Full Sass by Liz Stephen: Monday Blogday Begins

Springtime is such a funny time of year. All of us skiers scatter throughout the globe, some of us bolting for home after 5 months away, others of us hopping the first plane to the sunniest, warmest beach we can find. Still others of us take our month off from training seriously and try to do everything we have ever dreamed of doing in those 30 days. Our jobs as professional ski races are about as awesome as a job gets, but our month off from “work” is certainly a highlight of the year. I am sure it is because it is only 1 month out of the year, and by the end of it most of us are antsy and ready to get back to training, but without this little break every 11 months, we might not be such a happy group of individuals. By the end of the winter, our bodies are in need of a break, a rest, recovery from a taxing season and prep period that begins on May 1st and doesn’t let up much until early to mid April. It’s time to let our muscles recover, and our minds regenerate and prepare for the next push.

So, I head home to Vermont. This is my happy place, though it is just one of many, but if I am trying to get some R and R in, there is not a better place than the house I grew up in. I love the feeling of driving through Montpelier for the first time in 5 months and having it feel like I just left it. I love leaving the pavement, going through the tunnel of trees, hanging full with new buds and bright green leaves. And pulling into our driveway, taking in the view of my parents home, big red barn, surrounded by the rolling hills of the Green Mountains, fields, gardens, flowers, and the familiarity it all provides is exactly what I’m looking for in my ideal spring break. I immediately find my overalls and try not to take them off until I leave and just soak in the feeling of being home. The smells that bring back childhood memories, the light breeze that seems to blow every day, and home with two people who love you unconditionally. I am in heaven.

Now I am on a plane back to Park City, Utah, where I spend the summer and fall months training and preparing for next season which will begin again in early November when we will hit the road for Europe and not return home again until late March or early April. I love this part of the year too. After the refreshing break in Vermont, I am ready to get into it again. After all, as good as the break is, what makes it so awesome is all the work that comes before it.

Here are a few of the spring adventures I got up to this month.

Well, this wasn't taken this month, but I did go out to Seattle after Spring Nationals to visit my brother, Andy and do some camping and skiing and adventuring together. This is us, back in the day.

I was a guest speaker at a Girls On The Run at my hometown elementary school, which was a super rewarding experience. The girls were all so inspired to try their best and push one another, it was so nice to see and be a part of.