We be jamin'

Strawberry season came just in the nick of time this year!  We just popped the top on the last of the 2009 crop of homemade jam, so berry season couldn't have been timed more perfectly.  With the day off from training, between getting other affairs in order, I spent some time steaming things up in the kitchen.  This year, we got our strawberries from a Hmong family at the farmers market, so an added bonus is that we're supporting local farmers.  I'm excited for another year with strawberry jam three meals a day on toast, on PB&J's, and on vanilla ice cream, yum!

 The carnage: it was a berry massacre!

 Mom holding it down over the strawberry stew.

Ruby-red deliciousness!

And in other news, I'd like to give a big welcome to the latest addition to Minneapolis badass-ness, Jennie Bender!  Allow me to speak on behalf of the TC ski community, and say how excited we're to have you here to live and train.  Don't worry, the city isn't so scary after a while. :)

The official welcome banquet (I guess the tornadoes scared all the other guests from coming).

Very niiiiice!

Today was the launch of Nice Ride Minnesota, the nation's largest bike share program.  700 of the initial 1,000 shiny new bikes were unleashed to the streets of Minneapolis.  I biked downtown to check out the festivities. The streets were busy with the farmers market and people out to lunch, despite a little drizzle.  It was very cool to see all the people who turned out.  Nice Ride appears so far to be a seamless system, and it will be a great addition to transportation options in town.

People out for a "nice ride" on Nicollet Ave.

Cake Lady and Nice Ride Graphic Design Intern Jojo Winters.

Shiny new docking station.

Jojo shows us how its done.  "Hey, nice ride!"

Also very cool.

I happen to think Minneapolis has very tasty tap water, anyhow.

Back in the Cities!

It's June 3rd and I am feeling better than ever!  It has been exactly 12 months since my last class as a college undergraduate, and the year since then has been amazing!  I started last summer in a sling recovering from an open Bankart repair to my right shoulder, not the best way to start off my post-collegiate career, but it was a necessary measure, and things only improved from there.

Spring training 2009.

Overall, the theme of my past year has been "life on the move."  Between June 2009 and April 2010, I rarely stayed in one location for longer than two weeks.  I went from home, to camp, to trip out west, to camp, to home. . . (you get the idea).  All the traveling was a blast!  By the end of two weeks, where ever I was, I was always itching for a change of scene. 

I also had a solid racing season this past winter, considering that I was making the adjustment to being a full-time skier and recovering from surgery.  Some of my race highlights were placing 13th at US Nationals in the classic sprint, winning two marathons mid-season (the City of Lakes 25k classic and the Birkebeiner 54k classic), and finally placing 11th in the classic sprint at spring series.

Birkie win (David Owen photo)

This spring I took the chance to really kick back and recover from my longest race season so far (4 1/2 months!).  I traveled (big surprise) to Utah, San Francisco, and Hawaii to visit old friends.  By the end of April I was feeling totally recharged and psyched to do it all over again.

Nothing like some sun and fun to recharge the batteries.

However, 12 months living out of a suitcase had taken its toll, and I decided it was time to change my nomadic ways.  I joined the Endurance Professionals racing team and settled down in Minneapolis.  I got a job serving at a restaurant and started training under the guidance of Coach Piotr Bednarski.  One month into my refurbished life, I couldn't be happier!  I have a regular schedule, lots of friends to train with, an income (big bonus!), and am loving the city life.  The thing I am most excited about is being part of the Minneapolis community.  It has been fun connecting with friends old and new, and  I am feeling quite optimistic about the strength of the ski community here.    It is great knowing all of the people available to support me as I continue my quest for cross-country excellence.

Home sweet home.