"Jet-Settin" to Presque Isle...

(I apologize for my lack of pictures in this blog - I didn't even have a chance to unpack my camera while I was home.) 

My stint back in Alaska was short.  I wish I could say that I had time to properly recover from the races, catch up on much-needed sleep, and relax but that wasn’t the case at all.   While at home I had just enough time to coach a couple of sessions, give some presentations about my experience at the Olympics, conduct some pre-Tour of Anchorage wax clinics (good luck today everyone!) see my cat, and buy my next plane ticket.  I didn’t have time to pay my bills (they are currently stuffed in my carry on waiting to be paid) fill out my training log (next on the agenda) or spend any quality time with my husband. L  I didn’t even unpack my bags from the Olympics – I just “re-packed.”  

My departure yesterday wasn’t supposed to be quite as hectic as it turned out.  It begun with a HEAVY knock on the front door at 6:45am Saturday morning.  My body or my mind must have been anticipating it because I jumped out of bed and peered out the window to see who was at the door. Sure enough, they flashed their badges – it was USADA – United States Anti-Doping Association.  I had been tested on three separate occasions at the Olympics but it was only a matter of time before they found me at home.

For those that are unfamiliar with the process, as Olympic-level athletes (even when I was a “hopeful”) we have to fill out “where-about forms” that include information of where we are going to be EVERY DAY of the year.  Each day, we have to provide a 60-minute “time window” and guarantee that we will be and STAY there so that anti-doping officials can show up unannounced and take blood and/or urine to ensure that we are “clean athletes.”  You can imagine that this is a time intensive process, especially for people that travel a lot.

Their arrival was bad news because I had a big agenda for the day and I had gotten up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night.  Nonetheless, I invited them in and we exchanged pleasantries while I drank 4 pints of water in hopes of providing the necessary sample they were there to collect.  Between waiting to pee and all the paperwork, the process took two hours that I had not planned into my day.

After they left, I had to hurry out the door to try and fit in my training before a 12-noon meeting. I no longer had time to drive to Hillside or Kincaid so I skied from my house on the Tour of Anchorage trail.  This usually isn’t a problem but Saturday also coincided with the start of the Iditarod and my ski home was largely interrupted by giving the dog teams right-of-way on the trail……. This was truly an “OIA” (Only in Alaska) problem to have. As frustrated as I was, I had to laugh at my situation.

I ate a power bar for lunch during my meeting and hustled home to “re-pack” with only an hour and a half before we needed to leave the house.  Packing was stressful because my mind was clouded and it was difficult to anticipate what I would need for the next three-week trip.

Rob hustled me to the airport and I checked in for my trip to Presque Isle, Maine. If anyone is wondering, I don’t think there is a place in the United States FURTHER away from Alaska. I am currently on my FOURTH flight of the two-day (no sleep) trip but will be arriving in time to help coach for the first race, the classic sprint, will be well worth the trip.

Now I just have to hope that my luggage made the four-flight and multiple carriers jump to meet me in the “County.”  I packed my still-sweaty classic boots into my carry on just in case it didn’t arrive in time to test wax. If it comes down to it, I will test wax for them in my sweatpants, hoodie, and reading glasses JThis past month there has been a lot of cheering for me…… I am excited to reciprocate the efforts and share my experiences across the pond.

Here is the view when you step out of the airplane in Presque Isle: 

The town may not be impressive but I have reason to believe that the event and the organization around it will be awesome. 

More to come/thanks for checking in, 

Holly :) 

30,000 feet up and headed North!

(Just a warning – this is a long post – I hope that I don’t put too many of you to sleep….. sorry!)

While getting to the airport (with 5 bags to check) was stressful, now that I’m mid-flight, I have some time to reflect on the past two weeks before hitting the ground (running) in Anchorage.

I am one of the few athletes returning home after the Games.  Most of my teammates are en route to Europe to compete at either the spring World Cups or The “OPA Cups.”.  While I would have liked to continue racing, I know the limit of my body.  I need some rest, plus I am going to coach Junior Olympics in Presque Isle Maine as part of Team Alaska’s coaching staff!  I made the commitment to coach in October and I want to keep my word.  Plus, I’ve been missing all of the people back at home that I work with on a daily basis.   There has been plenty of cheering and encouragement for me the past month.  Now I look forward to reciprocating!

