WINTERPARK TRAVELS

Hello Tree Huggers! As some of you have requested me to blog while I am away in Winter Park. Today was considered a travel day and as some of you might know they are pretty boring. Since the majority of the team is away at other races we rented a van and towed a trailer. There are only three girls going from Park City comparing to the usual ten. Overall the day went well and here is how it all went down.

Photo Creds to our coach Tina Nardi!

Trips always begin with equipment preparation and packing the night before. Sometimes we use travel wax to protect our skis during travel then re-wax for the race. Usually for trips over 10 hours. Packing includes all your ski gear, either packed into a boot or duffle bag, then your personal needs and tuning gear. It may not seem like much, but if you aren't careful you might as well bring another human along. Then you get a full night sleep and depending on the time of travel leave between 6 am and noon.

For Winter Park, we loaded the van and trailer at 8:40am departing at 9:00, but knowing our team we didn't leave until approximately 9:30. So, that was the coaches fault. Wait who's fault? Oh right the coach was actually the only one late...when does that ever happen! The trip lasted about 7 hours which is about average. This time we are staying in a house which is actually really nice and modern. Not a house you would expect as a nightly rental especially for a ski team. Find pictures and information on the house at Trulia.When we arrived, Jason made a team dinner of spaghetti and salad, we went to the grocery store for lunch and breakfast meals, and scraped GS skis for tomorrows race. I'm running 19!

BISOUS,
LYSS

Living Moment to Moment

Hey Tree Huggers! I never understood how something could go so wrong so fast, and not get better just as fast. As humans, we think and think about everything. When something goes wrong we think a lot about it. You may only take one step backwards but have to take four forward to get back to where you were. I have been learning more about confidence lately and how to bring yourself back. It turns out fear is caused by less self confidence. To avoid negative self talk you need to focus on the positive.

GoPro Training; Left to Right Alyssa, Liza, Gabby

Right before Bogus I fell jump training and ended up getting slightly injured but mostly terrified. I guess I was pretty scared before the jump training but it just pushed me over the edge. I was questioning even racing at Bogus before the race, in the start, during the race, and repeat. Once I finished I was so relieved and excited I finished. The time and place didn't even matter, but I do wish I did better. Coming back from that mental rockbottom I have been trying to go from point D-A all at once, but have learned it will come over time. Something that is on the right track currently, and with the amazing support of my teammates and coaches. I'm back in it and really excited for WinterPark!!

I have learned these exercises from Sports Phycology. One for focus and the other to stay positive and take pride in the daily successes from daily goals that are set.

FOCUS 5321: these all uses different aspects of focus.
Broad External for 5 minutes: close your eyes; focus on the sounds around you without letting you mind get distracted in thought.
Broad Internal for 3 minutes: close your eyes; focus on how you are feeling physically and what is happening inside your body without letting you mind wander.
Narrow External for 2 minutes: find a small object; focus on every single detail of that object without any distractions
Narrow Internal for 1 minute: close your eyes; focus on absolutely nothing just like when you space out and keep from thinking about anything else or any distractions. THINK ABOUT NOTHING

DAILY GOALS:
- What is my goal today?
- Did I achieve this goal? If so, how?
- What was good about today?
- Is there a new goal/approach for tomorrow?

These I have just recently started to try. I will let you know how it goes.

Yes, these are the mens bibs...so the guys looked like they were wearing baby bibs!
Left to Right: Julia, Char, Bridey, Kati, Liza, Shaye, Sicily, Alyssa, Ava

BISOUS,
LYSS

The Tetons: Snowking Qualifier

Hey Tree Huggers! I'm just headed home from Jackson Hole! It's been an interesting weekend with some good runs and sections, but nothing to be too excited about. It's time to focus on tactics...let's just say mine are SLOW. In racing the slower you are the worse you are. The past week I've been trying out some new boots which might end up working, but it's midseason equipment issues. Some people might not agree with that choice but it's been fine.

Pre UOP Jump Training; Photo Creds: Mom

The GS race was on Saturday and had a 9:30 Start. I ran bib 38 and ended up 34th which wasn't good at all for me. During races you can check the results in LIVE TIME online, it's really cool and how family can keep up with all the results! I was happy to finish but I didn't score any points except for JO points. So, JOs isn't going to happen because I just have made too many mistakes in races this year. I have had many other success points and huge improvements have been made. It is really exciting to think how far I've come! There isn't really words to describe it. Today I raced Slalom and skied with too much shape first run, but coming into second run I had a better idea but ended up hiking about 2/3 of the way down the course. Which I have done plenty of times this season.

