Podcast appearances and mentions of Kikkan Randall

Send us a textBecome a Substack Subscriber and Listen Ad FreeWe are revisiting our conversation with Olympic gold medalist and ski mom, Kikkan Randall, about her journey with breast cancer and her mission to raise awareness. Kikkan shares her personal story, from her shocking diagnosis just months after her Olympic triumph to the resilience and strength she discovered during her treatment.Kikkan offers valuable advice for women on how to prioritize their health while managing busy lives, and the ways her experience has changed how she approaches life as a mom, athlete, and advocate.Each year, over 280,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States alone. Here are three key things you can do to help:Get screened regularly. Early detection is crucial. Schedule your mammograms and encourage your friends and family to do the same. The earlier breast cancer is found, the more treatable it is.Know your body. Stay in tune with any changes in your breasts, such as lumps, pain, or skin changes. Trust your instincts and seek medical advice if something feels off.Support each other. If a friend or loved one is going through a breast cancer diagnosis, be there for them. Whether it's offering emotional support or helping out with daily tasks, small gestures make a big difference.We hope this episode has been a reminder to take action for your health and the health of those you love. Thanks for listening, and we'll catch you next time on the Ski Moms Podcast. Stay healthy and keep hitting the slopes!Visit Ski Haus in Woburn, Framingham, or Salem, NH, or go to skihaus.com. Mention Ski Moms for a $25 bonus check and enjoy up to 60% off last season's apparel! Get your free tickets HERE with code SKIMOMSWe're headed to the Snowbound Expo in Boston and can't wait to see you November 15-17, 2024 at the BCEC! The schedule is packed with adventurers and athletes from the Northeast Coast of America who are known for their incredible feats in the winter scene! Save 20% off any class or course at training.aclstrong.com/signature-program with code SKIMOMSThis is our step-by-step transformational process that will guide you through discovering your hidden weaknesses (that you might not even know about) to becoming stronger, more resilient, and more knowledgeable about protecting your knees, hips, and lifestyle long-term.Support the showKeep up with the Latest from the Ski Moms!Website: www.skimomsfun.comSki Moms Discount Page: https://skimomsfun.com/discountsSki Moms Ski Rental HomesJoin the 10,000+ Ski Moms Facebook GroupInstagram: https://instagram.com/skimomsfun Send us an email and let us know what guests and topics you'd like to hear next! Sarah@skimomsfun.comNicole@skimomsfun.com

Jessie Diggins' name is synonymous with success for US cross country skiing. She broke the drought for all of American skiers as she and Kikkan Randall (episode 36) won the first gold medal for the United States in 2018. Jessie is a four time Olympic medalist, a six time world champion medalist, an author, and activist working with The Emily Project and Protect Our Winters (POW) as a winter athlete alliance. Among other accolades.  She is a great follow on Instagram where you can find her at @jessiediggins      

In this special throwback episode, Shikha Jain, MD, talks with Olympic champion Kikkan “Kikkanimal” Randall, about how her positive attitude and athlete mentality have helped her navigate a breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, valuable advice for both oncologists and patients and more. •    Intro 1:44 •    About Randall 1:58 •    The interview 3:22 •    Tell us a bit about you. Who are you? How did you get to where you are and how did you decide you wanted to be a part of the U.S. Olympic cross-country ski team? 3:51 •    How were you diagnosed? 6:12 •    How old were you when you first realized that you had this pebble in your breast? 7:33 •    What type of mentality is it that makes you such a phenomenal Olympic athlete that you were able to translate into this taking charge of your health and taking charge of your cancer as you move forward? 9:20 •    What was the best way for you to cope as you felt this loss of control going through your treatment in certain times? 12:09 •    What did you do to prepare for your clinic visits when you were trying to advocate for yourself? 16:17 •    Can you talk more about the video blog you kept during treatment? 17:55 •    How did you navigate the disease with your son? 21:50 •    How long do they recommend for you to wait to try again (to conceive)? Did you have those conversations? 26:17 •    Do you feel like you are mentally approaching this period of your post-cancer care or your post-treatment time? 29:58 •    Randall running a marathon following the completion of her treatment 32:07 •    How did you get involved with Healthy Futures and Fast and Female, and what exactly do they do? 38:08 •    Did the way that you participate in advocacy change after you were diagnosed with cancer? 42:46 •    One thing you wish oncologists knew when they are treating patients with any kind of cancer, and one thing patients should know if they're newly diagnosed? 48:09 •    How to find Randall 50:26 •    Thanks for listening 51:58 Kikkan Randall is an Olympic champion, active mom, cancer fighter and “Get-Activist.”  We'd love to hear from you! Send your comments/questions to Dr. Jain at oncologyoverdrive@healio.com. Follow Healio on X and LinkedIn: @HemOncToday and https://www.linkedin.com/company/hemonctoday/. Follow Dr. Jain on X: @ShikhaJainMD. Randall can be reached at kikkan.com.  Disclosures: Jain reports no relevant financial disclosures. 

Today we're talking with Johanna Garton, author of the new book All in Stride, which is about the US Army's World Class Athlete Program and two runners who were part of it, Elvin Kibet and Shadrack Kipchirchir. Also featured in the book is TKFLASTANI Samantha Schultz, who becomes friends with Elvin during their Army duty. Sammy gets to know Johanna as well and opens up to her about her struggles with body image and disordered eating. Learn more about Johanna at her website. Get your copy through our bookshop.org storefront! Purchases made through this link will help the show earn money to bring you the most fun coverage from Paris 2024. So much news is coming out of Paris! Torch relay boat parades, flame luggage and cauldron location, volunteer kit, the Opening Ceremonies on IMAX, a food sponsor for the Australian Olympic Committee (what will you be eating for your Opening Ceremonies party?) and more! Louis Vuitton is having a temporary exhibit of sport at its workshops in Asnières. Register online for LV's 30-minute guided visit. Speaking of licensing deals, the International Olympic Committee and eight National Olympic Committees have signed a deal with Warner Brothers for Looney Tunes-branded Olympic products.  In news from TKFLASTAN, we hear from: Rower Kristi Wagner Bobsledder Bree Walker Former biathlete Clare Egan Curler John Shuster - Team Shuster will be competing in the World Men's Curling Champs from Mar. 30 to Apr. 7! Figure skating analyst Jackie Wong, who was on NPR's Here and Now. Former cross-country skier Kikkan Randall, whose documentary KIKKAN is now on YouTube.   For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com. Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive! Photo courtesy of Johanna Garton/Roger Charlie. *** Keep the Flame Alive: The Olympics and Paralympics Fan Podcast with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown. New episodes released every week and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics. Also look for our monthly Games History Moment episodes in your feed.   Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod   Hang out with us online: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flamealivepod Insta: http://www.instagram.com/flamealivepod Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/flamealivepod Facebook Group: hhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/flamealivepod Newsletter: Sign up at https://mailchi.mp/ee507102fbf7/flamealivepod VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348              

US Skiing has seen a rapid growth to the top of the sport over the past couple of decades. We've all seen it... and watch the results of this growth today. But at one time, things were quite the opposite. That is, until Kikkan Randall sprung onto the World Cup, leading the US to places they'd never been before. Now, a documentary about Kikkan is premiering in cities around the country. Chad asks Kikkan about this experience and where we can see it. This episode is sponsored by Fischer. To learn more about the Fischer Speedmax Helium ski and the Fischer Carbonlite boots, visit fischersports.com Learn more about "Kikkan" the documentary: https://www.kikkan.com/film/ Tickets for the Minneapolis screening:  https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/kikkan-documentary-minneapolis-tickets-798838285817?aff=oddtdtcreator Tickets for the Wisconsin screening: https://www.theparkcenter.com/events/kikkan-movie With guest Kikkan Randall Hosted by Chad Salmela Produced by Chris Parr Patreon producer: Michael Swan

Subscriber-only episodeIn this episode, we talk with Kikkan Randall, ski mom, 5x Olympian, gold medalist and breast cancer survivor. Kikkan was born in Salt Lake City, Utah and both her parents were skiers. Kikkan was wearing ski boots and sliding down the hill before she could even walk. At age 3, Kikkan's family moved to Alaska where she first got involved with nordic/cross country skiing. Kikkan walks us through her progression from middle school nordic ski racing to her Olympic gold medal.  At age 19, Kikkan and her coach mapped out her 10 year roadmap.  Kikkan kept her head down, kept working hard and 16 years later she accomplished her lifelong goal of winning a gold medal. Kikkan tells us about taking time off from competing to start her family and later taking her son on the road as she ramped back up. Kikkan shares her breast cancer survival story which started shortly after she won her gold medal. Kikkan was conflicted about sharing her struggle publicly, but in the end she decided that getting support and talking about her journey would benefit her and other women. Kikkan has become an advocate for early detection and a supporter of numerous cancer research programs. Resources:It's Going to Be OK (Kikkan's online store to support Aktiv Against Cancer)Book Recommendation: World Class: The Making of the U.S. Women's Cross-Country Ski TeamU.S. Ski & Snowboard Board of DirectorsNational Nordic FoundationKeep up with the Latest from Kikkan!Website: https://www.kikkan.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/kikkanrandallX (Twitter): https://x.com/kikkanimalInstagram: https://instagram.com/kikkanimalJoin the Ski Moms Fun Community! Follow us on Instagram @skimomsfunCheck out the Ski Moms Fun Store at www.skimomsfun.comContact us sarah@skimomsfun.com

In this episode, we talk with Kikkan Randall, ski mom, 5x Olympian, gold medalist and breast cancer survivor. Kikkan was born in Salt Lake City, Utah and both her parents were skiers. Kikkan was wearing ski boots and sliding down the hill before she could even walk. At age 3, Kikkan's family moved to Alaska where she first got involved with nordic/cross country skiing. Kikkan walks us through her progression from middle school nordic ski racing to her Olympic gold medal.  At age 19, Kikkan and her coach mapped out her 10 year roadmap.  Kikkan kept her head down, kept working hard and 16 years later she accomplished her lifelong goal of winning a gold medal. Kikkan tells us about taking time off from competing to start her family and later taking her son on the road as she ramped back up. Kikkan shares her breast cancer survival story which started shortly after she won her gold medal. Kikkan was conflicted about sharing her struggle publicly, but in the end she decided that getting support and talking about her journey would benefit her and other women. Kikkan has become an advocate for early detection and a supporter of numerous cancer research programs. Resources:It's Going to Be OK (Kikkan's online store to support Aktiv Against Cancer)Book Recommendation: World Class: The Making of the U.S. Women's Cross-Country Ski TeamU.S. Ski & Snowboard Board of DirectorsNational Nordic FoundationKeep up with the Latest from Kikkan!Website: https://www.kikkan.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/kikkanrandallX (Twitter): https://x.com/kikkanimalInstagram: https://instagram.com/kikkanimalGet 75% off tickets for family fun at Snowbound Expo! Kids go for FREE! MOMTRENDS at checkout here.The Snowbound Expo Boston is November 3-5th at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center in Massachusetts. With Mabel's Labels, parents can easily identify their kids' belongings and prevent items from being lost or misplaced. Use code SKIMOMS for 15% off all labels. Code is not valid on sale items or stamps. Other restrictions may apply. Support the showJoin the Ski Moms Fun Community! Follow us on Instagram @skimomsfunCheck out the Ski Moms Fun Store at www.skimomsfun.comContact us sarah@skimomsfun.com

Subscriber-only episodeThank you for being a Premium Subscriber. This bonus content is just for you. Kikkan Randall, shares her insiders tips on how to organize your garage and how to tap into the joy of being a ski mom.Join the Ski Moms Fun Community! Follow us on Instagram @skimomsfunCheck out the Ski Moms Fun Store at www.skimomsfun.comContact us sarah@skimomsfun.com

