Bend Awesomeness

I’m back at home now, after a sweet week spent skiing in Bend.  The trip was, simply put, awesome.  The skiing was great, the weather (aside from the first day) was perfect, and the company second to none.  Every day was a snapshot of why I love to be a skier.

Laura and Naney...PNSA kids, all growed up.

Gregg pointed out that we've been skiing together in Bend since we were J3's. Crazy.

These are the best skiers in the nation. The work very hard, train a ton, but i'm convinced that they're the best simply because they LOVE TO SKI. Then again, on a day like this, with crust like this, who wouldn't?

Filed under: Uncategorized | |No Comments

Lists:

Books KO checked out from the Library:

• Mad Kestrel by Misty Massey
• Elvenborn by Mercedes Lackey and Andre Norton
• A Lion Among Men by Gregory Maguire

Books LAV checked out from the Library:

• Applied Economics by Thomas Sowell
• The Enchanter by Vladimir Nabokov
• Penin by Vladimir Nabokov
• The World According to Garp by John Irving

Contents of KO’s purse:

• pole glue and 7 ski pole tips
• rudy sunglasses case
• zicam
• camera
• silver sharpie (only color that shows up on Salomon skis)
• 2 chapsticks
• 2 thumbdrives
• phone
• camera

Contents of LAV’s purse:

• purses are for girls

Essential Camp Items forgotten by KO:

• none.  Yet.

Essential Camp Items forgotten by LAV:

• Jacket
• Hats
• Headband
• Yoga pants
• Shampoo and Conditioner
• Any hair binding objects except 2 bobby pins
• Hair brush

I swear, sometimes I don’t even know how we became friends in the first place, much less how it’s lasted 15+ years.

Filed under: Uncategorized | |4 Comments

Bend

After a late start on monday, Laura and I hit the road to Bend OR for the open camp that the US Ski team is holding here.  Tuesday the weather was a little grey, making me seriously regret leaving Wenatchee and it’s 85+ degree weather, but today Mt. Bachelor redemed itself.   It was straight up gorgeous.  Blue skies, warm enough to be pleasant without turning the snow to mush, mountain in the background, and tons of elite skiers from all over!  Can’t ask for much more than that for a days “work”!

I blatantly stole this picture from Laura's site.

Filed under: Uncategorized | |No Comments

Syttende Mai!

Today is Norwegian Constitution day, and the Owen family celebrated in true half-breed style, by heading over the mountains for the parade in Ballard.  There we joined up with the Kongsberger Ski Club, who were rollerskiing as a group in the parade.  I love rollerskiing, but doing it in full traditional dress costume is a little tricky, not to mention nerve wracking.  But we sure looked cute!

All the Owen Ladies!

It was HOT. And the dresses are wool. BAD IDEA.

Sisters...

Filed under: Uncategorized | |7 Comments

CXC Academy

I helped my mom sign up for the CXC Academy this evening, and as I was showing her around, I was reminded again of how cool the site really is.  There’s information on how to write and tailor an overall training plan, ideas on strength training, specifics on what types of loads and intensities are appropriate for different periods in the year, and tons of extras.  The extras are all embedded videos, with subjects ranging from talks given by the US Ski Team coaching staff, to the thoughts that this year’s Birkie winner’s (CXC’s own Matt “Chuck” Liebsch) had while he was cruising down main street to victory.

The academy isn’t a source for pre-fabricated training plans.  Instead, think of it like an online textbook.  It’s the place where you can find all the answers to those burning questions about training theory that you’ve accumulated over the years.  And there’s a free 5 day trial!  Why wouldn’t you sign up for that, and learn a little somethin-somethin?  Why not right now?  I mean…you’re obviously bored and looking for time wasters on the internet anyways…so GO!  Subscribe Here!

Filed under: Uncategorized | |No Comments

Tyler Pretty Much Rocks

I don’t know if any of you guys are following the Giro d’Italia, but there’s a young american in second place after the third stage.  Which is awesome, because it’s Tyler Farrar, and not only is he also from Wenatchee, but he used to ski on our team back in the day!  So holy moly, keep it up Tyler!  You ROCK!

Filed under: Uncategorized | |No Comments

KO & LAV’s Super-Awesome-For-Girls-Only-Nordic-Ski Camp=Success!

And next year, we’re thinking of a much shorter name.

The girls, from L to R: LeAnne, Anne, Ivy, Andy, Laura, Kristina, Charlotte

This weekend, Laura and I held our first annual ski camp for junior girls.  In typical KO and LAV style, it was a slightly seat of the pants style adventure, but i think we managed to pull off a fairly quality event, and the girls all seemed like they had a ton of fun.  They may have even learned something!  We did a little technique, a little campfire cooking, a little talking about life, skiing, colleges, priorities, and boys, and a lot of training.  All in all, a darn good weekend.  These girls were all totally into it, and I see great potential for the next generation of PNSA ladies!

Saddle Rock, overlooking the Wenatchee Valley

We served the girls anything they wanted for breakfast...as long as it was oatmeal.

The strong at the top: Andy, Anne, and Laura. You see the mountains in the background? The enchantments, still covered in snow!

Filed under: Uncategorized | |No Comments

Hjem are Best!

A run with my darling mother in the Sage hills, the foothills that bound my home town of Wenatchee.  The midwest is nice, but home is a completely different kind of beautiful.  It’s a good thing I don’t come back often, because it’s a struggle to leave every time.

Filed under: Uncategorized | |No Comments

More Strength Results

…way more than is interesting to anyone, probably.   But I spent an absolutely ridiculous amount of time trying to make the table look nice, so it’s going up anyway.   And yes, I realize it still looks goofey.

Filed under: Uncategorized | |No Comments