DT Active Life 050617 for web-REVISED

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active life Profile Bill Parks Bill training on roller skis last Fall on the Warren County Bikeway. Opposite: Bill changing into his boots in the back of his famous van, top, and more training on the snow last Winter at Mt. Van Hoevenberg, bottom. Photos: Jody Katz
Skis the Birkebeiner: Before and After B ill Parks waited forty years between his first ski marathon and his quest for the Birkebeiner. Here he shows us that it’s never too late to take on a challenge. The 2007 gray Chevy Express van shows the scars of many North Country winters and is a lot quieter on the inside and far emptier. What once was recognizable all throughout the Adirondacks for ferrying a dozen or so exuberant Glens Falls High School Nordic skiers and their gear to practices and meets now usually carries just one occupant and his equipment. The laughter that once resonated through the van’s interior panels has since subsided but is not forgotten. The odometer proudly shows 97,000 miles and the intrepid van still ably climbs the winding, sometimes icy, often pot-holed hills of the North Country that can humble many newer vehicles. Like Bill Parks, the van has led a focused and sometimes glorious life. Like Bill Parks, the van is always ready for the next challenge. For Bill, his latest challenge was the European Birkebeiner that he raced on March 18. It was a 54 km (33.5 mile) cross country classic ski race-from Rena to Lillehammer, Norway-that is steeped in history, and one Bill has wanted to do for several years. At age 73, and having retired from over three decades of teaching and coaching in the Glens Falls’ school system, he decided to join racers from all over the world to take on this historic event that was first re-enacted in 1932. The Birkebeiner’s nearly 17,000 racers typically face a variable terrain that goes through forests, over mountains and even over bare rock. All skiers are required to wear a backpack weighing at least 7.7 pounds. The weighted backpack and the race itself re-enact the carrying of Prince Haakon, the 18-month old heir to the Norwegian throne by two of the Birkebeiner group’s best Nordic skiers in 1206 as they safely smuggled him out of Norway to protect him from death by the hands of their warring rivals, the Baglers. The escape included spending a stormy Christmas Day in a mountain with nothing but snow to feed the hungry baby Haakon. They survived that great escape and Haakon grew to be the sole King of Norway, uniting the two rival factions. This is why Lillehammer is the only town in the world with a skier on its coat of arms. We caught up with Bill training for the Birkie on two occasions: the first time was last Fall when he was rollerskiing on the Warren County Bikeway, and the second time was several weeks before he left for Norway, where we met him on snow at the Nordic Ski Center at Mt. Van Hoevenberg. Active Life Magazine asked Bill a round of questions regarding the Birkie before he left for the race. This is what he told us: Active Life: How does your family feel about you participating in the Birkie? Any concerns? Anyone against it? Bill Parks: Everyone positive and supportive. My wife was hoping I would find someone to join me. Once I did, she gave the seal of approval. AL: So who will be racing with you in this year’s race? BP: Darwin Roosa, who joined me on my first trip to Norway, will travel with me and will also be racing. He has done it in the past. AL: Have you fully recovered from your recent hip replacement? BP: No problems. My orthopedic surgeon is enthusiastic about my adventure. I plan to have a Brigham and Women’s Hospital logo on my pack! I wouldn’t be there without their repair work! AL: When was the last time you participated in a race of this length? BP: In the late 1970s I did the Vermont Ski Marathon...60 kms. from South Lincoln to Brandon. After that, the longest races were 25 kilometers at the Masters race of the Empire State Games in the early to mid 1980s. AL: Since practicing on snow has been hard lately, will you be ready for the race before you leave? BP: There was a bad spell from Thanksgiving through early January. I was sick twice and missed about a week each time. Lack of snow and a cautious return after sickness reduced my training big time. Things have improved rapidly over the last week and a half. Finishing the distance shouldn’t be a problem. How speedy I am will depend on a lot of things, one of which is how effectively I am able to train. AL: Have you consulted others who have raced the Birkie on how to race t DACKS & TOGA activelife | 21
Page 1: activelife TM FREE SPORTS • FITNE
Page 4 and 5: contents FEATURES 10 Cover Story: 5
Page 6 and 7: Our Contributors Drew Cappabianca o
Page 8 and 9: tech Off-Road, On-Road, Any Terrain
Page 10 and 11: FIVE WAYS TO It’s Spring and the
Page 12 and 13: 2 Join a Group Ride: The First Ride
Page 14 and 15: 4 Take the Scenic Route: By Eric J.
Page 16 and 17: Finding the Right Bike is just the
Page 18 and 19: health & wellness Surviving a Minor
Page 22 and 23: Bill working hard on a climb at a m
Page 24 and 25: oad trip 15 HOURS ON THE DEVIL’S
Page 26 and 27: set before starting again toward Hu
Page 28 and 29: Our writer finishing up a late wint
Page 30: calendar “If you really want to d

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