me laugh. And you’re right – almost an epic photo – nothing a little photoshop couldn’t fix.
Leigh recently posted..Cross Country Skiing to Skogan Pass From Dead Man’s Flat
I have to check out that photoshop thing. I have an account, but never really use.
glad to see your priorities are in order and you made the necessary stop for jagermeister and your photo with the gorilla. well done, ted.
thelazytravelers recently posted..no travel required
Sometimes key experiences like these are more important than a good time. Glad I got to have a shot and still beat my time from three years ago. Who knows, maybe the shot was one of the reasons.
OH NO! Haha I had no idea that you were serious. Don’t you worry though, Ted. You’re still a badass in our book.
Tawny of Captain and Clark recently posted..Learning the art of falconry in Bahrain
Thanks Captain and Clark!
Rock Star… way to show your true colors. great images.
stay adventurous, Craig
Thanks Craig,
I will learn next year to clean myself up when I see a camera.