So I got to Wisconsin and bought some cheese curds to help with my Birkie prep. The curds were honestly pretty sub par. I later found out they were from Minnesota, which likely explains the lack of squeak.
Photo cred: Rooted Studios
The Birkie, as always, was an incredible week. Staying with our Wisconsin host family, it was a nice reunion of friends this year. Super fun to spend a couple days with a few former teammates I hadn’t seen in close to a year.
As usual I felt great when race day came. I’ve always felt pretty good at the Birkie I contribute that to the good vibes that lead into the event. I’m very grateful for the family that hosts me and makes it a great trip each year.
In the race I committed to myself (and Jessica) that I would push a hard pace early. I broke away from the pack around the 3km mark and lead from that point on. I felt really relaxed and comfortable with the pace. I knew I ran the risk of being caught and using up matches, but I played my best card on the day and it worked out well!
The crowd and the amazing cheering at this race is super incredible. But possibly the most special part of the race was skiing along side Jessica as she pushed the pace of the women’s pack. She finished second, which is so impressive after a summer of full-time work and studying for her exams. She’s a tough one 🙂