Show Sponsor AnyQuestion - https://link.anyquestion.com/Greg-Bennett   Support the show at https://www.patreon.com/user?u=26936856 "The Greg Bennett Show"   In this episode of The Greg Bennett Show, Greg is joined by Jessie Diggins, one of the world's all-time greatest cross-country skiers.   Jessie has consistently shown that pushing through one moment longer can lead to greatness, breaking barriers, and making history in her sport. Hailing from Minnesota, she has inspired a generation of athletes and advocated for important causes like mental health and environmental conservation.   Jessie Diggins was raised in Afton, Minnesota, and became a professional skier at the age of nineteen. A two-time Olympian and four-time World Championship medalist, she is the most decorated U.S. cross-country athlete in World Championship history. She and teammate Kikkan Randall became the first Olympic Gold medalists in U.S. cross country history in the 2018 PyeongChang team sprint. She resides at least part time in Stratton, Vermont, where she is a member of the Stratton Mountain School T2 elite team.   Her must-read book, "Brave Enough" details her incredible journey, sharing not only her athletic accomplishments but also her personal struggles with bulimia, giving readers a glimpse into the resilience and strength it took for her to endure and reach the pinnacle of her sport.   Most recently, she won the World Championships in Slovenia, becoming the first-ever American to win an individual World Championship gold in cross-country skiing – yet another testament to her enduring spirit.   Press play and listen to why Jessie Diggins epitomises the mantra "Success comes to those who endure One Moment Longer"   Links Be sure and check out bennettendurance.com Find Greg on social media: Twitter @GregBennett1 Instagram @GregBennettWorld   And follow Jessie Diggins AnyQuestion: www.AnyQuestion.com/JessieDiggins book: Brave Enough by Jessie Diggins facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessiedigginsski/ twitter: https://twitter.com/jessdiggs instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessiediggins/ website: https://jessiediggins.com   Timestamps 7:02 - Spending most of the year away from loved ones and friends, Jessie explains how she manages life away from home. 10:42 - After recently winning an individual gold emdal at the world championships, Jessie describes how she is feeling and how hard it is to put off the urge to focus on the next event. Just breathe and enjoy this ... 21:35 - Jessie Diggins is available on the AnyQuestion platform with over 140 answers to watch and learn from. 23:43 - Jessie and Greg recap her journey from a backpack with a packet of raisins as a toddler while her parents skiied, to moonlighting as a dancer, soccer player, violinist, swimmer and track runner as a high school athlete, I finally settled on cross country skiing as a full-time passion. When your passion collides with your purpose, then wow! 28:25 - Greg and Jessie discuss the topic of 'embracing the suffering' and where she feels these characteristics in professional athletes are born. I wanna beat 'me' from 5 minutes ago ... 35:58 - One of the most memorable and emotional moments for Jessie was winning the team sprint back in 2018. Greg references this video of Jessie and Kikkan Randall during the women's team sprint competitions held at the Alpensia Cross-Country Centre on 21 February 2018. I race because I love the sport 53:11 - "Jessie Diggins was a world-class athlete long before she became an Olympic gold medalist. In Brave Enough, she shows world-class courage by sharing the truth about her eating disorder, her therapy, and the multitude of challenges, doubts, fears, and assorted bogeymen that are so often an untold part of the journey to greatness. She deserves another gold medal for her honesty and her inspiration" - Wayne Coffey, New York Times bestselling author. 1:01:46 - Jessie Diggins revealed in 2019 that she struggled with bulimia as a teenager, detailing her journey in her book, Brave Enough, which was released in March of 2020. “When I was 18 and I had an eating disorder, I needed to know that it wasn't my fault and that getting help was a brave thing to do,” Jessie describes how she received an outpouring of support and became “a better role model” after the revelation, and partnered with the Emily Program, an organisation that provides treatment for eating disorders.   She now uses her platform to bring awareness to climate change issues and encourage more young girls to get active in sport.   1:07:03 - What advice would Jessie Diggins give to her 18-year-old self? 1:09:11 - Which three people (non-family, living or dead) would you like to have dinner with? 1:09:48 - Where does Jessie Diggins see herself in 5 years? 1:10:46 - What's the best piece of advice you've ever received? Whether you think you can ... or think you can't ... either way, you're right!   1:11:07 - Jessie & Greg wrap this episode with some rapid fire questions (and answers) One book you would recommend? Two most-used apps on your phone? Toughest race of his career so far? Out of 10, how cool is Jessie Diggins? Who would you want to play a movie of your life? Which decade of music is the best? Which race has been your favourite? Where in the world is somewhere you want to go but havent yet? What is the greatest movie of all time? 1:15:34 - Interview concludes.    

A second weekend of racing in Norway left us with some breakout performances alongside the big names. Kikkan Randall, the Olympic gold medalist from Alaska, joins us for the recap.We're at devon@fasterskier.com and nat@fasterskier.com if you've got questions or feedback. See you next week.

This is an episode for all women everywhere. If you are finding motherhood hard, this episode is for you. If you are finding it hard to mother yourself, this episode is for you. If you aren't sure motherhood is right for you, this episode is for you too.In this special compilation, we are featuring five rockstar guests who tell their stories of becoming moms.  Sonya Looney, professional mountain biker and entrepreneur, talks about shifting her perspective and finding out what's really important in life.Kikkan Randall, Olympic Gold Medalist in nordic skiing and cancer survivor, on how having a child made her more in love with her sport, changed her body, and allowed her to come back stronger than ever. Kimmy Fasani, pro snowboarder, entrepreneur, and cancer survivor, on the myths of motherhood and the realities of balancing work and family life.Belinda Baggs, environmental surf activist and ambassador for Patagonia, discusses sharing her passion with her son and what it was like to go from never wanting kids to becoming a mom. And Marissa Colclasure, first Officer Pilot, skydiver, and Wingwalker, talks about the power of doing something that sets your heart on fire while the kids are watching. This is an episode about self-discovery and self-actualization. I hope this compilation raises questions and provides support for you, wherever you are on your journey.Topics Include:- Finding clarity on the important things in life- Questioning the value of "achievements"- Deciding to have kids or not- Deciding when to have kids- How pregnancy affects our bodies- Myths of motherhood- The realities of balancing work and family life- Sharing your passions with your kids- And other topics... Resources Mentioned:Episode 87: Sonya LooneyEpisode 22: Kikkan RandallEpisode 55: Kimmy FasaniEpisode 8: Belinda Baggs Episode 36: Marissa ColclasureStay Connected:Drop Us A Message on PodInbox: https://podinbox.com/whenwomenflyEmail: hello@whenwomenfly.comWebsite: https://www.whenwomenfly.com/Socials: @whenwomenflySignup for AIR BORN, our monthly newsletter! A letter from Sylvia will show up in your inbox, with links to her latest conversations and insights.

Our guests for this show are congressional candidates Nick Begich and Mary Peltola. Your host, Lisa, reached out to the Sarah Palin campaign three times but never received a response. In these interviews with Nick and Mary, she asked questions sourced from four leaders in the outdoor industry in Alaska: Mary Goddard of Sustainable Southeast Partnership, Steve Cleary of Alaska Trails, Lee Hart of Alaska Outdoor Alliance, and Kikkan Randall of Nordic Ski Association of Anchorage. They also chatted about their own personal experiences in the outdoors, what makes the Alaska outdoors special, and where they are happiest in the Alaska outdoors.]]>

This episode of Threshold is sponsored by Fischer. Learn more about the new Fischer Speedmax Helium system at fischersports.com Some people don't need an introduction. And some don't even need a full name. Their shadow is cast so large over their influence–their contribution so transformative—that you need only refer to them by their first name. Especially with a name like Kikkan. With guest Kikkan Randall Hosted by Chad Salmela Produced by Chris Parr

Episode 59 brought forth the story of former Team USA cross-country skier, and five-time Olympian, Kikkan Randall. In one of the most amazing stories of heart and perseverance I've ever gotten the opportunity to tell on this podcast, Kikkan walked us through her two-decade career, setting United States records, what it meant to finally walk away with an Olympic gold, and the diagnosis that rocked her world mere months later. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Get 10% off of your first month at betterhelp.com/closermentality Kikkan's Cool Socks: https://shop.kikkan.com/ Closer Mentality UNCENSORED: www.youtube.com/channel/UCJuZfwIP9ny-WIqpcUaQnWA

In this episode, we've got Chad Salmela and Kikkan Randall on to discuss the experience of calling the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games, live from a booth in Stamford, CT. The duo worked as cross country analysts, alongside long-time NBC play-by-play announcer Steve Schlanger. While Chad is a veteran in the role, this was Kikkan's first Olympics inside the booth. During this conversation, Kikkan and Chad field a variety of questions on their experience – everything from staying fresh while calling races in the middle of the night for two weeks straight, to maintaining professional composure while watching your former teammates and long-time friends win Olympic medals - or come up short - and even, why are you suddenly pronouncing the Norwegian distance champion's name “You-haug”? Full of insights and laughs, this conversation was a treat, and it's clear that both Chad and Kikkan are deeply invested in growing and serving the cross country ski community in the US.Thanks for listening, and thanks to this week's podcast sponsors Boulder Nordic Sport and New Moon Ski & Bike. 

Tribal courts could gain more power over domestic violence cases. Alaskan Olympic champion Kikkan Randall reflects on the up-and-coming U.S. ski team. A renewed debate over halibut allocation in Southeast and Southcentral.