(With my sister, Robin at the airport...) 

The past month that I’ve been away, (including the 17 days spent at the Olympics) feel like they’ve gone by fast…. Yet, it also seems like an eternity.  A LOT has happened since I stepped on the plane January 27^th…… notably less than 24 hours after I was named to the 2010 USA Team. 

Here are some things I loved and learned:

1)   1)   High level skiing and International racers are no longer a “black  box” for me.  While I wasn’t at the top of the Vancouver results sheet, I feel like I have a much greater understanding of what it takes to get there. This will benefit not just my future skiing career but hopefully everyone that I coach as well.

2)   2)  I LOVE the fact that every four years, the World seems to be become united over one thing – athletics and the pursuit of excellence. What other event has the power to bring so many people together?  I can’t tell you how neat it was my sport on TVs everywhere.  The morning of the 28^th (the last day of the Games) I was running around the village trying to pack up.  Everywhere I looked, the men’s 50-kilometer mass start event was on TV.  Security guards were watching skiing, athletes from all sports were gathered around the television in the dining hall, the race was playing in the polyclinic.  It was everywhere and people were loving it!  There is nothing that makes me happier than seeing folks being introduced to the sport that I love.

3)

      3) Don’t be afraid to share your goals with others.  I think that telling people that I wanted to go the Olympics helped me get there.  If you have a “secret goal” consider verbalizing it.  Sometimes the help and encouragement that you receive from friends and family around you is the greatest gift you can receive.

(Here are some of the great master's women that I coach that made the trip to Vancouver to cheer me on!) 

4)   4)  I have meet and re-connected with so many people by means of my Olympic experience. Whether it’s getting a “congratulations” facebook post from my high school tolo date or seeing Amy and Lib Rust, the set of twins that I “coached” with when I was 10 years old on the sidelines after my 30k race, it was wonderful.  My "39-year-old" Great Aunt even bought and learned how to use a computer so that she would be able to follow my blog (and my sister’s too – check out Robin’s blog here.  She’s on a long solo bike trip around North America!) 

Things that I won’t miss:

1)   1) Our first morning in Vancouver we had a welcome/inspirational speech from Olympic Speed Skating medalist Bonnie Blair.  (For those that don’t know, Bonnie is the most decorated female Olympian of all time) Over coffee and bagels, she told us that during her last Olympics she locked herself in her room and only came out for training, eating, and competitions.  She never even spoke to her family – she only saw a “bird’s eye” view of them at the speed-skating oval after races.  At the time I thought she was absolutely crazy.  While I still think her method was a bit extreme, I understand the stress of the Games and felt first-hand, how much energy it takes to conduct the most simple tasks. I have always been a quick-moving, multi-tasker and I look forward to being able to be on my own schedule and spend time with family and friends without the burden of two buses and multiple security check points.  It frustrated me that I couldn’t spend more time with people that had come so far to see me.

2)   2) My near-future races probably won’t require that I wear a cell phone sized remote GPS attached to my bib!

3)   3)  Cafeteria food.  The combination of tapering (fewer on-snow training hours) and eating in a dining hall make you feel sluggish to say the least. I look forward to eating my own food.

4)

4) 4) The necessity of carrying a clunky credential everywhere I go

I     It's been a busy six months for me.  Between my exertional rhabdomyoloysis injury in July, getting married one week later, deciding that I wanted to make the Olympic team, racing the early season, competing in US Nationals at home in Anchorage, starting my first world cup, and then going the Olympics (all while having a job) it’s been busy.  While it would be fun to sit on a tropical beach for a week to recover, there is no time for that right now.  As my good friend Bill Pearson said in our wedding ceremony, “Holly, you are your best when you are juggling a million things at once.”  Well, I suppose that the past 6 month and the next two will be no exception.  

A happy reunited family at the house on Alder Street!

