Summer never lasts long enough. June and July were filled with training—just not on snow. A typical week meant 10 workouts, two a day from Monday through Friday. I really enjoyed this schedule since it was my first summer not working a full-time job. Instead, my job was simply to be as fit as possible.
I spent as much time as I could in Bozeman, enjoying the company of good friends and the surrounding mountains. On Fridays and Saturdays, I always look forward to riding my motorcycle out to my favorite bar, Stacy’s. Other days I’d meet up with old teammates and friends before heading outside or downtown.
On August 10th, I flew to South America to rejoin the U.S. Ski Team for our first prep period of the season. As I write this, we’re in our second week of training in El Colorado. The plan is to stay for about six weeks and maybe hit a few races along the way. I’ve been very focused on my technical skiing, working on small changes to ski more efficiently and carry more energy through every part of the course.
Looking ahead, I’m excited to return to Montana in September for a short break. Most of that time will be spent chasing elk in the mountains and not thinking much about skiing—at least until we head to Europe in October for our second prep period.
I am working on enjoying the process while I am down here in South America and trying to become a master at this craft of ski racing. I would be remiss if I didn't say I miss being stateside, and my college teammates as they are preparing for their season. The elk opener is about to happen and on top of that I have an unused pronghorn tag burning a hole in my pocket. I want to be the best in the world, so I suppose I may have to miss some elk seasons and time with the MSU ski team. It will be worth it.