SKI PHOTOS

Here are some photos from recent skis. Powerline Pass, Hill Top and Ship Creek Pass.

Getting some classic technique help from new coach Erik Flora.

top of ship creek pass- amazing views

Hand stand gone wrong. You can't quite tell but that is a steep hill and after a bit of a tumble and a fling over the rock I actually ended on my feet.

On top of the world!

Kate Fitz, Becca Rorabaugh and I.

Ski up powerline pass with the boys.

Exhausted.... 14 days in.

APU Startup Camp

The past month since I finished my racing season has been a whirlwind of events. The original plan was to spend the summer in Bozeman with my sister and train and work there before heading up to AK at the beginning of August to start school and training with APU. I spent three weeks in Bozeman starting a new job, moving into a new house, making new friends and training buddies, setting up a bank account, and finding the best training areas and gyms in town. I figured I was getting myself set up for a great summer. Turns out I was getting a bit ahead of myself. 

After talking to my new coach Erik Flora, we decided it was best I spent the majority of my summer in AK getting to know the team, the new coach, and the new training. May, June, and July are the most important months to do some really valuable training. So, after all was said and done I decided to spontaneously hop on a plane and come up to AK for three weeks of training. After these three weeks I plan to head back down to the lower 48 for about a month of "real summer" before I drive back up to AK at the end of June for good.

Last week was my first week of training with APU, which happened to be their annual "Startup Camp" Let me tell you, it was a true "start-up". Erik, my new coach, is a firm believer of getting back into the training right away. The least amount of fitness lost in this short resting period is the best. What this means is we started with a bang. After taking nearly a month of relaxing and "fun exercise" we got back into the grove of things. The first workout included a 90 second uphill test skate rollerskiing.  I happened to set a record high on my lactate level, and got a warm welcoming back into anaerobic training. 

The rest of the week we spent rollerskiing, crust cruising, snow skiing, swimming, running, strength training and biking. Workouts varied from sprint relays to level four intervals up "Wall Street" (a massive climb that goes up for about 10 minutes) to distance training to just general pain. I found myself hanging on to the group for dear life in several occasions but for the most part enjoyed the new team. The best quote of the week was Erik Flora standing on the top of the interval hill describing our workout as simply as "go like-a-hell". And that is exactly what we did. 

It is a great group of athletes on the APU team that are all doing the same as me- committing themselves to this sport. On the trails these guys are all business, but off the snow it is a fun bunch. Everyone is incredibly nice and helpful which makes it really easy to get along with them all. I am super excited for this new change. 

While skiing for the APU team, I will also be taking full time classes at the school. I signed up for fall courses a couple days ago- so its official! I was lucky enough to receive a full ride for tuition so I am super stoked about that. Back to the books for me.

I spend the next two weeks training here in AK before I head back down to Washington for a few weeks. I will then be attending a "National Elite Group" camp in Park City with the US team coaches for 10 days. Shortly after that I start the long drive up to Alaska- thats an adventure in itself.

Here are some pictures from our crust ski up Glen Alps above Anchorage. The first trip definitely was the best ski of my life. Unbelievable crust,  beautiful sunny day, a bunch of people ripping around. Couldn't ask for better!

Looking up the valley we skied up. 

Fitz and I on top of a massive hill- you can't quite tell that.

View down to Anchorage from above.

Girls team doing intervals.  Becca and I bringing up the rear.

Change of Plans- Alaska Pacific University

I have recently finished the most exciting year of my ski career and what a year it was! Thanks to everyone for the tremendous amount of support you all have contributed that made this possible. Besides traveling and living in Europe for nearly 2 months, I made some leaps and bounds as a ski racer. Starting early November, I was on the road racing constantly throughout the US, Canada and Europe. I am guessing from November 1^st to March 29^th, I slept in my own bed maybe 10 times. But this is not what truly defined my year. The steps that I made as a racer is the best way to describe what seems like a five-month leave of absence from the Methow Valley.

The first couple of months of racing were a bit of a struggle for me leaving me dismayed and with little confidence. Fortunately, I was able to get back on my feet and rebuild my strength throughout January allowing me to start feeling good. When things started rolling again I managed to post some of my best race results ever, and gain an incredible amount of international race experience with top skiers from around the world. The Methow and MOD was a great place for me to start this experience providing me with the coaching and support I needed to see the big picture of what it takes to be a world class racer. Taking my sophomore year of school off to train in the hopes of making the US Olympic ski team was my original idea but after moderating this plan I was able to focus my attention towards getting the experience I could to prepare me for the 2014 Olympics in Sochi.