Bill sent me this picture... the irony is great - a coach/athlete in the "no coach zone" racing at the Olympics! 

That's it for tonight. I have a busy few days ahead before I take off again - thanks for following and yet again, thanks for the all the support!  I had a great crew meet me at the Anchorage Airport today when I got in... they welcomed me home and helped carry my bags. If only travel was always that easy! 

Good night/Sincerely, 

Holly :) 

The day after....

WHEW!  The Olympics are over. The flame is out. No more athlete cafeteria.... needing my credential everywhere I go, coach shuttle buses for transport..... walking around feeling like Captain America (Team USA uniforms) randomly running into Petter Northug, etc, etc.  Life after the Olympics includes freedom to move around on your own, eat meals out of sight from Ronald McDonald, and the necessity of a wallet (!)

(We considered skiing in these ponchos that they gave us because it was POURING rain - this was the morning of the 30k!)

Yesterday was hectic.  Think moving out of a college dorm - huge mess and not enough time to properly say goodbye to anyone.  To make matters worse my big ski bag was lost in the hectic jumble of everything so I had 23 pairs of skis and no bag :(  Athletes flying out of Vancouver scored with an automatic luggage check in INSIDE the village.  But, I'm flying out of Seattle so I had to "schlep" my bags around and get them to my parents who drove them to their house. After "moving out" we took a shuttle to the Vancouver athlete village just in time to see the US/Canadian Hockey final.  Although I'm always rooting for the US, the benefit of Canada winning the Gold was that everyone was in a good mood for closing ceremonies.  

I hung out with Callan (Snowboarder from Girdwood) during the Closing ceremonies wait... 

Ran into the Russian Curlers who are already excited for 2014!

Took some pictures with the Swedish women including Kalla, the 10k skate Olympic Champion (in the center.)  I'm totally psyched because I traded a bunch of my USA gear for some Swedish Gear.... after all, I am 1/4 Swedish! 

A big part of the Closing Ceremonies is the "hand-off" from the Olympics that just ended to the Olympics of the future.  The presentation was a bit eclectic and I'm not sure that I left knowing anything about Sochi? 

The finale to the ceremonies was a bunch of "big-dollar" moose blow-up floats, Canadian "Mounties" and Hockey Players.  There was some stand-up comedy that totally flopped.... lots of Inside Canadian jokes that they didn't even laugh at (the person sitting next to me actually said, "I think I can hear crickets chirping") and some really, really bad performances by Avril L and Alanis M. All in all, I honestly thought the Closing ceremonies were a let down.  There was a bit of redundancy with the Opening Ceremonies but only this time, everyone was tired and we felt like we had seen it before. 

I have a lot more that I want to say, stories that I want to tell, people that I want to thank but right now I need to make the most of my precious time in Seattle. I have a couple hours to visit with my grandmother and great Aunt. I will write more tomorrow on the plane en route to Anchorage!  

~Holly :) 

My 5th (and final) race of the Olympics!

After thinking I was going to watch the race from the sidelines, the competitors instinct took over….and I decided to race!   I hate to admit how much I agonized about the decision, but I am happy with the outcome.  While it was not my best race of the season, it was a very solid performance.  My plan was to start slow and build into the race. Nearing the finish, I remember thinking that I wish I had 10 km to go in the race because I was gaining on a pack of skiers right ahead of me.    Here are a few pictures that Rob took of all the wonderful fans from the race today, more to come tomorrow.  Lots of work to do:  packing, logistics, and trying to find to my ski bag which has mysteriousl disappeared (which is a problem if one if trying to transport 20 pairs of skis.   Rumor has it that Petra Madjic travels with 100 pairs of skis!)  

I was almost embarrassed by all the support out there today and these past two weeks.  You guys are awesome and I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart.  I feel like I was the luckiest racer out there.   

Hugs to everyone,

Holly

P.S.   Because of Olympic rules, I can’t post race photos for a few more days…but count on a HUGE post of race photos once that time comes!!!!

------------

Linda Cresup of Anchorage made this sweeet banner! Thanks Linda!

