One week in the Methow Valley

Spice and Advice Shower

Lots of good advice!

and lots of good Spice!!!

Staining the Barn before the wedding.

Just starting the epic 6 hour tour!

Some of the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen!

The family and friends all meet up!

Matt Firth's jewelery studio, where my ring was made.

The final ski of the season (maybe???) Absolutely amazing conditions and great company April 10, 2011

US Nationals 30K Classic Race

Today was the US Nationals 30K here in Sun Valley, ID. The conditions were perfect and the weather was beautiful! Sun Valley lived up to it's name with tons of sunshine throughout the morning. I woke up this morning feeling better then I had the night before. I had a rough day yesterday and was pretty tired from all of the excitement. I had to take a quick trip to the ER because I almost passed out. This is a little crazy but I have had this happen a few times before. As women athletes, we put our bodies through a lot,  sometimes our bodies respond wonderfully and sometimes they act totally crazy. I sometimes experience menstrual cramps so badly that the pain actually causes me to pass out! Now it's bad enough that there is no way to really stop the pain, but I also cannot tell when and where it will happen. Once it happened in the Prague airport and now at our team condo here in Sun Valley.

I was at the condo with Jessie Diggins when the pain got so bad I was on the verge of passing out. Jessie phoned for help and as I was being taken away she stayed back at the Condo very scared for me. After talking to the doctor for a while it was determined that I was OK. A few minutes later I had my two teammates there with me to cheer me up. Jenny and Jessie were hilarious and we made the best of the situation.

I owe the girls a lot! I am so grateful for all of there help and support! Today as the gun went off I started in Bib 3 and felt great. A few K's later and a number of slips on some long uphills and I could feel my body suggesting that I rethink the race. I don't like to drop out of races but I could tell today that I was not going to make any progress by being tough and sticking it out. I skied 15K with my friend Evelyn and then we called it a day. We have 4 races in 5 days coming up so there is lots of time to feel better and better.

The best part about today was how great Jennie and Jessie skied. They both were in the top 10 and were happy with their races! I am so glad that the distraction yesterday, although it affected me, didn't seem to impact them!

On to the next race!!!

The Junior Olympics in Minneapolis, MN

No, I did not race in the Junior Olympics but after the fun filled week here at Theodore Wirth I feel like I did!
I heard that the Twin Cities was in contention for the Junior Olympics in 2011 a few years ago. When they were awarded the event everyone here in the Twin Cities were pretty excited and ready to show the country what we've got here!

Countless hours and labor went into making the JO's go off without a hitch. The courses were ready, the volunteers were ready and all of the other events and accommodations were in place, the only thing left was the snow. Every effort was made to get a snowmaking system and loop that would accommodate such a major event if mother nature was not cooperating.

Thankfully, Minneapolis was blessed with the most snow we have seen in the past 7 years I have been living here. The week of the event came and the temperatures remand cold making the snow absolutely perfect yet warm enough for the spectators to enjoy.

I had the honor of being recognized for my achievements in the past couple of years, and recognizing the outstanding achievements of the racers throughout the week, by presenting the medals at the awards ceremony.I spoke to the audience of parents, coaches and athletes about never assuming you cannot achieve something without even attempting it first.

The highlight of the event was watching the J1/OJ Girl's relay where the Midwest team took first. Not only was it great to see the Midwest succeeding but it was even more special because of my connection to the girls who won. I have spent time with each of them over the past year and I hope that they have learned a lot from training, racing, living  and just hanging out with me.

I am so proud of Jessie, Libby, and Elizabeth!!! I can't wait to see what they can do in the future :)

Nailed it!!!

This past weekend was the 38th annual American Birkibeiner in Hayward, WI. I am very fortunate that Brian has been living in Hayward for the past 5 years. Brian and I arrived on Saturday evening after a bumpy flight from Aspen and a changed ticket into Minneapolis on Friday. We were originally scheduled to fly into Madison, WI to race the Capitol Square Super Tour, however the race was cancelled due to 100,000 protesters expected on the Capitol Square. Brian was able to negotiate with the airlines and get our flight changed for free! So we went back to Minneapolis and I got to see some friends and visit with Lahti for about 12 hours.

Once we got to Hayward we planned out our busy Birkie Filled week. I knew I was racing the Birkie over a month ago and so my training was all geared towards the goal of finishing my first 50K in over 6 years. Brian and I planned two intensity days and lots of easy days. There are times in the year when I absolutely love the "peaking plan" I use. I train hard for three weeks and then get a week to "rest" and rebound back stronger for my key event. The truth is that the plan is much more complicated then that but I have been using the same training pattern for the past couple of years before a target event and I knew it would work.

