Chad Schultz, president of Waukesha-based Innovative Signs, was looking for something to stay active and in shape through Wisconsin’s long winters so he picked up cross country skiing.
He and his cousin, Craig Lashley of NAI MLG Commercial, recently finished the 2011 American Birkebeiner, a 31 mile cross country skiing race that goes from Cable, Wis., to Hayward, Wis.
“I was really in search of something that would keep me active and outside during the winter months,” Schultz said. “I ride my bike a lot in the summer and this was the perfect transition for my fitness when it got too difficult to ride my bike through the snow.”
Schultz completed half of the race last year but decided this year he would train in preparation for the entire 31 miles.
According to Schultz, he skis anywhere from 35 to 40 miles per week, and was able to start training for the race as soon as snow fell in December.
“I wanted to challenge myself, and do something I wouldn’t typically do,” he said. “Here we can’t really start training until the snow falls, but I had about two good months of training, which is more than enough time.”
Schultz loves being outdoors and cross country skiing allows him to do something more entertaining than running on a treadmill indoors or on a stationary bike in front of a television, he said.
“Sometimes training inside gets boring for me, this gives me the chance to be outside even in the winter,” Schultz said. “I love the snow and being outside with the animals and other things to look at while I’m getting my exercise.”
