Birkebeiner race - for the tough guys (and ladies)

Today is the day of Birkebeiner race - a 54km long cross-country ski race (Nordic style) from Rena to Lillehammer. Start point is at altitude of 280m a then skiers must climb 630m before they cross the finish line at altitude of 480m. Most of the race leads through mountains and woods, but most participants probably don't enjoy so much the surrounding nature as they are "dying" struggling with the terrain, weather and snow conditions and they own weakness. Yeah, this race is for the tough guys.

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 (c) wikipedia

The run has been held since 1932, and commemorates a trip made by the Birkebeiner loyalists (birkebeiner can be translated to "birch-feet") to save the heir to the Norwegian throne, Håkon Håkonsson, in 1206. All participants carry a backpack weighing at least 3.5 kg, symbolizing the weight of the then one-year old heir.

This year over 16 000 tough men and women will test themselves in this ski marathon. Impressive, I must admit. But popularity of this race doesn't end here, because there is also a summer edition: a half-marathon of 21km mostly downhill with finish in Lillehammer  and a 94km cross-country bike race with start in Rena and finish in Lillehammer.

(c) www.birkebeiner.no

Ice Age or what?

Taking advantage of extended Winter and the great snow conditions, which doesn't seem to be willing to give way for Spring, I spent some time skiing in Geilo ski resort.

 As you can see slopes in Geilo (and other Norwegian ski resorts) aren't  very steep, of alpine type, but nevertheless offer great skiing experience on various levels of difficulty, from easy to expert level. I had a great time there many times!

Geilo seen from a ski slope.

Geilo lies more or less halfway between Oslo and Bergen and is easy accessible by car or train. It's popular (but of course not the only) place for Norwegians to spend their time on alpine skis or even more often on cross-country skis. Ski touring is a national sport in Norway.

This is what I saw through (nor very clean unfortunately) train window.

Hardangervidda plateau seen from a train

Along the railway, some distance to the West from Geilo, lies even smaller village of Finse, which is the highest located train station on Bergensbanen (that is the 100-years old railway between Bergen and Oslo), reaching 1222m of altitude. This remote village, where only train can get you,  lies on one of the highest mountain plateaus in Europe, having for a neighbour Hardangerjøkulen glacier and being a paradise for snow-kiters and ski-touring enthusiasts.