Train, Live, and Enjoy Birkie Events and the Year-Round Birkie Lifestyle

A big idea here at the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation is to be part of and support your year-round healthy, outdoor lifestyle. Although we put on some great events, we know there’s more going on for you the rest of the year–like getting ready for those events or just getting out and enjoying the beautiful outdoors.

That’s what Birkie Programming is all about, to get moving and make that dream a reality. The Birkie is not just a destination. As a true lifestyle, it happens wherever you are. So, come and enjoy the Birkie Trails, but we’re also happy to bring the Birkie Lifestyle to you, wherever you live and train. This is just the beginning. We hope you will be part of it!

Youth Programming & Camps

Seasonal and Year-Round Programs

Team Birkie High Performance Racing Team

Central Cross Country Skiing (CXC), the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation, and the Loppet Foundation are teaming up to create a high performance racing team. Learn More »

Birkie Trail Kids

Birkie Trail Kids is open to children age 3 years – 5th grade. Teach your child to love skiing and the great outdoors with Birkie Trail Kids! Learn More »

ZiHi Training App

Professional coach in your phone

A professional-level coach right at the touch of your fingertips? It is that easy with Zihi!

Zihi is a unique training platform for endurance coaches and athletes, which combines the best of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to bridge the gap between human coaching, on the one hand, and static, off-the-shelf training plans, on the other. Skiers, runners and cyclists will definitely benefit from it!

At Zihi, we live by the mantra, “The best training plan is the one you can do” and use your schedule as the basis for your personal training plan.

In addition to the schedule, Zihi takes into account indicators that are important for practical training:
– the best combination of HIT, speed, gym workouts, over distance and steady workouts
– training history for the past several months
– training load and recovery each week
– the dates of goal races

Zihi analyzes these metrics and creates sports science-based plans in just 20 seconds. By updating a training plan after each workout, Zihi adapts the plan to the athlete, considers new training data, and analyzes the body’s reaction to the training load.

Try to get ready for your next race with Zihi and see how useful the app is! Get 1 month free by signing up now!

Sign up!

Training Plans & Tips

Train to Ski

Birkie Ski Training Plans

Birkie Training Tips

Training suggestions and guide from Jan Guenther, Owner of Gear West XC Ski & Run Shop.

Train to Run

Birkie Trail Run Training Plans

12 Tips for Crushing Your Birkie Trail Run Event

12 Birkie Trail Run training tips from Gear West’s Jan Guenther, 2x Birkie Trail Marathon first place finisher.

XC Ski Training Tips from Birkie Champion Matt Liebsch

Previous Training Plans