Skiing, racing and all the space in between
Sometimes it feels like the chilly treadmill that is winter will never end. The car will always be wet and filthy, the socks will stay stinky, the dry skin will remain stuffed under layers of fleece, and the weekends will be a blur of thawing feet and reheated leftovers. And then finally, it happens. The ice releases all the snow off the roof, spontaneous on-mountain picnics appear, parking lot tailgates pop up, the costumes come … » read more
It’s March 1, which means it is time for the annual re-posting of “The Long Road,” a RacereX post that originally appeared 11 years ago. It is timed to coincide with the beginning of “Champs Season”—when anxieties reach a fever pitch in the ski racing world—as a way to give some perspective. The Long Road is part treatise/part plea to chill out; to look beyond the results that tend to drive us into a frenzy, … » read more
“IMPOSSIBLE!” Say that en français and you have Laurence St Germain’s reaction at the finish of what would be her gold medal winning run in Courcheval. At the time, she thought her run was enough for a bronze, which in itself would have been historic. She would be the first woman to come from the NCAA to win a World Championship medal. Why not do it from Bib 18? Why not make it gold? And … » read more
Who knew my favorite sports moments of 2022 and 2023 would came in such back-to-back succession? First came Paula Moltzan, scoring her first slalom podium alongside teammate Mikaela Shiffrin. Then came AJ Ginnis moving all the way from bib 45 to land in second place in Chamonix, the first podium for himself and his country. It’s the type of thing that you dream about in fantasy football, if you played it. In Ginnis’s case, it’s … » read more
What makes underdogs special is their spirit. But when they do come through, its like finding $20 in the pocket of a jacket you haven’t worn in two years.
In honor of this weekend’s season opener, a few podcasts to offer up a peeled baby carrots version of solid sports advice.
Dad’s gutsiness and go-for-broke approach may have gotten me in the game; but it was Mom’s subtler gifts, that kept me in the game.
The Holy Grail of “days on snow” is no match for the steady burn of intrinsic motivation
Championship season tweakiness is part of the all-inclusive, non-refundable, irreplaceable ski racing experience.
It’s the Olympics. Eat up! Warm up by checking out the new documentary on Picabo Street.