Inga Lami 15K

2008-03-06, LILLEHAMMER, Norway

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Lillehammer was home to the 1994 Winter Olympic games at which Nordic skiing was the primary attraction.

The pre race mood for the Inga Lami was very interesting. Into the starting pen we went. I guess we got there at just the right time because we were able to get a few places behind the front line thinking that's where we should be. No problem! Soon Sue and I would discover women around us where using bamboo poles and wearing heavy coats with fur hoods. We both realized we should have deserved a spot in the first wave. The gun cracked! And we were off! The first 5 kilometers were up hill then down hill. for the last 10K. Up through the wooded hills we climbed, and then out into large open alpine fields and glacial rivers hugging the trail. The final 10 kilometers were full of fast downhill and flat double poling. The Norwegians seem to have a real gift for celebrating sport. Hundreds of people lined the course. Feeds and enthusiastic cheers "Heia" were overwhelmingly plentiful.

The next day we caught a train headed for Stavanger and settled in for the trip.