On this week's 51%, we're talking women in sports. Professor Amy Bass of Manhattanville College shares her thoughts on the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. We speak with two-time Olympian Tricia Mangan as she heads to the slopes, and Ithaca College Professor Ellen Staurowsky discusses the upcoming 50th anniversary of Title IX. Guests: Dr. Amy Bass, Manhattanville College; Tricia Mangan, U.S. Alpine Ski Team; Ellen Staurowsky, Ithaca College 51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio. It's produced by Jesse King, our executive producer is Dr. Alan Chartock, and our theme is "Lolita" by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue. Follow Along You're listening to 51%, a WAMC production dedicated to women's issues and experiences. Thanks for tuning in, I'm Jesse King. We've got a great lineup of interviews for you today. It's all about women in sports, and where else would we start besides the Olympics? We wrapped today's show just before competition launched for the Winter Games in Beijing. It's the second Games to be impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, after the Tokyo Olympics last summer — but it comes with its own challenges to navigate. Our first guest today is Dr. Amy Bass, a professor and author at Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York. She's been a commentator for WAMC, but she won an Emmy for her work with NBC Olympic Sports on the London Olympics in 2012. Bass recently shared with me her thoughts about the latest edition of the Games. "I think that apprehension is affecting teams right now. I think that one of the things that we learned in Tokyo is that these athletes are incredibly isolated because of COVID protocols. They're not traveling with their families, they don't have their cheering crowds there, which fans are an important stakeholder in sports," says Bass. "So, I think some of the psychological tension that we saw around a star athlete like Simone Biles is something that I think we should be on the lookout for in Beijing, especially because we have some of those really intense pressure sports like figure skating where, if your head's not in the right place, your sport suddenly becomes very dangerous. Who should we be looking out for at these games? I think Nathan Chen is our is our headliner, always. He didn't do what he wanted to do in 2018 Pyeongchang, but I would also put the one and only Chloe Kim on that list. She took gold in Pyeongchang, took a break, I think she had a broken ankle. She tried college, and now she's back and she looks pretty unbeatable. I hate saying that in a sport as sort of crazy as halfpipe, but Chloe Kim is definitely someone to watch. Makaela Shiffrin is someone to watch. Obviously, she got two medals in Pyeongchang, she took a third overall World Cup title a year later. She's also had a lot of ups and downs: she lost her dad, she's been really forthcoming about managing grief, and managing grief in terms of its physical and mental impact on being a world-class skier. But she's awesome. You know, she's 26 years old. Now she's back for another Olympics, and I think that she's something amazing to watch. And the other thing that I would put up there is women's hockey. And we can talk about hockey. You know, it's just a great Olympic sport. Obviously, one of America's greatest sports moments is men's hockey in 1980, but the rivalry between the Canadian and American women, I think, is one of the great sports rivalries. I feel like they're the Yankees and Red Sox of the Olympic Games, and I'm all in for women's hockey. Last time they met who won? The US took gold and Canada got silver. Well, aside from COVID, what are some new things coming to the games this year? We're seeing new percentages this year, this will be the most women ever to compete in Winter Olympic Games. Up to 45 percent of the athletes are going to be female. Winter Games tend to have fewer women than their summer counterparts, but that is changing. The hockey tournament is actually one of the reasons, there are more men's teams who compete than women, so you've got, you know, 230 women's hockey players and some 300 men. We're going to see some new sports launched, we're going to see some newer sports. So things like team figure skating is actually something that I find fascinating to think about, men and women competing together for a team score for their nation. You know, those new twists on sports that we're familiar with. And I think that we also have the United States in a position to think about sports that they didn't used to be good at or that they didn't have a legacy. You know, in Pyeongchang we saw Jessie Diggins and Kikkan Randall win Team USA its first ever gold medal in cross country skiing. I think the Nordic events are super exciting, and more people should watch them. Jessie Diggins is back, let's see what she does. Kikkan has retired, but Diggins could become the first American to win more than one Olympic medal in cross country skiing, and that's a cool thing to keep our eye on. I think that we have an intense political atmosphere surrounding Beijing, we have a pretty widespread Western diplomatic boycott of these games. We have issues like Hong Kong and the Uyghurs and human rights in general front and center. We have China coming off of, you know, sort of a spectacular games in 2008, so what kind of presentation of the country, and of the city of Beijing, is going to come forward? And then we have [even more] new sports. And I think that new sports are always something that can be a game changer, because you may not know what the next big thing is going to be. There will be notable absences – the U.S. women who were the revolutionaries who got women's ski jump on the Olympic program, they didn't qualify. So now we get to see, you know, what is what is Germany going to do with the absence of the Americans? So I think that you have to wait and see, and you have to go with stories that pop up that you weren't expecting. There's going to be some stories that we know, again, Nathan Chen, men's figure skating, the return of someone like Shaun White – not as a favorite, but as someone who's just sort of trying to say goodbye to the sport that they helped build. You know, there will be new stars that we haven't even met yet. That was Dr. Amy Bass, professor of sports media and chair of the division of social science and communication at Manhattanville College. Our next guest actually spoke with me from Germany while awaiting her flight to Beijing. Tricia Mangan just competed at the Alpine Ski World Cup and is participating in her second straight Winter Games. In 2018, she took ninth in the alpine team event at Pyeongchang, and this time around she's slated to compete in at least the women's alpine combined. She's just 24 years old, but she started skiing near her home in Buffalo, New York at the age of 2. “I grew up skiing there with my five siblings and parents when I was pretty young, and started racing around 6. We skied at this little hill called HoliMont in Ellicottville New York. I just did a million sports when I was younger, but ultimately liked skiing the most, and have definitely skied on a lot bigger hills than HoliMont now,” says Mangan. “But I think that being from Buffalo is definitely a big part of my story, and it's kind of shaped my road to the World Cup a lot. And now heading into my second Olympics, I leaned on my community a lot for support this year. So it feels really nice to be able to achieve this goal and to share that with all of them as well.” When did you know that you wanted to pursue skiing professionally as an athlete? People always asked me this question, and I don't know. Never when I was younger was I like, “I'm going to be an Olympian,” or like, “I want to be in the U.S. Ski Team.” I didn't even know what the U.S. Ski Team was, I really was just focused on trying to beat my twin brother and just get a little bit faster. There was never like, these big, huge goals. I think I've always been a little bit hard on myself. So maybe I was like, “I'm not good enough for that.” But I've always worked really hard, so I think that I just put in little steps. And then over the years, it's like, “I did this. That's cool.” And then it's like, “Oh, I made it this far!” And then yeah, here I am today. This year I'm actually focused on the speed events, which are downhill and Super G. And then at the Olympics, there's also the combined, which is one run of downhill, and one run of slalom, What is Super G, for those who don't know? So for the speed events, downhill is like the straightest – not that many turns, you're in your tuck a lot of the time. And then Super G is also the speed event, but there's a couple more turns. So it's not just like going straight down. It's a little bit more technical. What's the processes of preparing for that? That must be some insane work. Yeah. Preparing for the World Cup or the Olympics in particular? I guess both! Well, that's good insight, because most people are like, “Oh, my gosh, it's crazy to prepare for the Olympics.” But in reality, the World Cup, like our season regular, is probably actually a little bit harder, because there's more girls there then there'll be at the Olympics. So there's been a lot of work that's gotten into this year. There's a lot of training, a lot of physical conditioning, a lot of time on snow, lots of travel. I've definitely this year tried to focus more on my consistency, because my top level speed is good, but in order to perform on the World Cup, you need to be fast all the time, for the whole run. So yeah, consistency has been a big thing for me. What's it like returning to the Olympics this year? Is it a little less nerve racking, maybe? Yeah, it will definitely be very different. My aunt told me the other day, she was like, “People who get to the Olympics twice, or like the Super Bowl or something big like that, they always say that the first time is a blur, and they don't remember anything. And then the second time, they're able to enjoy more.” And I think that will probably be the case, because the first time it was so much like, “Oh my gosh,” like there's so much pressure, and it's really stressful. Or it was for me, last time. And then this time, I definitely know to kind of appreciate being there and take in everything and enjoy the moment a little bit more. And I think that you can still do that while working really hard, which maybe I didn't know last time. Are there ways in which you see your sport changing? Oh, that's a great question. I hope that it changes, change is always good. I think that there are changes with events, like there are more parallel events where people compete next to each other. And I think that is to attract more viewership and to make it a little bit more exciting, which is great, because the more popular the sport will be, the better for athletes, because more sponsorships and deals and everything. Yeah, I think that everyone's always pushing the limits of sports, so it's definitely progressing. You mentioned that Buffalo shaped a big part of your story. Can you go into that a little bit more for me? Coming from Buffalo, even when I was really young, I always knew that there were the states like Vermont and Colorado, California, where the racers trained so much more. I think that this definitely added to me not really thinking like I was ever going to be – or not really thinking that I was very good, and I just kept the focus on working hard. I definitely had an underdog mindset when I started to compete more nationally, and I think this really fueled me, because it kind of took away expectations. Because I was like, “Oh, I'm from New York, nobody thinks I'm gonna do well,” but like, I know how hard I've worked. So I definitely think that was a really big part of my success when I was younger. That underdog mindset has been a big part in my ski racing career so far. Was there a first competition that you did, where you realized, “Oh, I'm really good?” Yeah, yeah. So I went to U16 nationals. I had won, like, a couple Super Gs for the eastern region – but even then, I was like, “Oh it's just this one run, who knows?” And then I went to U16 nationals, and I got absolutely crushed. And then I remember thinking like, “I want to come back the next year, and like, actually do well.” And I really ramped up the training that year. And then I went back the next year and did really well. I remember, I got fourth into GS. And after coming down the first round, I was kind of in shock. And then the next day, I kept doing well and ended up second, and then that's when I qualified for like the junior national team. So that was definitely a very big turning point. I was like, “Wow, I didn't know I was going to do that well.” So yeah, I think that was a big turning point in my career. Lastly, for people who maybe want to get into skiing, or for younger people who are looking about how they can get into the sport, what is your advice for them? I think that there are so many race programs, so I would just say don't be discouraged if you're starting even with a small ski resort race program. It's so much fun. And most of all, the community that skiing has is super, super special, and really unique. So I think that is a great reason to join it. And hopefully they love it. It's an awesome sport, so I would encourage anyone to try it out. Of course, it's not just the Olympics driving headlines this time of year: Ash Barty just became the first Australian woman to win the Australian Open since 1978, the Super Bowl is set, and college basketball championships are just around the corner. In case you missed it, February 2 was the Women's Sports Foundation's 36th annual National Girls & Women in Sports Day. To celebrate, hundreds of community programs, schools, and professional sports teams across the country are hosting events to get people active and recognize the achievements of women in sports. This year, the Foundation itself is hosting a virtual 5K throughout the month of February, as well as a 50-mile challenge stretching to the 50th anniversary of Title IX on June 23. Title IX, of course, is the federal civil rights law that — from the court, to the campus, to the classroom — prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school that receives funding from the federal government. So how is Title IX holding up, 50 years on? To learn more, I spoke with Ithaca College professor and author Ellen Staurowsky, who has co-written a number of reports on Title IX, gender equity, and more for organizations like the Women's Sports Foundation and the National College Players Association. How does Title IX look, 50 years later? In terms of women, 50 years is a terrific time. You come into your own, you gain more power, you look ahead to see how you can take the wisdom of the previous 50 years and really mobilize it to do good in the future. And I think, in a lot of ways, that this anniversary gives us an opportunity to think about that. At the same time, just looking at the state of gender equity in school sports and in college and university athletics, there are all kinds of signs that show that we are not fulfilling the gender equity mandate, and that there's still a great deal of work to be done. I was going to ask about that. Like how do you feel that Title IX is being enforced? What are some of the ways that you feel there's a gap in equity in college sports? I think we're seeing it across the board and every in every area of athletics. Whether we're looking at proportional opportunities available to female athletes relative to their enrollment – we're seeing very large gaps in terms of how many opportunities female athletes could have. We're seeing tremendous gaps that still remain. If we look over the span of 50 years, and we go back to the 25th anniversary, or we go back to 40th anniversary, the spending on recruiting has largely remained unchanged over that entire span of time. In terms of athletic scholarships, there's an expectation that schools are going to offer athletic scholarship support that is proportional to the number of female athletes in an athletic program within 1 percent. There are many schools, in their EADA reports – the EADA report being that public document that people can go to see how spending occurs in athletic departments – and what we're seeing in those documents is that there are many schools that are really quite off the mark from that 1 percent. We do see that some schools are closer in terms of their gender equity patterns. If we look at non-football playing schools versus football-playing schools, junior colleges compared to NCAA institutions, for example, there are some sectors where we're seeing something that looks closer to what it should look like. But there's tremendous work that needs to be done. How do we go about implementing some changes to make sure that these things are better monitored and enforced? I think one of the number one things is to make sure that the enforcement mechanism that's supposed to be in place in colleges and universities and in high schools, to make sure that mechanism is working. It was very interesting to me to find reports from the federal government that were showing that there were still schools, maybe just four years ago, that still were not designating Title IX coordinators at their schools. You know, this was a requirement that was expected in the 1970s. And to think that we still have some schools that have not even designated a Title IX coordinator – and then along with that, we have large percentages of employees who still don't know who their Title IX coordinator is – that really is a sign that the commitment to enforcing Title IX on the ground, in schools, is just not happening the way that it should. And even in places where Title IX coordinators are designated, there remains a large amount of either misinformation or lack of information about what Title IX requires, and what it doesn't require. A wonderful former student of mine who's in law school at Drexel, we did a study of Division I Title IX athletics coordinators – and just large portions of that sector, they're not educating people about how to read an EADA, coaches and athletes are not receiving Title IX education. All of those things are things that add up, because you can't hold an institution accountable to what they should be doing under Title IX, if you just have people closest to the action, closest to the athletic department, that don't know what their rights are and what their obligations are. Broadening the subject a little bit, how do you view the overall playing field for women in sports right now? The expression, “It's the best of times and the worst of times” probably applies. Because there's absolutely no question, if you think about the opportunities that were available for girls and women in the early 1970s – we've just seen tremendous growth in all areas of athletics for girls and women. At the same time, we have so many places [that need improvement], and I think if we reflect back, just for a moment, in terms of the NCAA men's and women's tournament last year, and those very stark contrasts in terms of unfair treatment – and this is the nation's premier women's basketball tournament. For that kind of inequity to exist, and then also to have the NCAA external reports reveal that that the women's basketball tournament was not the only tournament, but in fact, there was systemic gender inequities across the entire system – that's really a wake up call for everybody. And then along with that, though, not all people, and not all women, are served equally within the gains that are made. So if we look, for example, through a racial lens, African American women have been largely invisible within the overall scheme of full opportunities in sports. Like basketball and track and field, we've seen that kind of growth, but we have not seen that kind of growth across the board in terms of the large array of other sports that are available. And this is very much in keeping nationally with the fact that women of color, and African American women, have less access to sport opportunities overall. So that's an area that we really, futuristically, need to be addressing. We know that girls typically enter sports later and exit sooner than boys. What do you see as some of the obstacles for girls getting into sports? And how can we address them, particularly for girls of color? We need to be looking at our financial models, and really adopting principles of equity and fairness. You know, it's one thing to sort of have an idea of fairness. I think it's something entirely different when you begin to make decisions and hold yourself accountable, to really see whether or not you're actually doing that on the ledger. And that's really where having principles of gender equity that are written down, and having specific goals about what you want to achieve in a three- and five-year period of time [helps]. I think there is a bit of a disconnection between general support – you know, Title IX has become sort of synonymous with gender equity, it also pulls on our general sense of fairness. So you know, the vast majority of people that you talk to would say that they are relatively supportive of what Title IX's goals are. But what I found, and where I think the conversation needs to happen, is that female athletes in athletic departments – I think their experience is actually different than that broad narrative. I think they notice that they don't get the same kinds of meals. They notice that their gear isn't as good, or the way in which fundraising happens for their programs is different, and that it oftentimes puts more of a burden on them than some of their male colleagues. And certainly, I think one of the areas where we're going to see much more increased scrutiny is in the area of marketing, in the area of television contracts, in the area of promotion, and athletic communications. That whole area of publicity is something that has been in the regulations from the 1970s forward, but I don't think that it's really gotten the kind of scrutiny that I would suspect that we're going to be seeing in the years ahead. And the reason why that becomes so important is that, you know, just as a matter of media exposure – if you don't see female teams regularly, you don't know who to follow. And we've seen all kinds of evidence, from women's gymnastics to women's basketball, to women's volleyball to women's softball, and many, many other sports where, when audiences get exposed to those sports, there are audiences for them. But the mechanism to market those programs within colleges and universities has largely continued to be operating on a 20th Century model, rather than on a 21st Century model. In terms of girls and women of color, you know, within communities, creating safe spaces for girls and women to access sports opportunities is incredibly important. Being able to preserve sport programs within high schools is very important. Trying to have them publicly funded rather than pay-for-play models is incredibly important. There are other kinds of things we could talk about, but those are some of the things that really need to be addressed. Lastly, what are some of the benefits for women of playing sports? We can never underestimate the power of joy. I think all of us who have sport as a passion, we can all relate to the fact that, at some level, we all got bitten by sport joy. So that would be number one. Number two, what we know from the research is a woman's life is incredibly affected over the long term by her participation in sport. We know in terms of long-term health, we know in terms of cognitive functioning, we know in terms of social life, that being able to participate in sport can be incredibly important as a quality of life issue. So all of those things are things that we should take into account. You know, the nation has a stake in this, from the standpoint of the health of our girls and women. Ellen Staurowsky is a professor of sports media at Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York and the author of books including: College Athletes for Hire: The Evolution and Legacy of the NCAA Amateur Myth and Women and Sport: A Continuing Journey from Liberation to Celebration. You can learn more about her work at the college's website. To learn more about the Women's Sports Foundation, find a National Girls & Women in Sports Day near you — or to register for the Foundation's virtual 5K and 50-mile challenge — go to womenssportsfoundation.org. That's a wrap on this week's 51%. 51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio. It's produced by me, Jesse King. Our executive producer is Dr. Alan Chartock, and our theme is “Lolita” by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue. A big thanks to Amy Bass, Tricia Mangan, and Ellen Staurowsky for participating in this week's episode. You can also find us on Twitter and Instagram @51percentradio. Let us know how we're doing, and if you have a story you'd like to share as well. Until next week, I'm Jesse King for 51%.