While racing in Maine for the final races of the season, I was approached by the ski coach at Alaska Pacific University (APU).  He asked me to consider continuing my undergraduate education at APU while representing its world-class ski team. I was honored by being asked to join a team of world class competitors and after much thought and deliberation with my family and MOD, I have decided to accept this offer and continue to accomplish my dream of being one of the top skiers in the world. APU has one of the top ski development teams in the country and sent three athletes to the 2010 Olympics, one of whom is Kikkan Randall.  APU’s unique class schedule allows skiers to race during the winter and take large class loads during the spring and fall terms to meet their academic requirements.

Team APU crust cruising.

The next few years will be exciting, tough and rewarding for me.  It’s a challenge I look forward to meeting.  I appreciate all the support everyone has provided over the past years and hope you will continue to follow my racing.  It has been great to have so many people behind my goals and aspirations, cheering and helping along the way.

APU selling point ;)

School starts in mid-August and racing begins Mid-November.  I will be heading up to Alaska for good near the end of June to join the team. Stay tuned for more skiing.

Typical day of training with APU.

Season's Review- back to my own blog

I apologize to everyone for how long it has taken to get to this post. The past couple of weeks have seemed to go way too fast with all the decisions and new things that have been going on.

My season ended with the SuperTour Finals which were held in Fort Kent, Maine. In my opinion, there is no better way to describe this area of the US better than "the end of the world". You literally feel off the map when you are there. The town of Fort Kent runs parallel to a river which is the border between Canada and the US, so you are about as far north as you can go in Maine. As frustrating as this is on the 8 hour drive to get there, it was necessary for these races to be located somewhere like this the last couple weeks of March. It actually felt like full on winter during the week of racing when the temperatures were dropping below zero at times.

The week of racing went pretty well for me. The first race was the 8k mass start classic race, held on friday night. I got to practice my newly acquired night racing skills, as the woman didn't start their race until 5:00 PM. I was able to ski near the front of the pack for the majority of the race but ended up fading a bit in the last couple of kilometers. I was having to work extra hard because of some mediocre kick wax, so it started waring on me by the end when the pace picked up. Regardless it was a fun race and I came away feeling satisfied with my 8th place finish for the day.

Saturday was  a 1.4k classic sprint. The race that I was most excited for at this series of races. I felt like my sprinting had been gradually building throughout the season, so I was ready to test it out against the US skiers. In my qualifier round I finished 3rd, 2 seconds out from Ida Sargent, one of my closest competitors in sprinting this year, and 4 seconds out from Kikkan Randall. Kikkan finished 8th in the classic sprint at the Olympics previously this year, so I was feeling pretty good that I had closed some of the time gap since I last competed against her at Nationals in Anchorage. In Alaska she had managed to space herself 13 seconds ahead of me in the 1.4k course.  

Throughout the next three races that completed the elimination rounds I pushed hard and built throughout the day. My quarterfinal heat started with a hard bang and refused to back off until the three of us racing for 1st and 2nd positions crossed the line, posting the fastest quarterfinal heat. We then went on to the tightly packed semi-final heat, that pushed hard throughout the course posting again the fastest semi-final heat. Ida and I crossed the line 1st and 2nd, excited to challenge for the final. In all the sprinting that I have done yet this season, I have failed to be able to stay strong throughout the three elimination heats. The finals I always drop the plow and drag until the finish. So I was determined to change that with this last sprint of the season. I started hard, and tired a bit over the top of the hill where Holly Brooks managed to squeeze past- but still crossed the line in fourth. I did die down a bit, but this was by far the best I had ever held myself together for the finals. So as disappointed as I was to miss the podium, which I was so close, I was happy with my 4th place finish for personal goal oriented reasons. 

