Vakava Race Team

Race Bibs, Swag and Awards: What to do with Race Paraphernalia

Now a month into training for the 2017-2018 ski season, it’s important to remember what we’re training for...all that stuff we get at races! If you’re suffering from lack of motivation to train (I know I am after the meager snow last winter) here’s some great ways to show off your racing keepsakes and practical things to do with it that will get you out the door on your rollerskis so you can get more of it next winter!

I dedicate this post to my bro, Leif, who always likes lots of pictures and few words:)

First up, what Erik has so affectionately dubbed my shit shelf (he started calling it this when he built it for me). Now, I prefer to call this my self-actualization shelf for a number of reasons. In addition to all those medals, bibs, trophies, and bells, it also includes three other things. OK, the first two don’t really have much to do with racing and include my panda collection (my impetus to canoe 400 miles to the National Zoo) and probably my best piece of artwork ever made (on the top shelf, my mom says it’s supposed to be a cat but it does look a bit like an owl; note, my artwork reached a peak in kindergarten and has not improved since then). Finally, it includes that rain-drop shaped trophy. Now, I pretty much think this thing is the best because how often does anyone do a ski race when it’s 45 degrees and rainy, win, and get a rain-drop as a trophy???

Now I’m sure I got this trophy shelf idea from somewhere and so was pretty stoked to see that Nate’s dad, Jim, has a similar shelf at his cabin. Note, I did not copy this shelf, just one of those tokens of wisdom that we aren’t as unique as we think and everyone has similar ideas.


Photo: Nate

Poor Andy Brown, he should commission Erik to build him a shit shelf as he is currently displaying his stash on the floor. He says there would be more swag but he’s using his Seeley Hills Classic plates as his main dining set.

Photo: Andy

Nate and Nichole have some race paraphernalia arranged in their new workout room in their new house which is a pretty good way to stay inspired.

Photo: Nate

Ever wonder what happens to those wreaths the winners get at the Mora Vasaloppet? Well, wonder no more because here’s Mary Beth to the rescue:

Photo: Mary Beth

I hope Dave and Josie have built themselves a very strong house to support all this bling! Peter Northug is sooo jealous.

Photo: Josie

But it turns out if you have 5 athletically gifted kids, I-beams are probably in order.

The boy’s room:

Photo: Bonnie

The other boy’s room:

Photo: Bonnie

But Emma whoops them all. And this girl is only 16. I didn't know this was possible.

Photo: Bonnie

As a girl obsessed with ROY G BIV (my dinnerware is Fiesta after all) I’m pretty envious of Emma’s ribbon display on purple walls. I don’t think my husband would go for this in our bedroom but maybe I could paint one of our walls in the basement purple and arrange our paltry-in-comparison ribbon stash according to ROY G BIV.

Also note the mountain bike awards, the cassette medal in the foreground and the hammer on the other side of the mirror! Photo: Bonnie

There’s lots and lots of ways to showcase bibs.

After five years of citizen racing in the Midwest, I created this presentation of my bibs above our bed in our house in New York. I was amazed at how symmetrical they could be. I’ve been too lazy to exhibit my bibs anywhere in my new house other than a couple on my shelf above.

Angie shows multiple genres of bibs in this curtain rod:

Photo: Angie

Dave and Josie could open a store with the bibs in their wax room.

Photo: Josie

Bonnie has so many they don’t fit in her overflowing box anymore (Erik and I are admittedly in the same boat). Photo: Bonnie

I put a few of my pins on my backpack...makes me feel cool but TSA doesn’t like it so much when I fly.

Photo: Erik

Then there is my bro who is perhaps the most photogenic citizen cross country skier ever.

Here he is in a family photo wearing a shirt from the Lotvola Cup that he is actually on (the red skier on the far right). Note I’m also wearing a race shirt in this picture.

At Watkins Glen State Park in New York (a cool place to go if you are ever in the Finger Lakes Region). Photo: Erik

Then he made the cover of Silent Sports and so amidst all our racing relics surrounding our dining room fireplace, down on the bottom is Leif on the cover of Silent Sports.

Photo: Craig

But if that’s not enough (he’s also made the cover of a book but that’s another story), he’s got a huge photo of himself in the Bemidji Applebees!

Photo: Erik

And so why not take a photo of a photo and decorate our living room (with other racing stuff like the newspaper clipping from my first Minnesota Finlandia win).

The cutest award ever goes to the Wieskopf-Albrecht family from a bike race!

Photo: Bonnie

Now onto the horses. They are everywhere. We saw them on Andy Brown’s floor above and on Mary Beth’s mantle.

Oh the horses are everywhere. Angie has some, too!

Lots of awards and racing mementos on this shelf. Is that Angie on Minnesota Sports? Retro! Photo: Angie

And if Nate or Nichole win any more they will need a bigger shelf!

Photo: Nate

They even dominate my french-themed living room (silly horses, they are swedish, not french)

And the stairs!

OK, this is really just a joke, turns out we have enough horses in our house to place one on each stair

We left Dave and Josie and Karl’s horses’ out because they are currently being used for the design of their new barn.

But alas, is there actually anything useful to do with this stuff???

Enter the earring holder...

And the t-shirt quilt (could also make a quilt from bibs, or a ski bag from bibs; I think I’ve seen that)...

Gotta love a few of the relics including the shirt from the now defunct Adventure Duluth Race Erik did in 2006.

And the tote bag...

Photo: Angie

And the lunch bag (or simple tote bag for those who aren’t as skilled at sewing)...

Photo: Alex

And the Halloween costumes...

One year we went as Michael Phelps and a cow- both inspired by racing paraphernalia. That's a Noquemenon cow bell. Photo: Priscilla

I’ve previously blogged about my Marit Bjorgen costume and it’s pretty easy to be a lumberjack if you’ve gotten first and second place in the Minnesota Finlandia!

And the under-bed-drawer pull...

And the keychain...

Photo: Angie

And as previously mentioned, some people actually use the dishes, glasses, beater jars, etc they get from races.

Setting up for dinner! Photo: Erik

And all the prizes from the Minnesota Finlandia are incredibly useful. Just in case anyone reading this blog has not yet seen (or starred in) my Promo video (shame on you) check it out.

And for gosh darn sake, put those "horsees" to work!