On this week's 51%, we're talking women in sports. Professor Amy Bass of Manhattanville College shares her thoughts on the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. We speak with two-time Olympian Tricia Mangan as she heads to the slopes, and Ithaca College Professor Ellen Staurowsky discusses the upcoming 50th anniversary of Title IX. Guests: Dr. Amy Bass, Manhattanville College; Tricia Mangan, U.S. Alpine Ski Team; Ellen Staurowsky, Ithaca College 51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio. It's produced by Jesse King, our executive producer is Dr. Alan Chartock, and our theme is "Lolita" by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue. Follow Along You're listening to 51%, a WAMC production dedicated to women's issues and experiences. Thanks for tuning in, I'm Jesse King. We've got a great lineup of interviews for you today. It's all about women in sports, and where else would we start besides the Olympics? We wrapped today's show just before competition launched for the Winter Games in Beijing. It's the second Games to be impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, after the Tokyo Olympics last summer — but it comes with its own challenges to navigate. Our first guest today is Dr. Amy Bass, a professor and author at Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York. She's been a commentator for WAMC, but she won an Emmy for her work with NBC Olympic Sports on the London Olympics in 2012. Bass recently shared with me her thoughts about the latest edition of the Games. "I think that apprehension is affecting teams right now. I think that one of the things that we learned in Tokyo is that these athletes are incredibly isolated because of COVID protocols. They're not traveling with their families, they don't have their cheering crowds there, which fans are an important stakeholder in sports," says Bass. "So, I think some of the psychological tension that we saw around a star athlete like Simone Biles is something that I think we should be on the lookout for in Beijing, especially because we have some of those really intense pressure sports like figure skating where, if your head's not in the right place, your sport suddenly becomes very dangerous. Who should we be looking out for at these games? I think Nathan Chen is our is our headliner, always. He didn't do what he wanted to do in 2018 Pyeongchang, but I would also put the one and only Chloe Kim on that list. She took gold in Pyeongchang, took a break, I think she had a broken ankle. She tried college, and now she's back and she looks pretty unbeatable. I hate saying that in a sport as sort of crazy as halfpipe, but Chloe Kim is definitely someone to watch. Makaela Shiffrin is someone to watch. Obviously, she got two medals in Pyeongchang, she took a third overall World Cup title a year later. She's also had a lot of ups and downs: she lost her dad, she's been really forthcoming about managing grief, and managing grief in terms of its physical and mental impact on being a world-class skier. But she's awesome. You know, she's 26 years old. Now she's back for another Olympics, and I think that she's something amazing to watch. And the other thing that I would put up there is women's hockey. And we can talk about hockey. You know, it's just a great Olympic sport. Obviously, one of America's greatest sports moments is men's hockey in 1980, but the rivalry between the Canadian and American women, I think, is one of the great sports rivalries. I feel like they're the Yankees and Red Sox of the Olympic Games, and I'm all in for women's hockey. Last time they met who won? The US took gold and Canada got silver. Well, aside from COVID, what are some new things coming to the games this year? We're seeing new percentages this year, this will be the most women ever to compete in Winter Olympic Games. Up to 45 percent of the athletes are going to be female. Winter Games tend to have fewer women than their summer counterparts, but that is changing. The hockey tournament is actually one of the reasons, there are more men's teams who compete than women, so you've got, you know, 230 women's hockey players and some 300 men. We're going to see some new sports launched, we're going to see some newer sports. So things like team figure skating is actually something that I find fascinating to think about, men and women competing together for a team score for their nation. You know, those new twists on sports that we're familiar with. And I think that we also have the United States in a position to think about sports that they didn't used to be good at or that they didn't have a legacy. You know, in Pyeongchang we saw Jessie Diggins and Kikkan Randall win Team USA its first ever gold medal in cross country skiing. I think the Nordic events are super exciting, and more people should watch them. Jessie Diggins is back, let's see what she does. Kikkan has retired, but Diggins could become the first American to win more than one Olympic medal in cross country skiing, and that's a cool thing to keep our eye on. I think that we have an intense political atmosphere surrounding Beijing, we have a pretty widespread Western diplomatic boycott of these games. We have issues like Hong Kong and the Uyghurs and human rights in general front and center. We have China coming off of, you know, sort of a spectacular games in 2008, so what kind of presentation of the country, and of the city of Beijing, is going to come forward? And then we have [even more] new sports. And I think that new sports are always something that can be a game changer, because you may not know what the next big thing is going to be. There will be notable absences – the U.S. women who were the revolutionaries who got women's ski jump on the Olympic program, they didn't qualify. So now we get to see, you know, what is what is Germany going to do with the absence of the Americans? So I think that you have to wait and see, and you have to go with stories that pop up that you weren't expecting. There's going to be some stories that we know, again, Nathan Chen, men's figure skating, the return of someone like Shaun White – not as a favorite, but as someone who's just sort of trying to say goodbye to the sport that they helped build. You know, there will be new stars that we haven't even met yet. That was Dr. Amy Bass, professor of sports media and chair of the division of social science and communication at Manhattanville College. Our next guest actually spoke with me from Germany while awaiting her flight to Beijing. Tricia Mangan just competed at the Alpine Ski World Cup and is participating in her second straight Winter Games. In 2018, she took ninth in the alpine team event at Pyeongchang, and this time around she's slated to compete in at least the women's alpine combined. She's just 24 years old, but she started skiing near her home in Buffalo, New York at the age of 2. “I grew up skiing there with my five siblings and parents when I was pretty young, and started racing around 6. We skied at this little hill called HoliMont in Ellicottville New York. I just did a million sports when I was younger, but ultimately liked skiing the most, and have definitely skied on a lot bigger hills than HoliMont now,” says Mangan. “But I think that being from Buffalo is definitely a big part of my story, and it's kind of shaped my road to the World Cup a lot. And now heading into my second Olympics, I leaned on my community a lot for support this year. So it feels really nice to be able to achieve this goal and to share that with all of them as well.” When did you know that you wanted to pursue skiing professionally as an athlete? People always asked me this question, and I don't know. Never when I was younger was I like, “I'm going to be an Olympian,” or like, “I want to be in the U.S. Ski Team.” I didn't even know what the U.S. Ski Team was, I really was just focused on trying to beat my twin brother and just get a little bit faster. There was never like, these big, huge goals. I think I've always been a little bit hard on myself. So maybe I was like, “I'm not good enough for that.” But I've always worked really hard, so I think that I just put in little steps. And then over the years, it's like, “I did this. That's cool.” And then it's like, “Oh, I made it this far!” And then yeah, here I am today. This year I'm actually focused on the speed events, which are downhill and Super G. And then at the Olympics, there's also the combined, which is one run of downhill, and one run of slalom, What is Super G, for those who don't know? So for the speed events, downhill is like the straightest – not that many turns, you're in your tuck a lot of the time. And then Super G is also the speed event, but there's a couple more turns. So it's not just like going straight down. It's a little bit more technical. What's the processes of preparing for that? That must be some insane work. Yeah. Preparing for the World Cup or the Olympics in particular? I guess both! Well, that's good insight, because most people are like, “Oh, my gosh, it's crazy to prepare for the Olympics.” But in reality, the World Cup, like our season regular, is probably actually a little bit harder, because there's more girls there then there'll be at the Olympics. So there's been a lot of work that's gotten into this year. There's a lot of training, a lot of physical conditioning, a lot of time on snow, lots of travel. I've definitely this year tried to focus more on my consistency, because my top level speed is good, but in order to perform on the World Cup, you need to be fast all the time, for the whole run. So yeah, consistency has been a big thing for me. What's it like returning to the Olympics this year? Is it a little less nerve racking, maybe? Yeah, it will definitely be very different. My aunt told me the other day, she was like, “People who get to the Olympics twice, or like the Super Bowl or something big like that, they always say that the first time is a blur, and they don't remember anything. And then the second time, they're able to enjoy more.” And I think that will probably be the case, because the first time it was so much like, “Oh my gosh,” like there's so much pressure, and it's really stressful. Or it was for me, last time. And then this time, I definitely know to kind of appreciate being there and take in everything and enjoy the moment a little bit more. And I think that you can still do that while working really hard, which maybe I didn't know last time. Are there ways in which you see your sport changing? Oh, that's a great question. I hope that it changes, change is always good. I think that there are changes with events, like there are more parallel events where people compete next to each other. And I think that is to attract more viewership and to make it a little bit more exciting, which is great, because the more popular the sport will be, the better for athletes, because more sponsorships and deals and everything. Yeah, I think that everyone's always pushing the limits of sports, so it's definitely progressing. You mentioned that Buffalo shaped a big part of your story. Can you go into that a little bit more for me? Coming from Buffalo, even when I was really young, I always knew that there were the states like Vermont and Colorado, California, where the racers trained so much more. I think that this definitely added to me not really thinking like I was ever going to be – or not really thinking that I was very good, and I just kept the focus on working hard. I definitely had an underdog mindset when I started to compete more nationally, and I think this really fueled me, because it kind of took away expectations. Because I was like, “Oh, I'm from New York, nobody thinks I'm gonna do well,” but like, I know how hard I've worked. So I definitely think that was a really big part of my success when I was younger. That underdog mindset has been a big part in my ski racing career so far. Was there a first competition that you did, where you realized, “Oh, I'm really good?” Yeah, yeah. So I went to U16 nationals. I had won, like, a couple Super Gs for the eastern region – but even then, I was like, “Oh it's just this one run, who knows?” And then I went to U16 nationals, and I got absolutely crushed. And then I remember thinking like, “I want to come back the next year, and like, actually do well.” And I really ramped up the training that year. And then I went back the next year and did really well. I remember, I got fourth into GS. And after coming down the first round, I was kind of in shock. And then the next day, I kept doing well and ended up second, and then that's when I qualified for like the junior national team. So that was definitely a very big turning point. I was like, “Wow, I didn't know I was going to do that well.” So yeah, I think that was a big turning point in my career. Lastly, for people who maybe want to get into skiing, or for younger people who are looking about how they can get into the sport, what is your advice for them? I think that there are so many race programs, so I would just say don't be discouraged if you're starting even with a small ski resort race program. It's so much fun. And most of all, the community that skiing has is super, super special, and really unique. So I think that is a great reason to join it. And hopefully they love it. It's an awesome sport, so I would encourage anyone to try it out. Of course, it's not just the Olympics driving headlines this time of year: Ash Barty just became the first Australian woman to win the Australian Open since 1978, the Super Bowl is set, and college basketball championships are just around the corner. In case you missed it, February 2 was the Women's Sports Foundation's 36th annual National Girls & Women in Sports Day. To celebrate, hundreds of community programs, schools, and professional sports teams across the country are hosting events to get people active and recognize the achievements of women in sports. This year, the Foundation itself is hosting a virtual 5K throughout the month of February, as well as a 50-mile challenge stretching to the 50th anniversary of Title IX on June 23. Title IX, of course, is the federal civil rights law that — from the court, to the campus, to the classroom — prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school that receives funding from the federal government. So how is Title IX holding up, 50 years on? To learn more, I spoke with Ithaca College professor and author Ellen Staurowsky, who has co-written a number of reports on Title IX, gender equity, and more for organizations like the Women's Sports Foundation and the National College Players Association. How does Title IX look, 50 years later? In terms of women, 50 years is a terrific time. You come into your own, you gain more power, you look ahead to see how you can take the wisdom of the previous 50 years and really mobilize it to do good in the future. And I think, in a lot of ways, that this anniversary gives us an opportunity to think about that. At the same time, just looking at the state of gender equity in school sports and in college and university athletics, there are all kinds of signs that show that we are not fulfilling the gender equity mandate, and that there's still a great deal of work to be done. I was going to ask about that. Like how do you feel that Title IX is being enforced? What are some of the ways that you feel there's a gap in equity in college sports? I think we're seeing it across the board and every in every area of athletics. Whether we're looking at proportional opportunities available to female athletes relative to their enrollment – we're seeing very large gaps in terms of how many opportunities female athletes could have. We're seeing tremendous gaps that still remain. If we look over the span of 50 years, and we go back to the 25th anniversary, or we go back to 40th anniversary, the spending on recruiting has largely remained unchanged over that entire span of time. In terms of athletic scholarships, there's an expectation that schools are going to offer athletic scholarship support that is proportional to the number of female athletes in an athletic program within 1 percent. There are many schools, in their EADA reports – the EADA report being that public document that people can go to see how spending occurs in athletic departments – and what we're seeing in those documents is that there are many schools that are really quite off the mark from that 1 percent. We do see that some schools are closer in terms of their gender equity patterns. If we look at non-football playing schools versus football-playing schools, junior colleges compared to NCAA institutions, for example, there are some sectors where we're seeing something that looks closer to what it should look like. But there's tremendous work that needs to be done. How do we go about implementing some changes to make sure that these things are better monitored and enforced? I think one of the number one things is to make sure that the enforcement mechanism that's supposed to be in place in colleges and universities and in high schools, to make sure that mechanism is working. It was very interesting to me to find reports from the federal government that were showing that there were still schools, maybe just four years ago, that still were not designating Title IX coordinators at their schools. You know, this was a requirement that was expected in the 1970s. And to think that we still have some schools that have not even designated a Title IX coordinator – and then along with that, we have large percentages of employees who still don't know who their Title IX coordinator is – that really is a sign that the commitment to enforcing Title IX on the ground, in schools, is just not happening the way that it should. And even in places where Title IX coordinators are designated, there remains a large amount of either misinformation or lack of information about what Title IX requires, and what it doesn't require. A wonderful former student of mine who's in law school at Drexel, we did a study of Division I Title IX athletics coordinators – and just large portions of that sector, they're not educating people about how to read an EADA, coaches and athletes are not receiving Title IX education. All of those things are things that add up, because you can't hold an institution accountable to what they should be doing under Title IX, if you just have people closest to the action, closest to the athletic department, that don't know what their rights are and what their obligations are. Broadening the subject a little bit, how do you view the overall playing field for women in sports right now? The expression, “It's the best of times and the worst of times” probably applies. Because there's absolutely no question, if you think about the opportunities that were available for girls and women in the early 1970s – we've just seen tremendous growth in all areas of athletics for girls and women. At the same time, we have so many places [that need improvement], and I think if we reflect back, just for a moment, in terms of the NCAA men's and women's tournament last year, and those very stark contrasts in terms of unfair treatment – and this is the nation's premier women's basketball tournament. For that kind of inequity to exist, and then also to have the NCAA external reports reveal that that the women's basketball tournament was not the only tournament, but in fact, there was systemic gender inequities across the entire system – that's really a wake up call for everybody. And then along with that, though, not all people, and not all women, are served equally within the gains that are made. So if we look, for example, through a racial lens, African American women have been largely invisible within the overall scheme of full opportunities in sports. Like basketball and track and field, we've seen that kind of growth, but we have not seen that kind of growth across the board in terms of the large array of other sports that are available. And this is very much in keeping nationally with the fact that women of color, and African American women, have less access to sport opportunities overall. So that's an area that we really, futuristically, need to be addressing. We know that girls typically enter sports later and exit sooner than boys. What do you see as some of the obstacles for girls getting into sports? And how can we address them, particularly for girls of color? We need to be looking at our financial models, and really adopting principles of equity and fairness. You know, it's one thing to sort of have an idea of fairness. I think it's something entirely different when you begin to make decisions and hold yourself accountable, to really see whether or not you're actually doing that on the ledger. And that's really where having principles of gender equity that are written down, and having specific goals about what you want to achieve in a three- and five-year period of time [helps]. I think there is a bit of a disconnection between general support – you know, Title IX has become sort of synonymous with gender equity, it also pulls on our general sense of fairness. So you know, the vast majority of people that you talk to would say that they are relatively supportive of what Title IX's goals are. But what I found, and where I think the conversation needs to happen, is that female athletes in athletic departments – I think their experience is actually different than that broad narrative. I think they notice that they don't get the same kinds of meals. They notice that their gear isn't as good, or the way in which fundraising happens for their programs is different, and that it oftentimes puts more of a burden on them than some of their male colleagues. And certainly, I think one of the areas where we're going to see much more increased scrutiny is in the area of marketing, in the area of television contracts, in the area of promotion, and athletic communications. That whole area of publicity is something that has been in the regulations from the 1970s forward, but I don't think that it's really gotten the kind of scrutiny that I would suspect that we're going to be seeing in the years ahead. And the reason why that becomes so important is that, you know, just as a matter of media exposure – if you don't see female teams regularly, you don't know who to follow. And we've seen all kinds of evidence, from women's gymnastics to women's basketball, to women's volleyball to women's softball, and many, many other sports where, when audiences get exposed to those sports, there are audiences for them. But the mechanism to market those programs within colleges and universities has largely continued to be operating on a 20th Century model, rather than on a 21st Century model. In terms of girls and women of color, you know, within communities, creating safe spaces for girls and women to access sports opportunities is incredibly important. Being able to preserve sport programs within high schools is very important. Trying to have them publicly funded rather than pay-for-play models is incredibly important. There are other kinds of things we could talk about, but those are some of the things that really need to be addressed. Lastly, what are some of the benefits for women of playing sports? We can never underestimate the power of joy. I think all of us who have sport as a passion, we can all relate to the fact that, at some level, we all got bitten by sport joy. So that would be number one. Number two, what we know from the research is a woman's life is incredibly affected over the long term by her participation in sport. We know in terms of long-term health, we know in terms of cognitive functioning, we know in terms of social life, that being able to participate in sport can be incredibly important as a quality of life issue. So all of those things are things that we should take into account. You know, the nation has a stake in this, from the standpoint of the health of our girls and women. Ellen Staurowsky is a professor of sports media at Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York and the author of books including: College Athletes for Hire: The Evolution and Legacy of the NCAA Amateur Myth and Women and Sport: A Continuing Journey from Liberation to Celebration. You can learn more about her work at the college's website. To learn more about the Women's Sports Foundation, find a National Girls & Women in Sports Day near you — or to register for the Foundation's virtual 5K and 50-mile challenge — go to womenssportsfoundation.org. That's a wrap on this week's 51%. 51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio. It's produced by me, Jesse King. Our executive producer is Dr. Alan Chartock, and our theme is “Lolita” by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue. A big thanks to Amy Bass, Tricia Mangan, and Ellen Staurowsky for participating in this week's episode. You can also find us on Twitter and Instagram @51percentradio. Let us know how we're doing, and if you have a story you'd like to share as well. Until next week, I'm Jesse King for 51%.

