Good Read - John Bauer Q & A
He was the only 50+ year old in the top 125 Birkie Skate field
Q&A with John Bauer who just finished 21st in the Birkie Skate at age 54
John Bauer is a superb racer who has 12 US National championship titles and has finished as high as 5th in World Championships. We all know that he is a superb ski racer, but 21st in the Birkie at age 54? He was also 12th as a 50 year old. How does he do it?
Here is a link to a podcast interview from 3 years ago where he talks about his training and life. But to supplement this, here is a quick question and answer session from after the race. (Thanks to Skinnyski.com for the photo above)
You finished 21st in the Birkie Skate this year as a 54 year old. This is amazing! I’m sure people will want to know what your habits are and how you were able to achieve this extraordinary result.
Can you describe your training? How much do you train? What is your emphasis if anything?
The 2023 Birkie was a fun race for me...outstanding conditions, great course prep. I had hopes of coming close to the 12th overall as a 50-year-old. In some ways I feel I executed a more enjoyable event overall (like no cramping). While I was just 21st this year, there were a number of positive changes in the prep-work this year that I think may help some Birkie racers (things that I tweaked over the last 4 years).
I train roughly 500 hours a year, which is measured by a Garmin Enduro watch. The Garmin app tallies my hours. Not a specific plug for Garmin, per se, but the watch measures key metrics to help my running technique, and it also measures XC ski power wattage in classic and skate, which I am still learning the value of. At the least, the device keeps training numbers honest and productive.
Most people who are 54 need to train far less simply to avoid injury and fatigue. How are you able to avoid injury and keep your fitness at such a high level?
I run a lot in the summer! I can still run 50 miles on a weekend or 5 hours straight. I have adjusted my run technique to the Pose Method to keep healthy (high cadence, midfoot landing, running with the glutes/hamstrings). In a demented way I love to run! I also roller ski or use the SkiErg about HALF the volume of running. I still find uphill pole bounding workouts to be key bread-and-butter intensity sessions.
In peak activity time, the 12-14-ish weekly workouts happen 5 training days a week. I feel I have to get in more sessions as I age to keep limber. Plus, there's 1 more passive rest day on average every 1-2 weeks now, versus 4 years ago. That was a change, for sure. I try to do intensity sessions 1-2 times a week in the afternoons after a productive morning workout (ski, run, bike, SkiErg, etc.). This year's biggest change was way more general strength training at a gym.
I focus tons on technique in skate and classic, like always thinking about it, and occasionally forego ski poles to work on classic ski kick/ body position. This technique focus has kept me in XC skiing, as an art form, if you will.
What skis, structure, and wax did you race on?
For the Birkie 50k skate, I used a pair of Rossignol S2 skis, thinking the trail might break down. Even if the trail was plowed off (it was), I knew that these skis would be good. The skis had a Gear West LZ0 grind from Dave Chamberland and were waxed for cold: I started with a layer of Toko Performance Blue and the second layer was Toko High Performance Blue and XCold powder 50/50. This is already on top of well-conditioned ski bases. I did not add hand structure.
Do you have any advice for other master skiers on how to have their best Birkie next year?
As far as suggestions for other masters skiers preparing for their next Birkie, I may have a few. To start, find out how you ski...find out if you favor tempo skiing, or do you power along. Indulge occasionally those strengths but focus on skiing dynamics. Those dynamics involve use of natural fulcrums, such as the arm-swing to generate extra downward pressure on the classic ski...or arm swing to help drive the body into the dynamically-bending knee in skating.
Also, find a ski brand that works for your technique. Traversing a trail as hilly as the Birkie course involves constant shifting of gears and choosing how much time to spend on each ski at a time. It is like working a rheostat dial on a machine. You want to spend a lot of time gliding, but you cannot bog down.
Additionally, in order to improve fitness, you have to hurt (in a good way) every so often. This is just about breathing hard—no pain in the joints, etc. Also, the great coach Jim Galanes used to say that overall intensity is far more important than general high-volume. Mix it up! Have fun...test yourself occasionally!
Congratulations on a truly exceptional result...each year!