After returning home from  Canadian Nationals I started my two week break from training.  Unfortunately I didn’t get to go to a tropical island, or float down the Grand Canyon, but instead got to spend my time in beautiful Sun Valley.  More than anything, these two weeks acted as a time for me to forget about skiing and just be a normal teenager, goofing off and having fun.  I stayed up late (which is a pretty big deal for me), didn’t wash my hands ALL the time, drank a coke, went downhill skiing, ate normal portions of food, and pretty much forgot about skiing.  Now, after that nice relaxation period, I’m working my way back into regular training.

I just got back from Whistler were I finished my season racing at Canadian Nationals.  I started off the week of races tired, due to a week of racing at Junior Nationals, the dance, and a long day of travel.  Hence my classic 5k did not go to well. By the next day I was starting to feel like myself and I was ready to just try my hardest for the skate race.  I paced myself well, and other than a hard fall that took my sunglasses, hat, and breath with it, I had a good race.  I entered the sprint race focused on not falling (since I had fallen in the past two races and there were some hard corners that could definitely take me out).  I had a good qualifier but got boxed out in my quarterfinal and didn’t advance. 

Hello All,

I am back from Junior Nationals in Anchorage, AK. The week was actually pretty flat. I did not have the best races, however, I am thrilled with my season! As a division, Intermountain fought hard, and we had some excellent results. Mali Noyes never finished a race less than third. Reid Pletcher and Noah Hoffman also were consistently in the top5/ top3. The J1 boys had a very difficult JN’s and I was disappointed with our results, but we ended the week well! The highlight of my week was racing with my close friends and teammates Travis Job and Marshall Opel. We were able to take 5th, and we each raced solid legs. I raced scrambled leg, and it was the most fun I have ever had in a ski race. I was very nervous at the start, because I have only raced anchor legs. When the gun went off I just skied as aggressively as possible. At the first climb I was in perhaps 20th. I had one huge adrenaline rush, and from that point on, I did not feel any pain. I just kept moving up and up and getting angrier and angrier. Finally, I could see my teammate Reid Pletcher, and I set my eyes on his bobbing red hair. It was so funny so see the little red head bobbing in and out of sight. I ended coming in around 5 th and Travis and Marshall did the rest. Congrats to them!!!! I also enjoyed all of my time with my roommate Eliot Neal!!! I look forward to next season already.

345 days till next years JN’s- See you there.

Now I have a strange period in my life. I have two weeks until cycling season starts. 14 days, where I have nothing to do. It is really hard. I wander my house in boxers for the most part, play cards with my mother. I did, however, go for a great skate ski on the Harriman last week. 1 part ski, 1 part snow, 1 part Bruce Springsteen music equals Golden Times. Right now I am back east visiting my family and brother, who attends Harvard University in Cambridge, MA. I am here with my mother and brother, and a few of my brothers friends Hunter, Willi, and Kelsey. We spent a few days in Boston, and now I am with my family in Rhode Island. At this very second I am watching HBO’s John Adams with my beloved Aunt Maryann. Happy Easter!!!!

I spent the day before leaving for Anchorage in the bathroom with the flu. Fortunately my mom helped me pack; I laid in bed and directed her on what I needed and were to find it. I really appreciated it, thank you mom, if it was not for your help, packing would have been pure torture and I probably would have lost energy and only grabbed the few essentials. Though I had a stomach pain, a head ache, and a soar shoulder (from laying on the bathroom floor), I had to be happy that I hadn’t gotten a cold instead and that I hadn’t been plagued by the bug during my travels.

Hey guys,

Winter in Sun Valley continues to go well. So far, as a team, our season has been excellent. Personally, I feel great. I am really excited for Junior Nationals in Anchorage, AK, and I have more energy going in to them this year, that any year before. I raced well last week in McCall, and I think the momentum is going to carry over well. Hope everybody is doing well!!  Here is a video from Saturday.