We've got extra-special Alaska-based guest Kikkan Randall joining us for this episode to recap the 2021/22 Tour de Ski. We break down a rough finish for a head cold-afflicted Jessie Diggins, some sensational skiing by Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, and some lingering questions about Olympic preparation.We're planning a mailbag episode in the next few days; send your questions to devon@fasterskier.com and nat@fasterskier.com. We'll be back soon!

Before Kikkan Randall was winning Olympic and World Cup gold medals in XC skiing, she was a runner, and she has never stopped being a runner. In this conversation, we discuss how she got into XC skiing; some of the keys to her longevity; becoming a mother while also being a professional athlete (and how much attitudes still need to change for women in a similar position); and going from winning an Olympic gold medal to being diagnosed with cancer, and how she is doing today.TOPICS & TIMES:Growing up in Alaska (3:33)Running vs Skiing (5:46)A fork in the road (9:09)Resisting overspecialization at a young age (15:01)Gravel Racing (17:05)Boston Marathon (18:15)Running while being a XC skier (27:15)Being a mother and a sponsored athlete (35:29)From winning Gold to being diagnosed with cancer (45:54)Advocate for yourself (50:44)RELATED LINKS:Kikkan's websiteAvocado Green MattressJonathan's Sleep ExperimentGear Giveaway / Newsletter Signup See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In today's short episode, Sylvia discusses balancing productivity and wellness. She discusses the story of the golden goose, pacing yourself on life's journey, and the transformative power of story.Stay tuned for our lineup of new guest episodes, coming soon! In the meantime, take a moment to revisit your old favorites and to catch up on missed episodes. Enjoy the holiday season, and don't forget to make time for yourself.Previous Episodes Mentioned: 004 Eliza Kerr: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1423273/6149164010 Leigh Coates: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1423273/6927674041 Kikkan Randall: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1423273/8939543052 Michelle Snow: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1423273/9295231057 Caite Zeliff: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1423273/9494083058 Shaesta Waiz: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1423273/9540184Want to connect? Visit us online and signup for the monthly WWF newsletter!Website – https://www.whenwomenfly.com/Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Pinterest – @whenwomenflyEmail – hello@whenwomenfly.com

With guests Rick Kapala and Reid Lutter Featuring Jessie Diggins, Gus Schumacher, Kikkan Randall, Rosie Brennan, Sophie Caldwell, Hannah Halvorsen, and Matt Whitcomb https://nationalnordicfoundation.org/drive-for-25/ Hosted by Chad Salmela Produced by Chris Parr

 Kikkan Randall is an Olympic Gold medalist, fitness enthusiast, and mom raised in Alaska from age three. She was a trailblazer for the US Cross Country Ski Team becoming the first American woman to win a World Cup and Olympic Gold in the sport. In addition to her athletic pursuits, she is passionate about promoting the benefits of healthy and active lifestyles through youth organizations Healthy Futures and Fast and Female. Kikkan shares the unbelievable and inspiring story of being diagnosed with cancer shortly after winning an a gold medal at the 2013 Olympics. Follow KikkanInstagram @kikkanimalKikkan's Socks  https://shop.kikkan.com/The Sweetest ThingNew York City Marathon Angels. Read hereJOIN US in our goals to sponsor a tiny home! DONATE HERE:https://gofund.me/44e5c5b2Send us your good-news stories!! Email us at theplspodcast@gmail.comZesty of the week:Heidi shares her new discovery of Air Fryer magic!Check it out HERESponsored by HydrojugHydrojug Use code PLS  for 10% offhttps://www.thehydrojug.com/Follow the PLS Podcast onInstagram   TwitterFacebook Artwork by Kat HennesseyAudio Engineer Andrew SchwartzOriginal theme music by Heidi Webster & Nicole KaplanCome sip with us! 

On this Outdoor Explorer, our guest is Olympic gold medalist Kikkan Randall. When Kikkan was young, she participated in Junior Nordic, a popular Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage program. Now Kikkan has returned to her roots as the new executive director of the organization.

