My goodness, it’s been a busy day! Roller ski speed training, visiting the Slumberland Furniture main office to meet with my awesome headgear sponsors, getting my teeth cleaned by the friendly people at Art and Science Dentistry, voting for the next President of the United States of America, strength training at the gym…yep, great day! That’s what being home in the fall is like for me every year. It’s a jam-packed roller coaster ride full of training, coaching, last minute trips to the dentist and trying to figure out what to pack for the next 5 months!
Time to play on some sweet skis! (photo by Ophira Group)
But first, check this out. Not often do you get a truly awesome offer with absolutely no strings attached. This is one of those times. I suggest you take it! Salomon is giving away a few prizes in honor of the World Cup Season beginning in two weeks, with the grand prize being:
Carbon Skate Lab Skis and YOUR CHOICE of either ProLink or SNS Bindings. Why these skis? Because they’re my absolute favorites, and I won my first ever World Cup on them! So yep, I really believe in them, and I think you’ll like them, too.
2nd Prize – S-Lab Snowcross CS Winter Running Shoes
3rd Prize – Speedcross 4 GoreTex Winter Running Shoes
Sign up here: https://amersports.typeform.com/to/kNlH4m
Now back to our regular programming. Since I last updated, we had another week of awesome training down in Park City, Utah. We had 2 time trials – an 11km individual start classic, and a skate sprint. It was great to practice getting our warmups done before the start time, measuring our classic poles and frantically sawing off half a millimeter, pacing our efforts and going all-out! Here’s a few photos from those last days of training.
Kikkan, Sadie, me and Sophie showing off our Rudy glasses! (photo by Reese Brown/SIA Images)
Stridin’ and glidin’ up a big canyon with the ladies
L.L. Bean and Craft 2016-17 U.S. Cross Country Ski Team uniforming at the Center of Excellence, Park City (photo by Sarah Brunson)
Skate sprint time trial! (photo by Matt Whitcomb)
Double pole interval pain-train. (photo by Matt Whitcomb)
All the US girls! (left to right): Ida, Hannah, Kikkan, Katharine, Liz, Sophie, Me, Julia, Sadie, Rosie! (photo from Kikkan)
Julia, Anne and Erika cheering me on in my last bounding interval! Yeah! (photo by Pat O’Brien)
When I got home, I got to roller ski right out the door of my house in Afton. I just LOVE that. My parents also put out a big cooler of water, pile of little cups and oversized bag of peanut M&M’s for hungry skiers/walkers/bikers/runners on busy weekends and it’s really cool for me to see about 50 roller skiers around Afton each Sunday!
I also got the chance to see my younger sister Mackenzie in a play where she played the leading lady! She and her cast-mates in “The 39 Steps” did a fantastic job and I was a VERY proud big sister right in the front row. I’m probably embarrassing her right now, but here’s a funny photo from the play (she’s in the red pantsuit)!
The 39 Steps! (photo from Mackenzie Diggins)
I had the pleasure of doing the annual ski games with the kids of the Marine On St. Croix youth ski club during their ski swap, and it’s so fun seeing everyone fired up for the upcoming season! I also got to guest coach girls from 6 different high schools at an open clinic/captains practice at Lake Elmo Park Reserve yesterday.
Explaining bounding technique before everyone tried it out. (photo from Kris Hansen)
Doing some explosive single-leg jumps! (photo from Kris Hansen)
I get so inspired and happy seeing the next generation of skiers working hard, not afraid to get sweaty and tired, and willing to try new technique ideas, drills and strength training moves! Watch out for these strong young women this winter!
The group! (photo by Kris Hansen)