..a close up.

....on the jumbo-tron after finishing my 30 km race

SUPERFANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!     .....along the final 180 turn to the finish

Erica and Jaime!

This has got to be the coolest picture of the coolest people at Callahan Valley! 

Friends Erin and Rob Gates from Portland drove up for the weekend.  (Erin is from the US, Rob from Canada...thus the flags.)

G-A-N-G-S-T-A    style!      that's right.......

Eli is #1.  Period.  Plain and simple.  Any questions??!!!!!!!!

My family (w/ John, Steve, Emily, Katharine, Karen)

Rob's family:  Heather, R, me, Erin, Frank)

Japan's skiers totally kicked butt today and the Japanese fans loved it!!!!!  Go Japan!  whoop whoop

Kikkan & myself.   Hat's off to Kikkan on a great race today and a stellar week!

Super-lady-APU-master-skiers!!!!    bling anyone?  :)

I found this on the trail on the walk out with my family.  Norwiegian fans have business cards claiming their fan-li-ness!!!    THAT is awesome.    .....still awesome.

Peter Graves.  The voice of skiing commentary.   This is his 8th Olympics as an announcer.  wow!

Anchorage ladies!!   (and Shawn Lillifjell on the left!)   boo-yaa!

***the rest of these pics from the the race on the 25th, Relay day.....but I like the pics.....

Mr. Wild William.  The Man with a Plan.    O to the I to the A!

Gotta love the Norgweigian's outfits!  

....along the 180 turn to the finish in the stadium

Go Alaska!  (thanks to the Knapp's!)

Ron Randall being interviewed on the Jumbo-tron after Kikkan TORE IT UP in the relay first leg!!!!

I stuck around to watch history in Nordic Combined.  Billy Demong......1st place!   THAT was COOL!!!!!

Billy on the podium!  Johnny (L) second, and an Austrian in 3rd (R)

Fans and the flags (I liked the shot!)

Out of Gas....

Kikkan skied a great first leg of the 4x5k relay yesterday. She tagged off in fourth place after skiing a super strong race.  I started out hard but there wasn't a whole lot I could do to maintain the pace or our team’s fourth place position.  There were some very strong second leg skiers that I was up against including Justyna K, the current World Cup leader from Poland.

Yesterday’s race was also the 14^th day of the Olympics and my fourth race here.  The Olympics are starting to take their toll on me on me and as it turns out, I am very, very tired.  In the past two races I haven’t felt like I can “charge and recover” like I’m used too.  If I ski an uphill to hard, that’s it. My legs fill with lactic acid and I’m not able to ski like I know I can. Looking back at yesterday’s 5k I think there were times when I skied my warm up faster than the actual race itself.  This is obviously no good.

Most athletes here at the Olympics planned their training to “peak” during the Games meaning, they organized their training so that they would ski faster here than they have all year.  This was not a possibility for me due to my late decision to even make the team. I came into the 2009/2010 season with very few “points races” that would qualify me for the US team. Therefore, I had to ski fast from the go starting in November 2009.  I skied fast in the early season to get my name in the mix and had to hold it with good performances in January at US Nationals. In hindsight, the situation I put myself in forced me to ski fast all year. Now it’s February and in some ways, “I’m out of training.”  Erik Flora, my coach used a dart analogy to describe it, “You had to use lots of your darts for qualifying races – you used them in November, December, and January.  At some point, you just run out of darts.” 

You can also think of training like money in the bank.  In the summer and fall months, you put in hours and they mature like a good investment.  In the winter, you are forced to take them out to perform.  If you have to withdraw too much too early, you are left with a zero balance at the end.  This summer, after I decided that I wanted to make the Olympic team I was forced to take two months away from training due to my Mt. Marathon Exertional Rhabdomyolsis injury.  Unfortunately that was two months were I wasn’t putting much-needed “money in the bank.”  In many ways, that (“my lack of base”) is hurting me now when I want or need it most.