Today we highlight Kikkan Randall in the third episode of our Summer Series. Kikkan is an American Olympic champion cross-country skier, mother, breast cancer survivor, and so much more. Here we highlight the athletic mindset, stigmas around mental health in our culture, and what it takes to pursue excellence in any field. She speaks to motivation, grit, excellence, patience, and the importance of a healthy mindset.  An advocate for active lifestyles and active parenting it is especially fun to talk about the flipside of accomplishments and titles and dive into her insights into vulnerability, slowing down, consistency, and team building.Topics Include:The psychological edge that accompanies world-class athletesCompeting in the 2002 Olympics at age nineteenBecoming a mother between OlympicsWinning the Gold Medal at the 2018 Olympics Beating breast cancerBalancing passions and careersAnd other topics...Kikkan Randall 5X Olympian, gold medalist PyeongChang 2018, “Get-Activist”, and Mom Athlete. Kikkan is an American, Olympic champion cross-country skier. She has won 17 U.S. National titles, taken home 17 U.S. Championships, made 16 podiums in the Stage World Cup. She was the first American female cross-country skier to take a top ten finish in World Cup competition, to win a World Cup race and to win a World Cup discipline title. In addition, she finished the New York City Marathon clocking 2:55:12, just one year after her final round of chemotherapy for stage 2 breast cancer. As an active lifestyle proponent, she is also an Ambassador for Fast and Female, an empowerment workshop program for young girls. And, fun fact, she began skiing to stay in shape for cross-country running.Resources Mentioned:www.kikkan.comIG: @kikkanimalFast and FemaleACTIV Against CancerUS Cross Country SkiingWant to connect? Visit us online and signup for the monthly WWF newsletter!Website – https://www.whenwomenfly.com/Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Pinterest – @whenwomenflyEmail – hello@whenwomenfly.com

Olympic Gold Medalist, Kikkan Randall, Nadine Baker, Ph.D., and Brandy Stratman, LCSW discuss youth behavioral health in Alaska. To educate the community about the importance of mental health & to help parents talk to their kids about mental health. We want to increase knowledge or resources for teens/college-age and encourage them to access the resources themselves or for their friends. *If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health there are free mental health resources and tools at work2bewell.org *For our audience in Alaska, you can always reach out to The Alaska Careline 1-877-266-4357 or text 4help to 839863 3-11 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday *For crisis support anywhere please reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Available 24 hours in English and Spanish. 800-273-8255 For text support Text HOME to 741741 for free, 24/7 crisis counseling.

Olympic Gold Medalist, Kikkan Randall, Nadine Baker, Ph.D., and Brandy Stratman, LCSW discuss youth behavioral health in Alaska. To educate the community about the importance of mental health & to help parents talk to their kids about mental health. We want to increase knowledge or resources for teens/college-age and encourage them to access the resources themselves or for their friends. *If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health there are free mental health resources and tools at work2bewell.org *For our audience in Alaska, you can always reach out to The Alaska Careline 1-877-266-4357 or text 4help to 8398633-11 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday *For crisis support anywhere please reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Available 24 hours in English and Spanish. 800-273-8255 For text support Text HOME to 741741 for free, 24/7 crisis counseling.

There was a time when the Canadian National Cross-Country Ski Team was the North American team to watch. As skiers like Kikkan Randall and Jessie Diggins found their footing, Becky Scott, Chandra Crawford, and Sara Renner were medaling at the Olympics. Alex Harvey and Kershaw won team sprint gold at the 2011 World Championships. And Harvey continued to romp - winning the 2017 World Championship gold in the 50k. Along the way, like many programs, Canada has enjoyed roster and coaching continuity. Conversely, the program has also suffered high rates of coaching turnover and insufficient funding.As Canada looks for a new National Team Coach, in this episode Kershaw explores his relationship with the national team. He explains that some years it was plug and play. Other years, it was about finding normalcy with a new coach, a new set of norms, and a positive direction to remain motivated.Thanks for listening.

Jessie Diggins is the fastest woman in the world. At least on cross-country skis. Earlier this month, Diggins, a Minnesota native who trains in Vermont, became the first American woman to win the overall World Cup cross-country skiing title. Only American cross-country skier Bill Koch, who won the men's title 39 years ago, has accomplished this. This is just the latest first for the trailblazing Diggins: In January, she became the first American to win the Tour de Ski, a multiday ski race modeled on the Tour de France bike race. And in 2018, she and teammate Kikkan Randall became the first American women to win an Olympic gold medal in cross-country skiing. As Diggins smashes records, she has become an icon for other female skiers around the country and the world. Her explosive speed is matched by her fun-loving public persona. She often races with paint and glitter on her face and is routinely captured on podiums jumping for joy. Diggins has also been praised for her candor about her struggles with an eating disorder, which she recounts in her new memoir, Brave Enough. Jessie Diggins and several of her teammates on the US women's cross-country team were guests on the Vermont Conversation in January 2018, just days before they left for the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang. The finals of the women's team sprint featured what many say was the most exciting moment of the 2018 Olympics. On the final lap, Diggins was locked in a 3-way contest with the top female skiers from Sweden and Norway. As Diggins battled to break past her two opponents, the announcers from NBC Sports screamed themselves hoarse capturing the thrill of the moment. “Here comes Diggins!,” as the NBC announcers shouted over the roar of the crowd, could well be a motto for Jessie Diggins as she continues to smash records. She talks with us about her skiing, going public about her struggle with bulimia, the social and political causes that she is championing, and just what was going through her mind as she lunged for Olympic gold.

In this episode, Sylvia talks with Kikkan Randall, a trailblazer in women's sport. They talk about the athlete frame of mind and how it shows up in countless ways from training, team building and competing to fighting cancer, balance and life pivots. Challenges seem to embolden Kikkan. She is candid as she reflects on her journey in sport, life and leadership. She inspires us all to step out of our comfort zone and show up for our dreams, take small actions that serve large goals, give to earnest causes, live life to its fullest and have fun along the way! Enjoy this conversation...Topics Include:Being an Alaskan kid with an active familyKikkan's early affinity for sportsCollaboration and competition in a team cultureDrawing up a plan for big goals, step-by-stepRecovering from setbacks and low pointsThe performance plateau before a breakthroughBecoming a mother between OlympicsWinning an Olympic Gold MedalBreast cancerWhy sharing stories of vulnerability are importantRunning a 2:55 New York Marathon Leadership and activism with Fast and Female and AKTIV against cancerNew directions after a successful athletic careerAnd much more....Resources Mentioned:www.kikkan.comIG: @kikkanimalFast and FemaleACTIV Against CancerUS Cross Country Skiing

Ep. 35: Discover how to ensure that internal competition fuels your employees and does not destroy team chemistry. Kikkan was 16 years old in Anchorage, Alaska when she was told that no American woman had ever won an Olympic medal in cross-country skiing. It was that moment that she set her goal: Make history. She went on to compete in FIVE Olympics and in 2018 in the last race of her last games… Kikkan Randall won gold. Three months later she was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer. She used the lessons from sport to combat negative thoughts on her road to recovery. Today Kikkan serves on the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee and is part of the EY Women Athletes Business Network. Visit https://donyaeger.com/corporate-competitor-podcast/episode-35/ for a free gift and today’s show notes!

I’m taking this week off, and we’re running a replay of an interview I did in 2018 with Kikkan Randall. Kikkan and Jessie Diggins won the gold medal in the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang exactly three years ago. They are the first-ever cross country skiing gold medal in the women’s team sprint. Kikkan Randall won 17 U.S. national titles, she’s made 16 podiums in the Stage World Cup, five trips to the Winter Olympics, and had the highest finish by an individual US woman at the World Championships. She was the first American female cross country skier to take a top 10 finish in a World Cup competition, to win a World Cup race, and to win a World Cup disciplined title. Unbelievable. It was so great to have her on. If you have not seen her and Jessie Diggins’ Olympic gold medal finish, I encourage you to check it out. It is pretty dramatic and awesome. We covered quite a bit in this episode. I was curious to know how she handles big performance days, because I know it’s pretty stressful for me when I’m taking the stage to do a talk or these days on the zoom stage. What is it like to handle that kind of pressure? She actually walked me through what the morning before an Olympic gold medal win looks like. We talked about her training program at a high level. We also talked about her battle with breast cancer, which she learned she had shortly after winning that gold medal so it was quite a year for her with some pretty serious ups and some pretty serious downs. Lastly, I asked Kikkan about her community engagement. So many athletes are inspired by her, and she really pays it forward. She was inspired by so many athletes when she was growing up, so she talks a bit about how important it is to pay that forward. So with that, I’m going to turn it over to our conversation in 2018. Whether you heard it years ago or are new to the show, you’ll enjoy it, I’m sure. Let’s listen in and gear up for what’s next. Where to find Kikkan and other links: NBC coverage of Kikkan and Jessie bringing home the Gold for the U.S. Kikkan’s video blog Fast and female Website BEFORE YOU LEAVE - If you are enjoying the shows, I hope you’ll subscribe, rate, review and share with your friends!   About Lisa Gerber: Lisa advises CEOs and senior-level management on how to use the power of storytelling and effective communication to influence action and bring ideas to life.   She guides companies through the digital maze of constantly changing tools to build discovery, loyalty, and ultimately help them achieve their own big leaps.   When she is not in her office, she might be out skiing or trail running. This is where she does her best creative problem-solving.   To learn more about booking Lisa for consulting, speaking or workshops, visit www.bigleapcreative.com.

Tom Kelly's career is rooted in cross country skiing. After covering ski jumping, Kelly found himself working for entrepreneur Tony Wise in the mid '70s, promoting the American Birkebeiner and World Cup cross country races in Telemark, Wisconsin. Kelly's 30-plus year tenure as vice president of communications with the U.S. Ski Team culminated trackside with the historic Olympic gold medal of Jessie Diggins and Kikkan Randall at the PyeongChang Olympic Games. That year, he retired from the U.S. Ski Team and was recognized by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee with its Building Dreams Award before being inducted into the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame in 2019. Even in retirement, he's remained active in Olympic sport and as one of the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team's biggest fans.   This episode of the Cross Country Skier Podcast is possible thanks to the support of Madshus Nordic Skis. It's also possible thanks to support from our listeners—if you like what you hear and would like to hear more, please make a contribution.

The legend is set in stone: Kikkan Randall brought a new intensity and bottom-line results to the U.S. Ski Team. Three overall sprint globes to her name, five Olympics, a bronze at the 2017 Lahti World Champs in the skate sprint, a silver at the 2009 Liberec, Czech Republic World Champs skate sprint, a gold at the 2013 Val di Fiemme, Italy World Champs in the team sprint (with Diggins), and the 2018 Olympic Gold in PyeongChang's team sprint. Stellar. Her story is infused with her firm belief in team and the matter of fact grit she brings to life as a cancer survivor. Let's not forget she is a proud mom. She remains legend material. We are stoked to have her on the show. You can follow Kikkan on IG @kikkanimal, her website is kikkan.com  

“Healthy, happy and balanced athletes are the ones that make it across the finish line again and again throughout a long career and leave a legacy” - Jessie DigginsWelcome to Episode 37 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, featuring cross-country skier and Olympic gold medalist, Jessie Diggins.You may remember seeing Jessie at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, where she became the first American, along with her teammate Kikkan Randall, to win a gold medal in cross-country skiing after a nail-biting race to the finish at the women's team sprint event. (If you haven't watched this, please stop what you're doing right now and go check it out for some MAJOR inspiration!) Perhaps you've also been following along her journey as an advocate for eating disorder care and recovery, which started after she opened up about her struggles with bulimia as a teenager. She sought help through the Emily Program, which she credits as literally saving her life and allowing her to become the incredible athlete she is today. She also addresses her many struggles and triumphs in her recently published book, Brave Enough.  Or, if you happen to be a cross-country skiing fan, you may have seen that she won the Tour de Ski (the ski equivalent of the Tour de France) last month - reaching one of her major career goals while setting history once again as the first American to ever win. And if somehow you have never heard of Jessie Diggins, then I am SO thrilled to introduce her to you. She is not only an amazing athlete dominating her sport for many years now, but also a great role model for other young athletes and such a fun, positive, and down-to-earth person. She truly brings sparkle to the athletic world, between the glitter on her face, her energetic personality, and all the medals she has won (and she has won a lot - Jessie holds the most World Cup podium finishes for any American male or female in cross country skiing).Jessie, thank you again for spending time chatting with me! It was such an honor having you on the show, and I'm so grateful that you are using your platform to demonstrate to the athletic world that eating adequately and enjoying food rather than restricting and obsessing about weight is key to athletic success, overall health, and happiness.  Learn More About Jessie:Jessie's Website: https://jessiediggins.comJessie on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter Some great blog posts focused on nutrition as well as her eating disorder:  https://jessiediggins.com/body-issues/ https://jessiediggins.com/lets-talk-training-fuel-part-1/ https://jessiediggins.com/training-fuel-part-2-the-actual-food/Other Announcements:Please show your support by leaving a rating and/or review on iTunes Have nutrition questions, a guest or topic request, or any other feedback? Email me - eatforendurance@gmail.com.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/eatforendurance)

In this episode, we have the honor of speaking with Olympic Gold Medallist and Cross Country Skier, Kikkan Randall! Kikkan learned to ski before she could walk and has made it to the biggest podium in the world! The fastest woman in Alaska on skis is here to tell us all about her ski career, winning a Gold Medal, beating breast cancer, setting records, and about some go to songs for her pre-race routine. And so much more heartfelt advice and tips! A must listen!

