Sometimes I have trouble remembering exactly how long I’ve been hosting a podcast. I have a good idea about the Birkie Guide itself (the original was a blog post in 2010) but luckily the podcast feed file has the date of the first one and it was January 27, 2016. That’s more than 10 years ago! That first year we had a podcast episode with Ben Popp, another at a pasta feed the night before the race, and then the inaugural Main Street episode (a scant 25 minutes long). A decade later, I’m still chasing interesting stories about the race, and still cracking beers on Main Street after the race with my friends and, after a bit more New Glarus, anyone I can shove a mic in front of. It’s a blast, and I still want to thank everyone who reads and listens, especially when I get to meet you in Hayward (or at the start of an ultra on the North Shore, or a train from Philly to New York, or on a bus after a Worldloppet race in Austria).

This has been and will be a labor of love, that’s for damn sure, but there are costs involved (web hosting, some modicum of equipment, my copious spare time) and if you want to help defray these, the site does have a Patreon. The deal is, you put in a dollar each month (or more) and covers a bit of the outlay for this site and podcast. And if we get to 10 subscribers (we’re at 7, so most of the way there) then I order a bunch of Cowbell Fever cowbells, because who doesn’t love a novelty cowbell? The site here remains free, and our sponsors get a good deal (Pioneer Midwest waxes my skis and with code “podcast” you get skis waxed, too). I mean, if you want to cut a check, then yeah, we can figure out sponsorship as well (I actually did do a survey a user survey a couple years ago).

I know that times can be tight and the Birkie isn’t getting any cheaper (that said, you get what you pay for, and that’s a good thing). Neither are skis, or wax, or boots (I just needed a new pair of classic boots and thank goodness the shop had an older pair, because it would have been hard to part with $700 for this year’s model, even if it is a boa and Jessie Diggins is wearing it). You can be sure we’re not about to set up a paywall, or have exclusive bonus episodes, we’re not that fancy. But if you’re lucky enough that you are in a position to be a Patreon, well, I’m honored that you appreciate my now decade-long project. As always, you can give a rating or drop a review or shoot me an email or find me on Main Street (look for the guy in the media bib). I appreciate that just as much. Especially if you find me on Main Street and hand me a brat (with mustard and extra kraut).

I have a list of podcasts I would like to record, and it’s not short! A few I’m already starting pre-production (lining up guests, etc). It’s been a busy past year (I have a 15-month-old and have accompanied him and my wife on a bunch of her work travel) so I’ve fallen behind, but am going to try to commit to more podcasts this year.

So thank you for reading, listening and, if able, supporting the next decade of the Cowbell Fever Podcast!