Sunday was my race I had been least looking forward to the entire week. A hill climb, the race that you ski up an alpine run. I decided it was best to not preview the course, and just go with the unexpected. I figured the less I knew, the better. The first two kilometers were normal terrain- rolling throughout the trees. We then made a hard left and started the death march up the mountain. I went into this race thinking it was better not to hold back any energy at the beginning, regardless I was going to be in a lot of pain and die as I hit the wall. So that is exactly what I did. As painful as the hill was, the end actually came sooner than I expected. I managed to be passed by three skiers on the way up, but held my top ten overall position until the end. I crossed the finish line in 8th overall for the mini series of races, the same place I had finished on the first day. As fun as it was to try this little climb up the alpine run, it is not my favorite type of race. I am glad we don't have to do many of those as nordic ski racers!

So with the conclusion of the Super Tour races, the season officially came to an end. This season has seemed long, starting racing early in November- but in many ways it felt like a break away season. Even though the first three months were far below where I would have like to ski, because of some mistakes with training early on, I felt like I learned a ton. I was able to make something of the last two and a half months of my season. Racing in Europe really opened my horizon on what is out there. Not only what is out there, but the fact that we can be there. If the US skiers commit to racing at this higher level, we can easily fight for podium positions. I know from the two months that I spent knocking heads on the OPA racing circuit this year, I gained an endless amount of not only experience and skills, but confidence. I am walking away from this season more excited and determined than I ever have, and am confident next year I can be right there.

Thanks to everyone that has made this year possible and offered their support in many various ways. You guys are making it possible- and I truly appreciate it!

Have a great Spring!

UAA- best college nordic team in the nation

My first NCAA podium. 5k Classic- 3rd place

University of Alaska Anchorage- Fourth place team

I have finally arrived home after what seems to be like traveling home from another country. Maine may be close to the farthest place in the US you can get from Alaska. Regardless of our five hour time change (an extra hour because of daylight savings the first day there), and the long travels UAA was able to post the best team result in history! A successful first day for the woman, and a successful second day for the men put us in first place for the nordic team standings. In college NCAA skiing, alpine and nordic skiing is considered one team. Our alpine team had some unlucky runs, and wasn't able to pull off races as well as the rest of the season. Even so, UAA came in fourth in the team standings. The best UAA has ever recorded in history is fifth, many years back. It was fun to be a part of it. Our team got a nice huge trophy that everyone enjoyed lugging around town and the airport on the way home. It is fun to race as a team, then you are sharing the excitement afterwards!

As far as my races, I had one really successful race, and one not so successful race. The first day was 5k classic. This is my favorite event, so I had my eyes set on gold. The course was perfect for me. A mellow first couple of kilometers, and then it picked up quickly. With two long steep uphills in the last kilometer and a half, I knew that holding the hard pace at the end was most important. I felt good, and was able to slide across the line making the podium, in third place, 17 seconds out of first. The second day was not nearly as successful. I did a 15k race for the first time ever. The 15k was a mass start, so things were extremely aggressive for the firs 5k lap. I have never been in such an aggressive race, falling two times in the first couple of kilometers. Girls were pushing and shoving, running over each other, even taking each other out. Rather than being crazy, I decided to ski the first lap comfortably and try to come on hard at the end to avoid the crashes and breaking equipment. When the time came to go really hard and catch up, I was too far back to get back on with the front group. I didn't feel too terrible, but the result was not what I was hoping for. 

Overall it was an awesome experience, competing not only for yourself but 11 other members of your college team. Rumford, Maine was an enjoyable place, but I have realized I never want to spend more than 10 days at a time there.

I am now off to Fairbanks for distance Nationals next week. I will be racing in the team sprint, 5k classic, and 15k pursuit. Hopefully Fairbanks warms up a bit...!!

College Update

View from Above
First day skiing at Hatchers
Steffi (one of the german skiers) and me

The Team before the snow came

                                                    Hatchers Pass in the mornings

Sorry I haven't updated my blog in a couple of months. I am now in Anchorage, Alaska going to college at University of Alaska Anchorage. It has been great so far. I love it here, Alaska has so much more than you would expect. I am living with two Canadian alpine skiers, and a German nordic skier in a mac apartment.  It has been really fun with these girls. The Norwegian skiers live directly below us, so we spend lots of time with them as well. I have, of course, been learning lots in school, and finally figuring out the whole college system. It works quite a bit different then high school I must say! My team is GREAT! Everyone is super motivated and excited. The woman's team is stacked, 8 girls that are all very competitive and close. It will be fun to be able to ski races this winter with a team to work with! The coaches are great, very INTENSE and fun. We got snow here in anchorage some time in October. I believe we have been skiing close to a month now, so we are SUPER lucky. We have spent most of our weekends up at Hatchers Pass, which is one of the top five most beautiful places I have been to. All of these pictures are from Hatchers. I have my first race next weekend against APU skiers up at Hatchers Pass. Then the weekend after that I have my first official race against our rivals UAF and friendly neighbors APU in Fairbanks, Alaska. I will keep you updated

Beginning of SUMMER

Hello Everyone,

I have finally returned back home so I can find my graduation card from Tara Gregg that has my username and password for this blog. Thanks to Tara Gregg for setting this up for me!!!