I went into the Birkie believing in my plan, feeling great about my preparation, and excited about my support team and equipment. What I couldn't control however, was the weather. I watched as the forecast got colder and colder for Birkie morning. I prepared my clothing and feeding plan to best meet the chill. I filled seven feed bottles and wore mole skin on my face. The morning of the Birkie the temperature was still -12 at the starting area before the race. By the time the race was started and my wave was preparing to take off the temperature rose to -6. Any other Super Tour or National race would have been delayed or canceled unless the temperatures rose above -4.

Earlier this winter I have had a few races to practice for my longest race in a long time. At Nationals we had a 20K skate, at the City of Lakes it 30K, then the Owl Creek Chase was only 21K (but at 9,00ft!). I had everything in those races go wrong. I filled my feeds, I broke a pole, and I crashed at the start and bonked.

On Birkie Morning everything went right! I nailed my warm clothing and face protection, I nailed my ski selection, I nailed my warmup, I nailed my start, I nailed my strategy, and I nailed my training and feeding. When everything comes together the sky is the limit!

I skied to my first American Birkie win setting a new course record. I couldn't believe it and best of all Brian was waiting for me on the far side of the finish line. How could I not have skied my heart out towards is smiling face and open arms.

The Day was perfect and it feels good to have everything run so smoothly!

The Birkie Fever

Every year on the last weekend of February in Cable, WI the largest cross country ski race in North America is held every year. The race is the American Birkebeiner and it is a really big deal in the Nordic Ski comunnity especially in the Mid-west.

This year will be the first time in six years that I will have the opportunity to get my taste of what is a amazing event and a wonderful milestone for many to achieve.  I am racing this year for the win and therefore everything since learning I was not going to be competing at the World Championships in Oslo, Norway has been focused on the Birkie. I qualified to race in Oslo but realized that there were women in the country who were racing faster then me and deserved the opportunity to represent our country as I had for the previous 4 years at an international championship. Staying back in the US has meant that I have visited many different cities throughout the US and work with kids from all walks of life.

Last weekend I was at the City of Lakes Loppet in my hometown of Minneapolis, and skied with the inner-city kids in the mini Loppet and this week I was training with the Aspen Valley Ski Club here in Aspen, CO. I have learned that no matter where the kids or from or what their situation is when the are out on skis they are all the same.

I am in Aspen this week, staying with the Hoffman family for my high altitude training before the Birkie. I have been putting in a lot of volume training and race two races at 9,000 ft this weekend. Needless to say the combination of altitude and volume training left me off the podium in a very competitive field of women. I was disappointed but also know that this week and this weekend's races will leave me fitter and faster for the Birkie in two weeks!

Tomorrow I will be going through my photos from the past few weeks and uploading some of the best.

I am tired and ready for a day off! Here's to the final two weeks until the Birkie!!!

Skijoring with Lahti

This past week Lahti and I had the chance to get out for a ski with the City of Lakes Nordic Ski Foundation's Anwatin Ski Team. This is a team that I worked with in the fall. The kids usually meet after school at the Anwatin Middle School, which conveniently abuts the City of Lakes Loppet/Theodore Wirth Trails, and ski from there. On Monday however there was no school but a few of the more committed girls showed up for the Skijoring practice.

Lahti has been staying at a Husky/Skijoring boarding kennel while I have been off racing from November through January. I am always sad to leave him but I know he is in very good hands. He gets to hang out with other huskies and pull all kinds of objects alone and with a team of dogs. As far as huskies go, it is like summer camp in the winter. He has a kennel mate named Bjorn and the two of them get along great!

Lahti, who is a rescue dog from the humane society, has become a very lovable guy. He has finally opened up and shows a great fondness for children. He is used by the skijoring kennel as a demo dog and now has quite a following.

Next week is the Skijoring National Championships at Theodore Wirth Park. Lahti and I have been out training together A LOT and I have to say it is some of the best skiing I have ever done! I am looking forward to the event and will update about how we do!

Here are some photos of the kids training with Lahti!

More Racing Ahead

After a mixed group of results at US Nationals. I was 4th in the 20K Skate, Qualified 3rd in the Sprint and finished 12th, and a 29th in the 10K Classic (just a bad day). I got the news that I would not be selected for the 2011 World Championship Team. I was dissapointed but also a bit refreshed. This would be my first year without a Championships or the Olympics in a long time. This will be my first year home in the month of February since 2006!!! I think it is important in the career of an athlete, to have both good and not so good years. They help balance not only results but also your competitive drive and your expectations. I think a year "off" is exactly what I need.

So as I prepare for my next races I am also preparing for a major event happening here in the Twin Cities. I have a number of Super Tour Events, a number of local marathons and of course the Birkie!!!
But the biggest event will be the 2011 Junior Olympics taking place at Theodore Wirth Park. I am really looking forwrad to helping and inspiring the next generation of skiers in the country!

Lots of racing this weekend on te JO Courses. More updates to come.