As a 24-year-old Norwegian and a dedicated cross-country skier for Northern Michigan University, Kristoffer Karsrud is no stranger to competitive skiing. With a remarkable history that includes racing since the age of 2, competing in the NCAA three times, and winning the 2023 US Nationals Classic Sprint and the overall Super Tour Sprint title, Kristoffer is preparing for one of the most challenging races in the world: the American Birkebeiner.

In this article, Kristoffer shares his insights into how he prepares for long-distance races like the Birkie, from fueling his body with the right nutrition to ensuring the perfect warm-up. His experience from Norwegian races and national championships offers valuable advice for athletes and enthusiasts alike. Read on to discover his race-day routine, warm-up strategies, and personal tips for success on the snow.

Race preparation - Nutrition

I would like to share my race preparations for longer races like the American Birkie. I have experience from competing in the Norwegian Birkie and several 50k´s at National Championships. I always make sure to eat a bigger meal the day before that has a lot of carbs, typically this is a standard pasta meal with chicken and tomato sauce. Normally a longer race such as the Birkie and 50k´s start early in the morning, so breakfast is probably the only actual meal that is possible to eat before heading to the venue. I normally start off with a big bowl of oatmeal adding in nuts, blueberries, peanut butter and some granola. I also try to drink at least one water bottle of sports drink or around 16 oz before race start. If there is a longer wait between breakfast and race start, I normally eat a banana or a sports bar to make sure that I don’t get hungry before start. Lasty, with about 15-20 minutes to start I like having some sort of sugar, so I normally eat half a pack of Bolt Energy Chews before heading to start. If you have a more sensitive stomach I would suggest substituting Chews pre-race with a sugary sports drink.

Race preparation – Warmup

To best prepare yourself for a long race it is important to do the right type of warmup. My philosophy is that the longer the race the smaller amount of intensity is needed in the warmup. Below is my example of the perfect warmup for the American Birkie:

15 minutes easy ski/ski testing

2x 1-3 minutes of race pace pickups on parts of the course you want to test technique on

5-minute easy skis

3 short speeds around 8-10 seconds with acceleration into the speed (1 minute break)

During the warm up take the time to hydrate and fuel. Without the correct fuel the body will not be able to perform no matter the quality of the warmup.

Extra Race Advice

Race day is normally a very stressful day, so I always make sure to lay out my race clothes and pack my bag the day before. That gives me more time to make sure that I have enough time to eat my entire breakfast even if race nerves make it a slow process J. In my bag for race day, I always have the following items:

• Alpina ski boots
• Extra wool socks
• 2x Toko gloves (for the right temperature)
• 2x hats, buffs and headbands.
• 2x base layers
• Ski jacket & pants
• Race suit
• Running shoes (in case that ski warmup isn’t possible)
• Puffy jacket
• Sunglasses
• Banana, Bars & Bolt energy Chews
• Toko drink belt w/sports drink

Natural Intervals in preparation for American Birkie

A great way to prepare for longer races is to do a natural interval workout. The concept is to use the terrain to split up your intervals and decide the intensity. It is kind of like a fartlek style type of intensity. On the uphills you can build into a race pace intensity, on the flats you can decrease or increase your pace for the upcoming section of terrain, and on the downhills you can rest. As an example, you would use the flat as an increasing section if an uphill is coming, and if there was a downhill coming you would decrease your pace. I normally do this kind of workout for a period of 30-50 minutes after a 20-25 minute warm up. The goal of the workout is to be able to go faster every session and use the same route to compare progress.

I enjoy doing longer races when I have prepared for them properly. Fueling correctly, getting in a good warm up and doing key workouts to prepare myself are essentials for me. Then during the race I can focus on skiing with good technique and putting my best effort forward with a smile on my face. Of course, it helps when you have the best boots around on your feet. Thanks to Alpina for giving me the opportunity to connect with the skiing community and see you out on the trails!

Kristoffer Karsrud