I will give you a little update of what has happened since I GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL. I was home for less than a week before I took off for my summer training adventures. In that short amount of time I tried to get off some thank you cards for all my generous gifts, and started packing for college. Some of my dad's clients were going up to Anchorage to visit family the next week, and they were only bringing carry-on's, so they offered to bring four bags up for me. As I went through my room, finding stuff to pack, it finally hit me I was going to college...... in ALASKA!!! I attempted to organize the things I needed, and the things I would need to leave behind. I ended up packing two 50 pound bags of clothes, a big bag of bedding, and a ski bag filled with all of my skies and poles.  I sent most of my winter stuff up, but I probably will not need any summer stuff with the weather they have been getting!

A week later I packed up to head off to Park City, Utah for the USST Regional Development Camp along with three other Methow skiers, Jamie Devin, Casey Kutz, and Erik Bjornsen. All the top Juniors from around the Western part of the US gather 

for a week of intense training in Park City. We took off, not making it far before the van broke down, about twenty minutes outside of Wenatchee. Erik, Jamie, Casey and I walked back to the nearest gas station, about four miles up the road and called our favorite coach in the WORLD, TJ Owen. TJ was picking up turtle food for her pet turtle, so she drove on out to the sketchy gas station and entertained us until we could continue. We later found out we wouldn't be able to continue until the next day. As long we were in the city we figured we would take advantage of the mall, so us girls drug the boys down there, and went on a small shopping spree!!! After rollerskiing the next morning, we 

continued on with with our drive in a new van. Driving all day we made it into City of Rocks around 10:30, which is right about when we realized we forgot the tent!!! We parked the van on a flat surface, and each of us four picked a seat, spread out our sleeping bags, and slept in the van. We woke up early, an

d headed out to climb. Scott taught us some basics about climbing and we took off. 

We climbed all morning, then once again hopped in the van, to drive the rest of the way to Utah. Arriving in Park City around 4:00, we quickly changed and took off for our first workout. We spent the next week waking up early for first workouts, coming home during the afternoon and resting, and then taking off again for the second workout. We then came home, showered up, ate dinner, and had some sort of talk every night from coaches, national team member, or U

S coaches. We did lots of running, bounding, rollerskiing, strength, plyos, and of course taking advantage of the tourist rides at the resort. Rosie Brennan, Elizabeth Guiney, and I spent our spare time baking a cake for Joanne Reid's birthday, which was one of the nights of the camp. We have decided to go pro in it after our successful hamburger for Matt Gelso last summer, and our cat for Torin Koos! We baked the entire happy meal this time. (everything edible). All in all the week went super well! One running time trial up Agony Hill (its called that for a reason!). We also got to do a sprint simulation at Soldure Hollow midway through the week, which was pretty fun! It's always good having the top skiers in the country living in the West, so it can truly work like a sprint race! There were some gnarly rollerski falls throughout the week, involving lots of road rash, but not too serious injuries.... luckly!!!! At the end of the week, the rest of my team took off for home, while I stayed in Park City with Rosie Brennan and Mali Noyes to get some more training in. For four more days we took advantage of the great training in Park City. We then drove over to Sun Valley for the weekend to get some training in with the Olympic Development Team, and see some of the people I never get to see!! (Alexa Turzian, Sophie Caldwell and NOAH Hoffman). The weekend flew by, and once again I was on the road! By then I felt like I had driven all the way around the WEST and back! I caught a ride with one of my skier friends Ian Havlic, over to Bozeman, where I spent the week training, and spending time with my sister. My mom, and Erik came down as well, so I had a way to get back from Bozeman! After three and a half weeks away from home, I FINALLY returned.....to my own bed! I plan on spending the rest of my four weeks home before I take off for college. Getting in some good training, and making some money!