Hometown: Park City, UT / Driggs, ID

Date of Birth:  03/25/1995 (age 28)

Team Birkie Member Since: 2023

College: University of Montana Western

University of Glasgow, UK (MSc)

University of Wisconsin - Madison (Phd) - current

Follow on: Instagram

Favorite place to visit in Minnesota?

• Probably the North Shore of Lake Superior. There are so many wonderful trails to run and hike on.

Favorite pre-race breakfast?

• My go to for the last season has been a very large cinnamon roll with cream cheese frosting with bananas and english breakfast tea.

Favorite workout?

• We do a lot of long days at lower efforts so I get really excited when I get to push myself. Longer Lv 4 interval and threshold work are a bit like meditation to me. Finding the mental space to be comfortable being uncomfortable while focusing on form and breathing lets the world slip away.

What inspired you to Nordic ski?

• Nordic skiing is something that runs in my family but hasn’t always been something I personally enjoyed. My mom competed in the 1984 Olympics and was racing seriously in the early 2000s when I was a young kid. Racing was a very important thing in our household during those years and I found that by the time I was 12 or 13 I was already not enjoying racing. My parents supported me stepping away from skiing and I enjoyed other sports including volleyball, basketball, track and rodeo. By the time I was in my early twenties I had found joy in skiing again and slowly begane training and racing. Now, I train and ski because I both enjoy the process and enjoy sharing it.

How do you help make your community better?

• I have been very lucky to become involved in the Nordic community at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. For the past two years I served as the practice captain for the University club team. In this role I planned and ran four practices a week for the team.  I prioritized designing practices that were accessible to a wide variety of members with different goals. Nordic skiing is a wonderful life long sport and I hope that I created positive experiences that will keep people engaged with the sport.  I have stepped away from that position this year but still serve on the board coordinating the Midwest Collegiate Ski Association (MCSA) races. 

Tips for staying healthy and recovering properly?

• Recovery is so important, its really where the magic happens. Here are a few things I do or think about to improve my own recovery

  1. Kick start your recovery. Starting a workout hydrated and fueled not only helps the workout but also helps recovery. I like to drink an electrolyte drink and eat a 200 to 300 Cal snack on my way to a workout. During the workout I drink a sugary drink and eat food every 20 minutes. I will finish a workout with more water or electrolyte drink and food.

  2. Trust your body. If you feel tired or out of it you probably are. Trust the feeling and adjust the workout. Pushing yourself when you are in a hole just digs the hole deeper. The training plan is only a plan, it can change. Over the course of a season a few extra rest days or easier workout won’t cost you anything but continually over training can cost you a whole season.