It has been a mentally tough series for me and many of my competitors, but not all. Some of my teammates have had their position in JO's from the beginning and they're just having fun. Meanwhile, some of us are nervous, but I was excited to be there racing. There was a time when I wasn't sure about racing and if I wanted to continue, but now I have that back. My eyes were opened to what other people had been feeling as well. Alike how I was feeling and it was interesting for me to here their mindset. I learned I have come a long ways since rockbottom this season. That was right before bogus in a crash at the utah olympic park where I sustained a shin and head injury. I still have a ways to go, but looking forward to having a while before the next series.

BISOUS,
LYSS

BOGUS OH BOGUS

Hello Tree Huggers! This past weekend I spent racing in the beautiful Bogus Basin. It is about an hour away from Boise, Idaho (not really worth the trip.) Lets just say they don't get much snow, at least every year I've been there. I've always like the sign at the bottom near their snow pond that says "No lifeguard on duty, swim at your own risk." So that about sums up the sopping clothing and delaminating goggles (rain causes this.) Luckily, I happened to bring some of my rain resistance clothing. I guess the weather man is correct once in a while. Any way, last year Bogus somehow got two four day races...uggghhh but only one this year!!

So, this is Bogus's View on a Beautiful Day...

Last year, we met our Sun Valley besties at Bogus in that mile away lodge. We met them during the Super-G's and one GS race. The GS race was moved from Sun Valley because the lift burnt down. Anyway, Super-G was banned because of an injury for me last year. So, I only came for the tech events. If I remember correctly I fell in the GS, but skied okay in the rest. I might as well have gone swimming in the snow pond because I wouldn't have been any drier.

This year Sun Valley stayed with us at the Riverside Hotel; it's just down the street from a strip club...we thought it was a restaurant...oops. Maybe not one of our smarter moments. The Riverside hotel is one of the nicer ones we stay at. The trip began with a training run which was my very first time ever running that course and hill. Not to mention I was running practically last because of the injury penalty. So, I will give you a run down of the hill. A small flat section into rock shoot then the pitch. At the bottom of the pitch the first jump Waterfall followed by long flats and Bru 1. Then a small pitch into Bru 2 another jump and continue on the pitch. You then go up the compression jump Haystack and flat to the finish. Lets just say I went the wrong way off Waterfall and missed a gate completely. The rest of the series was rough with a couple of crashes. Super-G's just not my thing so we don't need to talk about that. I won't have to race it again until Last Chance in April!!!

BISOUS,

LYSS

Faster, Faster, Hold it Together, Faster, Faster!

Hello Tree Huggers! I have been quite busy lately keeping up with mid-season skiing and school. It has been a long rocky road in skiing but it is starting to come along. This season I have finished one of our 4 qualifiers so far....oops. That is not going to help my chances at making JO's. It has been frustrating, but I did have one of my best finishes ever. My points are still coming down (that's good, the lower the better.) This past weekend I just took an unfortunately too direct line straddling, look below. Yeah, so, that happened and it's not the first time, but oh well.

Upcoming we have the Bogus Basin Super-G's. It'll be really fun and challenging. I found this video of the course online last year before I injured my femur, but anyway it's pretty accurate. The video is from a while ago, but it is the same hills and jumps. I wasn't able to race Bogus last year, but watching was good for this year. I'm pretty fearless with the jumps and the speed, but hopefully I will be able to keep it together for one run. I mean it is only a one run race.

Photo Creds: Jonathan Mulford 

Injuries seem to always find their way back to me. Currently, I am waiting the season out before I have major wrist surgery in about a month or two. I completely tore the Scapho-Lunate ligament along with some others in that surrounding area. That is not holding me back coming into this next series and training blocks. When the time comes I will rehab back and become injury free. Lets hope to stay out of the netting and hospitals for the rest of the season. Get well soon to all my injured teammates.

