VITAMIN D!!!

Matt and I on our ski yesterday. First Over-Distance (OD) ski I have gotten to do in quite a while, so it was extra special. Perhaps the warmest and sunniest I have ever seen Davos, so it was a really amazing day full of smiles and vitamin D!!!

Rest and Relaxation time in the bed with my buddies Chandra, Marcel 1 and Snargles.

Matt and Chandra on our OD at the top of the Sertig Valley. Double classic tracks up a perfect striding grade for an hour and then 10 minutes of descending, during which we hit 67 kilometers an hour!! SO FUN!

Davos again!!

So we are back in Davos for our last rest and relaxation week before the final push of the World Cup season. We have 2 races in Lahti, Finland next weekend, 2 races in Oslo, Norway the following weekend, and then hopefully 4 races in Falun, Sweden for World Cup Finals if I can stay in the top 50 on the overall list. This time of year my focus can easily slip away if I let it, especially this year being on the road since November and the end of the season in sight, but keeping the focus and drive high right now is a mind game and I really like mind games, so I am playing to win. It's been a great season so far, so many improvements over last year, but I still have some unmet goals for the season and I am running out of opportunities to accomplish them. So, I have turned my brain back on, am living in the moment (and these days in Davos are super sunny beautiful days) and am training and focusing to give myself the best opportunity to have great performances in the last few World Cups of the season.

Chandra and I on a ski the other day. We kidnapped one of my best friends who is on the Canadian National Team and took her to Davos with us, which is SO fun!!

Newell getting his sun-bathing on. He's pretty much a professional at this task.

Matt and Chandra's post ski high-five.

Chandra and Matt smiling away. Hard not to with these trails and this sun. It's the life here, especially when a week of resting, recovery and training is just what the doctor ordered.

Nove Mesto Relay Recap

Kikkan, Jessie, me, Ida and Holly after the relay on Sunday. My face hurt from smiling so much. What fun to be on such an inspiring team.

Me, Holly and Ida after my leg. It's one of the best parts about a relay, having your team there when you finish with hugs ready. Relay day teams become real teams, gunning for the exact same thing, trying to get there together. Our team has that team aspect of the sport down even on individual days, however, relay day brings every team together and ours closer.

Holly after her leg rocking our red/white and blue/white socks.

Face paint and glitter happens every relay day!

The crew that makes it happen every day (minus a bunch). From left to right: Matt, Ida, Andy, Jessie, Kikkan, me, Holly, Grover, Gibbsy. Thanks one and all for another awesome weekend.

Nove Mesto Relay!!!

If you didn't get a chance to watch this on sportlemon.com the other day, here is is. Pretty awesome to be on a team with such momentum. Wow. So fun.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEZ5tDkAfj4

Welcome to Russia

It was really neat to visit Russia this weekend. In addition to being SUPER, super cold, it was a really different place than I have ever been. It was a bit like stepping back in time, old buildings, weird music, different fashions, foreign food choices, but good racing and good fans. I will hopefully be spending a bit more time in Russia over the next couple years as well, with Sochi 2 years away and the trial World Cup in Sochi next year. So, time to brush up on my Russian from U-32!

An "Aladdin Style" building, as we called them, which you will randomly come upon in Russia.

Let's see...left to right: Charlotte Kalla, Marit Bjoergen, Marthe Kristoffersen, Therese Johaug, Jessie Diggins...HOLY CRAP!!! JESSIE DIGGINS!!!!!!! Yeah buddy!! Teammate Jessie Diggins continues to amaze the world and ski out of her mind, this time to a 5th place in the 10k skate race on Saturday. Super impressive stuff from this 20 year old from Minnesota!!

Kikkan outside our sweet cabins in Rybinsk, Russia.

Sylvan Ellefson trying his best to warm up his feet after a -25 degree celsius training day. Ouch. But, as usual, he is smiling.

Jessie, Sadie, Holly and Ida on our first day in Rybinsk. The sun is nice, but it is far from warm out.

Video Post Card from AK junior Women

THANKS LADIES!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HHjZ06UWg8

Quick Video to recap the Sprinters adventures in Moscow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXONC9Sd3xo&feature=share