Hi everyone welcome back to another inspiring episode with me Lana Farinha Christmas is almost here and this year has been without a doubt a challenging and unexpected year for everyone. I think one thing that showed me was that life is unexpected and change is always occurring, knowing how to adapt to a given situation is key. This Christmas will be different but my call for you is to try to think that these covid times are not going to forever so stay safe, smile and have faith that better times are coming your way.So in today's episode, we have a special guest, Kikkan Randall she is one of the best American cross-country skiers in history, having made five straight Olympic teams and winning America's first-ever gold medal in cross-country skiing at the Winter Olympics in 2018. Kikkan has had a bumpy road but her strong personality helped her tackle goals in the field of sports, and the battle through cancer after a diagnosis in 2018. Today she speaks openly about keeping a strong mindset and overcoming life's obstacles as well as her pregnancy and motherhood journey.Thank you for listening Wishing everyone a happy Christmas Lana x Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dayswithl)

Join host, Dr. Eleonora Teplinsky, as she speaks with Kikkan Randall. Kikkan is a cross…

Kikkan Randall is a 5 time Olympian, 17 time US National Champion, and is an Olympic Gold Medalist. She also won the overall Sprint World Cup 3 times and was World Champion. This is part 2 of a 2 part interview. If you haven’t seen part 1 yet, please watch that before watching this one. We talk about coming back from having her baby Breck and winning a World Championship Bronze medal, winning Olympic Gold in the team sprint, pink hair, what Alaska means to her, being a mother, dealing with breast cancer, and resilience. Listen and learn from a truly great person.   

Kikkan Randall has 262 starts in World Cup, World Championships, and Olympic games. Of these international starts, she has reached the podium in individual races 31 times including 13 victories. Kikkan has won the overall Sprint World Cup 3 times and was 3rd in the overall World Cup in 2013. In the 2018 Olympic Games Kikkan won the gold medal in the team sprint with Jessie Diggins. In addition to her 17 US National Championship titles, this 5 time Olympian won individual silver and bronze medals as well as a Team Sprint gold medal in World Championships. Kikkan is also deservedly well known for the countless hours that she has devoted to Fast and Female in the past. In April 2018 Kikkan was diagnosed with breast cancer.  A long time Alaska resident, Kikkan and her 4 year old son Breck currently live in British Columbia. We speak about Kikkan's childhood, how she got into skiing, her meteoric rise to the top of Nordic skiing in the US, the process that she undertook to reach the top of the world's elite, and dealing with disappointment. 

Just two months after winning Olympic gold in cross country skiing, Kikkan Randall was diagnosed with breast cancer. How did she use what she learned from training for five Olympic games to help her on her cancer journey? Listen to her inspiring story and see how being a part of a team was the catalyst for healing. 

The inaugural episode of No Time to Waste kicks off with 5X Olympian and one of the most decorated XC skiers in the sport, Kikkan Randall. Hear her story of getting diagnosed with breast cancer just three months after winning Gold in 2018 and after completing a year of grueling treatments, finishing sub-3 hr at the NYC Marathon. NOTE: This episode was originally recorded on IG LIve (never meant to become a podcast) so the audio might not be ideal - but hey, I don't have time to waste. Check out Season 2! @kikkanimal www.kikkan.com More at @notimetowasteproject and www.notimetowasteproject.com

What's it like to become the first Olympian for your country in the sport of skeleton? Israeli athlete AJ Edelman tells us about his experiences in the sport of skeleton and his current work in building up Israel's bobsled and skeleton team in hopes of competing at the Beijing 2022 Olympics. Follow AJ on Insta and Twitter! Follow the Israeli bobsled team and check out its website. TKFLASTANIS in action: Tom Scott was profiled by the World Karate Federation Marnie McBean's speaking this weekend Kikkan Randall on retiring from sport Other big news: It's our 3rd anniversary this week, and we've got a gift for you! We're announcing our 2021 Book Club books and Movie Club movies. We hope you're as excited about the selections as we are! If you'd like to celebrate our anniversary, please support the show. We accept ongoing donations at Patreon -- at our lowest level, each show is just $.25! Or, save up your quarters and make a one time donation at Paypal. We appreciate your support! Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

Connect with Kikkan.  Instagram: KikkAnimal Kikkan is an Olympic Skiing SUPERSTAR!  Period.  Kikkan debuted at the Olympics in her hometown of Salt Lake City in 2002.  How cool is that?  She then competed in 4 MORE Olympic games throughout her incredible skiing career.  Kikkan helped shape the United States Olympic Ski Team into the powerhouse that it currently is.  She’s a trailblazer and ultimate leader and teammate. Kikkan is a 5x Olympian.  She’s a 17x National Champion.  She has 29 World Cup Podiums.  Kikkan has 13 World Cup Victories.  She was the first American Woman to win a World Cup event.  This woman is just simply amazing. Then, 3 months after Kikkan reached her lifelong goal of becoming a Gold Medal Olympian, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.  The way she tells the story is both difficult to hear but also so inspiring to listen to.  Kikkan is taking on cancer just like she took on any competitive event.  She doesn’t quit.  She works her butt off.  And she refuses to give anything less than her best.  Enjoy this episode because it has every emotion within it and Kikkan gives us so many takeaways we can implement into our own lives.

If 2020 was a normal year, we would've just said good-bye to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics--and many athletes would be making big decisions about their futures. Since many athletes retire after an Olympics, we wanted to look at how elite athletes transition out of competitive life. To help us understand this topic, we talked with Leslie Klein, an Olympian who most recently was the Director of Athlete Career and Education (ACE) at the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee until the COVID-19 pandemic eliminated her position. She told us about the efforts of Team USA and other National Olympic Committees to help their athletes plan for life beyond sport. In our visit to TKFLASTAN, we read Phil Andrews thoughts on leadership during COVID-19 and heard how Kikkan Randall plans comebacks. Also, Team Canada has released its Olympic kit (we definitely have some thoughts about this, which are hindered by Alison's attempt to be more positive), and the Hungarian Olympic Committee is now branding itself as Magyarock. A huge thank you to our Patreon patrons, who keep this show afloat. If you appreciate what we do, please consider becoming a patron. Can't do a monthly donation? We're set up for one-time donations as well. We love to hear from you! Leave us a VM at 208-FLAME-IT or join our Facebook group! Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

You will learn about:(03:19) How Kikkan got interested in cross-country skiing(06:23) Why is cross-country skiing so amazing?(07:02) How fast do you get going on cross-country skis?(08:02) What was the intensity and training schedule for Kikkan as an elite ski racer?(11:11) Strategies for handling the pressures of competitive skiing at a young ski racer(13:52) Kikkan's advice on how to handle setbacks.(19:22) How Kikkan returned to competition after having a baby(23:35) The 2018 PyeongChang Olympics(32:09) How Kikkan drew strength and inspiration when she received a  stage II breast cancer diagnosis(39:40) The NYC marathon(42:21) Kikkan's best tips for fitness comebacks(46:56) What can the U.S. do in terms of continuing to improve the competitiveness with the Europeans(50:35) What is Kikkan's organization Fast and Female and what is the mission?(51:57) Kikkan's best piece of adviceConnect with Kikkan: Kikkan.com InstagramFacebook TwitterFastandfemale.com To purchase Kikkan's, "It's Going to be OK!" socks click HEREFor show notes click HEREConnect with Madeline & Becca HEREFollow us HEREIf you enjoyed this episode it would mean the world to us if you could leave a review for The Madeline and Becca Podcast on iTunes HEREIf you are interested in being a guest on our show or have topics you would like us to highlight, please email us: info@madelineandbecca.comOn The Madeline & Becca Podcast, we chat with leading women from a variety of industries about their career journeys and how they developed professional self-confidence. Produced by Madeline and Becca 

Kikkan “Kikkanimal” Randall is an Olympic champion, active mom, cancer fighter and “Get-Activist.” In this episode, she shares how her positive attitude and athlete mentality have helped her navigate a breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, and she shares valuable advice for both oncologists and patients. Intro :14 About Randall :17 The interview 1:56 Tell us a bit about you. Who are you? How did you get to where you are and how did you decide you wanted to be a part of the U.S. Olympic cross-country ski team? 2:18 How were you diagnosed? 4:44 How old were you when you first realized that you had this pebble in your breast? 6:00 What type of mentality is it that makes you such a phenomenal Olympic athlete that you were able to translate into this taking charge of your health and taking charge of your cancer as you move forward? 7:54 What was the best way for you to cope as you felt this loss of control going through your treatment in certain times? 10:40 What did you do to prepare for your clinic visits when you were trying to advocate for yourself? 14:53 How did you navigate the disease with your son? 20:10 How long do they recommend for you to wait to try again (to conceive)? Did you have those conversations? 23:40 Do you feel like you are mentally approaching this period of your post-cancer care or your post-treatment time? 27:22 Randall running a marathon following the completion of her treatment 31:40 How did you get involved with Healthy Futures and Fast and Female, and what exactly do they do? 35:15 Did the way that you participate in advocacy change after you were diagnosed with cancer? 40:02 One thing you wish oncologists knew when they are treating patients with any kind of cancer, and one thing patients should know if they’re newly diagnosed? 45:40 How to find Randall 47:39 We’d love to hear from you! Send your comments/questions to Dr. Jain at oncologyoverdrive@healio.com. Kikkan Randall can be reached at kikkan.com. Follow us on Twitter @HemOncToday @ShikhaJainMD Kikkan Randall is an Olympic champion, active mom, cancer fighter and “Get-Activist.” Disclosures: Jain reports she is a paid freelance writer for Lippincott.

Kikkan Randal, 5x Olympic Cross Country Ski Racer from Alaska. The First American Skier to win a Gold Medal at the Winter Olympics in Women’s Team Sprint Event in Pyeongchang in 2018 describes her journey in sport as strong, patient, and fun. Kikkan inspires us all to not be afraid to DREAM BIG. She describes the power of setting goals and how putting things together one step at a time will ultimately lead to crushing your biggest goals. Kikkan inspires us all, regardless of sport, to set a goal and create a plan to achieve it - she emphasizes the power of creating a great team to do it with you and how mastering visualization and how studying the craft of your sport can lead to Olympic medals.“Think about where you want to go, how you are going to get there and then get excited about heading on the journey to get there” - Kikkan Randall

Time, Pressure, & Productivity! Professional skier Michelle Parker, mountain endurance athlete Jason Antin, Olympic gold medalist Kikkan Randall, and Range founder Jeanine Pesce come together to talk about balancing time, pressures to be productive, and how to enjoy the moment. This is a replay from the Stoked From Home online summit by The Stokecast. Hosted by Jonathan Ronzio and Emily Holland.

Cross-country skiing superstars Jessie Diggins and Kikkan Randall join Laughter Permitted. Jessie and Kikkan teamed up to win gold at the 2018 Winter Olympics in the women's team sprint event, but their stories don't end there. Shortly after the Olympics, Kikkan was diagnosed with breast cancer. Now in remission, she is outspoken about her experience in order to help others. Jessie recently came out with a book "Brave Enough," in which she opens up about her struggle with an eating disorder in her late teens, and how she ultimately healed, then went on to become an Olympic champion. Stay tuned for "Questions Permitted" as Lynn gets the scoop from Julie about the recent 99ers movie announcement.