In many ways I have fewer responsibilities here than I do at home. I am not coaching sessions, I have someone that makes my bed and takes out the garbage (!) but there are so many other components of the games that take time, energy, and focus.  Coming into the Games I waffled back and forth about how many races to attempt. Basically, when it comes down to it, I thought I could do more than it turns out I can.  I had been looking forward to the 30k race more than any other race here at the Games and now my participation in that is questionable.

Sometimes I've been known to be loyal to a fault.  Part of me was/is tempted to ski the 30k mass start just because I know that tons of friends and family came here to watch me ski it.  But, I know that is the wrong reason to start a race.... I can't make something out of nothing, especially an Olympic 30k.  It's not a matter of “just trying harder” or “digging deeper.”  It’s not something that can be fixed with a 15-hour night of sleep like a sore throat. I’m out of energy and the tank is empty. I feel horrible because I know that people have put a lot into their plans to watch and support me….. to everyone that made sacrifices and plans to be here to watch me ski I’m am VERY VERY SORRY.  I wish there was something that I could say or do - I just didn’t know.

So - chances are I will be watching the 30k from the sidelines. I hope that friends and family will accept this and if so, I look forward to seeing all of you tomorrow.

(This is only a fraction of the people that were out there cheering me on yesterday - thanks you guys!)

Sincerely,

Holly 

ps. APU juniors: Kick butt and have fun at the second day of State today - I'm proud of you guys! 

Alaska Girls are here in force!

They drove throughout the night and showed up just in time to watch Petter Northug (the Norwegian Anchor with the ego the size of a beach ball) throw down in the men's 4x10k this morning...... 

They came complete with blue homemade Alaska Tu-tus (even the non-Alaskan, Jayne, was wearing one!)  and x-tra tuffs - just in case the weather gets sloppy. 

Although the weather has changed from blue to grey, the level of spirit amongst family and friends seems to be rising - it should make up for any lack of sunshine for sure.  Last night I got a text from one of the masters athletes that I coach. A group of them are coming down to watch the relay and the 30k.  She informed me that they "bought out the USA section of Party World."  I can't wait for this one because these ladies know how to dress up in style! 

(Spectators watching the diamond screen while the racers are out of site)

It seems like the back-end of the Games are loaded with friends and family coming to watch the races. It's funny because I feel like I've been here a long time and even though we still have two races left, the reality of life and logistics after the Games are already starting to pile up.  How will I get all my stuff from Whistler to Vancouver? Transport to and from the Closing Ceremonies, getting from Vancouver to my flight in Seattle, a packed schedule for a couple days in Alaska, a plane ticket that still needs to be purchased to coach Junior Olympics in Northern Maine, etc, etc, etc.  The list goes on and on. Honestly, it's a bit overwhelming and I'm doing my best to focus on the task at hand - the OLYMPIC races yet to come. 

What else? 

We have a team meeting at seven to talk relay details

I'm watching the Russia/Canada hockey game via the live room feed in the background - Canada is leading 4-1 and the home crowd is going WILD

Rob put my "moose hat," (from opening ceremonies) on Ebay. It's already sitting at 300 plus dollars. While it's a nice momento from the Games it's also 1/2 of a plane ticket to the next race that I need to go to. 

I am keeping this one which I think it much sweeter. I'm sure my grand kids will someday be stoked to get this if I can keep track of it that long.... 

Last but not least, thanks again to all of the friends, family, and strangers that have either wished me well or help made this Olympic experience possible. Everyday after a race, men's or women's I run into folks from Alaska or Washington that are out here cheering their heads off - thank you!  

(Another) special thanks to my husband Rob who has helped me with EVERY aspect of skiing and life. This has been a long, exciting road for him too and he deserves a big vacation when racing season is over!  (Perhaps the two of us together!) 

Go APU skiers......here in Whistler, at home in Anchorage, at JO's and Arctic Winter Games in a few weeks, masters, Wednesday nite ladies, OIA'rs at Marathons (chris, chris, Mr. WorldLoppet Champion, bill, rw).

And, here is my new friend I met today!

I'll report back tomorrow with some interesting stories from the relay for sure.

Have a great evening! 

Sincerely, 

Holly :)