What ! Skiing in Houston ?

This is probably one of my most crazy ideas I have come up with for a while, here we go:

I thought participating in the American Birkebeiner ("The Birkie") sounds like fun. There is only one problem... how do I prepare when living in Houston, TX. There lies the crazy part of the idea, preparing in sunny, snowless Houston for an activity up in snow, cold but beautiful northwoods of Wisconsin.

Now, I am not in bad shape as I do equally crazy/fun stuff like biking fro Cleveland to Cincinnati Ohio (324 miles) during the summer part of the year. The situation is somewhat different though, one can bike in Texas.

Anyways here is the plan:

1. Get some roller skis
2. Train like hell
3. Get real skis and other winter stuff
4. Sneak a vinter vacation in a snowy place
5. Go Birkie !

Easy !