It’s the middle of winter, on a Sunday morning, and I
wake to the sound of the mountain’s snow-makers doing their job. I don’t have to check the thermometer to know
it’s going to be a cold day. In Alaska
in January, crystal clear skies usually mean single digit temperatures;
sometimes even lower. It’s dark out when I leave the house on my bike, and the
snow squeaks under my tires as I head to the mountain for “early ride.” That’s
when we get to train on the slopes before the lifts open for everyone else. In
the locker room at the base of the mountain, I pull on my race suit and layer
on ski pants, boots, fleece top, neck gaiter, coat, mittens, and helmet. My fellow racers and I slowly creep out into
the cold before the lift starts turning. The lights shine down on our course, the
sky is still dark and the air so cold it stings when I breathe in. You may be
wondering why I do this. Sometimes, I ask myself the same question,
and there’s really only one answer: I do
it because I love it. Skiing and ski racing brings me joy, opens
the door to many adventures and has taught me valuable lessons. I know that many of my friends and family
have never skied, and most will never see me race. I’m creating this blog so I can share with
you my journey to ski racing success. Some posts will be from recent events, but I'll also reach further back for inspiration.
In addition to my blog posts, I'll use this site to share some photos. I'll update it regularly so please check back often. Join me and venture out into the cold for this amazing sport!
Looking at Alyeska Resort from my house