This year, JO's are in Mt. Bachelor, OR and will be really fun! Since we have never raced there, or even really skied in their race arena it will be a new adventure, something I am always up for. Mt. Bachelor has training for racers in the summer, we spend some time their every summer. I don't remember the resort very clearly, but there is a lot of terrain. This upcoming summer, I am hoping on going to Mammoth and Chile for training. Maybe I will even be an athlete coach for some younger athletes for a week. That's something that would be a great experience to understand more about the sport.

Ski in Peace BA+RB

Hello Tree Huggers! So, I have been realizing that I haven't really explained the process of racing. It all begins with drills that are applied to free skiing and then free skiing to gate training. That's like the beginning of the season and then you have to look at racing as if it is another day of training. In training the focus stays simple but productive. It is all about making discoveries and learning from mistakes. We are ALWAYS GETTING FASTER! After progress is being made skiing, I start doing sports phycology and learn the mental aspect of racing.

RACE DAY! Races are rarely at home. Preparation could start weeks before to the night prior to racing. At away races we arrive at least the day before and usually train the venue. The night before races is all about the nutrition, hydration, ski preparation, and sleeping. The morning starts with a warm-up jog, breakfast, and loading the vans. Once at the resort we get our gear and head to warm-up again at the lift. Load and head to the top for free skiing and or training courses. Followed by one to two inspection runs, more free skiing, and then warm-up and ski preparation at the top. I tend to run within the top 30. Depending on the start interval you will run at different times. Start intervals are the amount of time between each racer. Usually between 30 and 60 seconds, but can be longer. It is now time to be IN THE ZONE. A time when you are thinking nothing, remembering nothing, and doing everything automatically. Then second run you start based on result from first run; top 30 flipped and then 31, 32, 33.... First you inspect, warm-up, prep your skis, and run again. In the zone again! Now the race is over. 

Points are complicated. You collect race points based upon the amount of time between you and first. These points are added to the USSA penalty. The USSA penalty is calculated by the top 10 point skiers in he beginning and in the final results. Usually the penalty is below 100 but not always. At open races better point profiles come to the race and get the penalties to about 50. The better you do compared to the winner the better your USSA points will end up. You want your points as low as possible, and there are penalties over the summer. The lowest two scores in each event average out to be your official USSA points at the end of each list period. The list periods usually last three weeks.  Any lower points scored in that period will change the next list period. That's about it for USSA points. 

Creds: United States Ski Team

Rest in Peace to Bryce and Ronnie who were killed in an avalanche this week. They were members of the US Ski Team and preparing for their first World Cup start the following day. Ronnie from New Hampshire and Bryce from Snowbird. Allow them to ski in peace. The ski racing world will miss them dearly. 

BISOUS,

LYSS

In the end, it's not the days that count in your year. It's the life in your years!

Hey Tree Hugger's! As the year is coming to an end we need to reflect on all those fun times in 2014 and dream about 2015. Tonight was my first night out in a while, and good to be around some of my best friends. Memories were made and will always be remembered. I've been making the best of everything and facing challenges as they reach me.

Uhhhh this was really fun! PC: Scott McCulloch

2014 went off with a bang of injuries last year. I was able to recover enough to win the first Super G race that I competed in last season, exciting! Then during the summer enjoying dryland training and ski camps, but also lots and lots of lacrosse. Then all those inside jokes...I just won't go there right now. You'd probably not really understand them; for example "Japanese flag" and going to the "orthodontist". 2014 ended with a bang as well; standing on a lake setting off fireworks and sparklers with friends at midnight. 

One of my favorite nights. 

Here I come 2015! Dreaming of all the fun times to come has been amazing, but to think that they will actually happen is incredible! I cannot wait to see what will happen with skiing this season. Bucket list items to be concurred! Heading to Mexico this summer for almost three weeks, training in Chile, and then hopefully going to Zermatt for next Christmas.  Lot's of traveling this year, and I'm due for another trip to live in Europe.

Zermatt! PC: http://www.telegraph.co.uk

Update! So our next race is coming up on the 10th and 11th. It will be a Qualifier, you need to ski well to gather points so that you can get a spot on the regional team, at Snowbasin. I will race one day GS and the other SL. Hopefully be able to bring my new talent to the table, and ski well and fast. Break has been really fun! We had about 6 day off of training, and then luckily Payday opened and we have been able to train three hours every morning! We have upcoming training at the Utah Olympic Park as well, and of course cardio snowshoeing! Lots to look forward to in the new year! 

BISOUS,

LYSS