Tom Kelly was the voice of the US Ski and Snowboard team for 30 years. He worked 10 Olympics and as the athletes racked up 100 medals at the Olympics, Tom would be in the finish area for 75 of those medals and 50 more at World Championship events. From Lindsey Vonn, Mikaela Shiffrin, Jesse Diggins, Kikkan Randall, Shaun White, Kelly Clark, Bode Miller, Tommy Moe, Picabo Street, Daron Rahvles, Julia, Mancuso, Brita Sigourney, David Wise, Jonny Moseley, Jeremy Bloom, Nikki Stone, Eric Bergoust, Hannah Kearney, Ted Ligety and Billy Demong to name just a few! “TK” as he is known by most of the athletes has seen success at the highest levels of sport. In 2019 Tom was inducted into the US Ski and Snowboard Hall Of Fame. He is a noted public speaker and hosts several podcasts under the “Behind The Gold” brand. Tom also runs a consulting company called Tom Kelly Communications. You can find Tom on LinkedIn and follow him on Instagram @tomkellyolympic . #whatdrivesyou #success #usskiteam #usskiandsnowboard #olympics #gold #winter #alpine #nordic #freestyle #snowboard #racing #winner #champion #halloffame #legend #authentic #genuine #tk #communications #skiing #snowboarding #downhill #travel #pr #publicrelations #bestintheworld #shaunwhite #behindthegold

We could all use a smile or two right now, and we believe this interview will give you just that. Jessie Diggins and her teammate Kikkan Randall won the first ever gold medal for the US in cross country skiing in the Winter Olympics in 2018. You might remember the epic finish as Jessie outsprinted a Swedish and Norwegian athlete to earn gold by half a ski before collapsing and being jumped on by Kikkan in celebration. It was a beautiful moment, but as you will learn in this interview with Kara and Chris, Jessie's story is so much bigger than one moment. She was on skis before she could walk and showed promise early on. We talk about her journey as a clean athlete from her childhood to early success as a ski racer in high school and then her entry into international racing against the dominant Nordic countries. She discusses a day in the life of training and how the US has made such great strides internationally in the sport, even before her Olympic medal. She tells the story of her own battle with an eating disorder and how she shifted her mindset to focus on what her body can do vs. how it looks. In addition, she gives insight into the clean sport culture in XC ski racing and how she was heartbroken just last year when an athlete she knew was busted for blood doping. Then finally, she takes us through her gold medal race moment by moment from her mindset on the start line through to every pole push down the finishing straight and how she didn't even know who jumped on her in celebration because she was seeing stars from the effort.  As we said, Jessie's positive energy will make you smile, and we couldn't be more excited and honored to have her on the podcast. Join Jessie for the virtual launch of her book Brave Enough on April 7th at 11 am EST. You can find all of the details here: https://loft.org/olympic-training-jessie-diggins We can't wait to read her full story. She is brave enough indeed.

Kikkan Randall is a lot of things - a 14 year member of the US Ski team, a mom, a cancer survivor, an entrepreneur, and, alongside Jessie Diggins, the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in the sport of Cross Country Skiing. This episode dives into all aspect of her life and the ways in which community has supported her in skiing, in battling cancer, and now, in whatever she tackles next!Check out more about Kikkan:Website: https://kikkan.comInstagram: @kikkanimal---Learn more about The Sideline Perspective:Website: http://thesidelineperspective.comSubmit Your Story: http://thesidelineperspective.com/submit/Instagram: @thesidelineperspectiveSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/thesidelineperspective)

One moment she was riding high off taking gold in nordic skiing at the olympics, a first for the U.S., and the next she was receiving a breast cancer diagnosis.  But Kikkan Randall doesn’t take life’s challenges lying down. Not only did she fight cancer, she did so while staying active, proving that spending time outside and moving your body isn’t just possible no matter what, it’s necessary.    Kikkan joined us on The Humans Outside Podcast to talk nature therapy, kid raising, fighting cancer, body image and even a sneak peak on what’s next for her.    Things mentioned in the show:   Happy Socks, designed by Kikkan during her cancer fight and made by Darn Tough: https://shop.kikkan.com/   Kikkan’s favorite piece of outdoor gear: Her cross country skis (surprise!), Fischer Speedmax 3D Skate Plus: https://www.fischersports.com/ca_en/speedmax-3d-skate-plus-1172?c=4925   Kikkan’s most essential outdoor gear:  LL Bean Neoshell Jacket (designed with her help!): https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/91143?page=womens-beans-neoshell-jacket-color-block-misses   Bonus! Kikkan’s LL Bean page: https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/517974?page=kikkan-randall&nav=C4t517974-517973   Follow Kikkan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kikkanimal/   -----   Register for our newsletter for a chance to win a free Humans Outside decal: https://humansoutside.com/contact-us/  Don’t forget to follow @HumansOutside on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/humansoutside/ Share your own outdoor life with the hashtag #humansoutside365.   Connect with us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HumansOutside/   How are you spending your outdoor time? Leave us a message and we might feature you on our weekly Outdoor Diary episode. Call ‪(360) 362-5317‬.

Five-time Olympian cross-country skier and cancer survivor Kikkan Randall spoke at the Chat with Champions event about how to combat negative thoughts. Plus, a last question with figure skater with figure skater Kate Wang.

Of the many story lines that came of the New York Marathon this November, perhaps the most inspiring was the performance of Kikkan Randall. The 35-year-old was racing in her first-ever marathon, yet she finished 51st among all women and 12th in her age group. It was impressive, even for Randall, one of the most accomplished cross-country ski racers in American history, especially when you consider that just 18 months earlier, she’d been diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer. *Outside *contributor Stephanie Joyce talks to Randall about her pattern of coming back stronger from tough times and failure, and where she goes from here.

When Jessie Diggins crossed the finish line during the team sprint at the PyeongChang Olympic Games she, along with teammate Kikkan Randall, became the first U.S. cross country skier to win a medal at that level since 1976. In this episode we sit down with Jessie to hear how her life has changed since that day, how it has affected her perspective on skiing and what she's looking ahead to in the coming season. This episode of the Cross Country Skier Podcast is possible thanks to the support of  Skida Headwear & Accessories.

This week we talk with Olympic hopeful Madelynn Gorman-Shore to understand how the sport of Taekwondo works. We learn that it's much more than just kicking people in the head, it's also the sport of very expensive socks. Follow Madelynn on Insta! In our Team Olympic Fever update, Josh Williamson is starting off his bobsled season right; XC skier Kikkan Randall has a sweet new appointment; and hockey referee Jessica Leclerc is featured in the New York Times. We also have the latest in the Tokyo 2020 maranovela saga. The maranovela is sadly taking the spotlight over other Tokyo 2020 news, including the main stadium being completed. Plus, the IOC's got a brand-new sponsor in AirBnb, which is going to sponsor the Games through 2028. We talk about that development….could we have the makings of a hotelnovela?! Thanks to sponsor PinCollector.com – love to collect and trade Olympic pins? This is the online trading place for collectors! If you liked this episode, you might also like: Episode 46: Judo with Jimmy Pedro Episode 51: How Olympic Wrestling Works with Jason Bryant Episode 108: Olympic Hopeful Tom Scott on Karate Photo courtesy of USA Taekwondo DISCLAIMER: OLYMPIC® is a trademark of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (“USOPC”). Any use of OLYMPIC® in the Olympic Fever podcast is strictly for informational and commentary purposes. The Olympic Fever podcast is not an official podcast of the USOPC. The Olympic Fever podcast is not a sponsor of the USOPC, nor is Olympic Fever associated with or endorsed by USOPC in any way. The content of Olympic Fever podcast does not reflect the opinions, standards, views, or policies of the USOPC, and the USOPC in no way warrants that content featured in Olympic Fever is accurate.

Carrie chats with Olympic gold medalist and 5-time Olympian Kikkan Randall! They discuss her progress with beating cancer, motherhood, skiing, running, and preparing for the 2019 TCS NYC Marathon.

17 U.S. National titles, 17 U.S. Championships, 16 podiums in the Stage World Cup, five-time Winter Olympian, one Olympic gold medal. That's cross-country skiing star Kikkan Randall's career in numbers, but there's so much more to her story than that.Kikkan Randall is the embodiment of achieving your childhood dreams—she knew from the time she was 5 years old that she wanted to be an Olympic skier. Her dream came true 14 years later, when she competed in her first Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City in 2002 at the age of 19. She finished in 44th place and immediately worked out a 10-year plan to make it to the podium—a goal she finally achieved at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, bringing home gold in the women's team sprint at 35 years old. But her story's bigger than her gold medal: she's an inspirational speaker, community leader, and a cancer survivor. If you've been holding on to a long-time dream, let this conversation with Kikkan inspire you to see it through to reality, no matter how much or how long it may take.

Kikkan Randall had a fairytale ending to her athletic career. She helped win the US’ first ever gold in cross-country skiing at the 2018 Olympics. Just weeks later, her retirement started off with a nightmare. Randall was diagnosed with breast cancer. Today, a story of side-by-side emotional extremes and putting the champion mindset to an unthinkable test. Listen now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Troy and Mike sit down for an inspiring conversation with Kikkan Randall. Olympic Gold medal winning cross country skier, breast cancer survivor and pure inspiration. She embodies “Go Because You Can” --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/monsterandsea/support

In this episode featuring Kikkan Randall, we discuss her early days as a skier and how she got started in the sport. We dive into her battle with cancer and what her inspiration is that allows her to keep fighting every day. Lastly, we talk about transitioning into life after sports and some of the opportunities she’s been able to take advantage of during her Olympic career.

In April of 2018, Kikkan Randall sat down with Charles Wohlforth on Outdoor Explorer and reflected on the final race of her skiing career. As all of Alaska knows, that race resulted in the first gold medal by Americans in Nordic Skiing. She was happily looking forward to a new phase of life, moving with […]

In this episode, Kikkan Randall, the United States' first Olympic gold medalist in cross-country skiing, joins the podcast to share her personal journey with breast cancer. Kikkan has competed in 5 Olympics and finished the last Olympics with the gold medal in the team sprint. Kikkan also leads the nonprofit Fast and Female working to keep girls in sports. She also works with the Olympic committee, does motivational speaking and was the only mom on team USA in the 2018 Olympics. Special Guest: Kikkan Randall.

(ATR) Kikkan Randall, IOC member in the U.S. has just finished her first session as an IOC member. The gold medal cross country skier at the 2018 Olympics was also elected to the IOC Athletes Commission and a seat on the IOC by fellow athletes.

Winning an Olympic Gold Medal in her final Olympics might be the most interesting thing about Kikkan Randall. But, after listening to this conversation, you'll hear why it also might not be. Kikkan is an incredibly insightful, thoughtful, well spoken, ambassador to xc-skiing as much as she is an ambassador to motherhood amid an Olympic career. She's a cancer survivor, wife, friend, and at least seventeen hundred other descriptors you'll pick up on today's pod; suffice it to say that Kikkan is a rockstar. Please enjoy this conversation that touches on the highlights, the low moments, the comebacks from injury, the importance and perspective of family, her ability to process and see this whole sport and life as an interesting process. Also, please spend five minutes and check out How the Race Was Won: https://vimeo.com/257323813 And when you're done there, visit her It's Going to be Okay socks store: https://shop.kikkan.com/collections/socks And all things Kikkan Randall, www.kikkan.com

Kikkan Randall is an American, Olympic champion cross-country skier. Kikkan won a gold medal in the winter olypmics in 2018. A few months later, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.  In this episode, we chat about her experiences as an olympian, along with her cancer diagnosis and how she moved through treatment. 

Imagine winning your countries first gold medal and then coming home to find out you have cancer.  That's the reality that Kikkan Randall faced in 2018 after the Winter Olympics in Pyeong Chang.  In this conversation, Kikkan talks about what it took to become an Olympic gold medalist and how she has used that training to overcome her latest challenge of beating cancer.  

Sometimes we choose to do things that push us out of our comfort zones. Sometimes those things happen to us and we have to dig in, embrace the discomfort and use all of our tools to push through. Kikkan Randall has experienced both categories. Kikkan is a lifelong skier. Her family moved to Alaska when she was young so most of her formative years were spent there. She’s a talent. Pure and simple. A natural athlete who gravitated to skiing. She has competed in 5 Olympic games. FIVE! While she raced at the top level in the world for over 15 years, it wasn’t until 2018 when she and her teammate Jessie Diggins won gold in the Team Sprint – the first ever gold medals in that event! Kikkan’s athletic career alone is something we can all glean knowledge and inspiration from. But the next chapter of her life started three months after her gold medal. She was officially retired when she felt a lump on her breast and was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer at 35 years old. This is the chapter she’s still writing. Through it all, she has used exercise as a tool to help during treatments and guess what? Just for kicks, she jumped into her first endurance race – the  50km Birkie! Like me (racing the 29km Korte), she was also stepping outside of her comfort zone and doing a long distance race for the first time. Today we talk about: Alaska: Growing up in eccentric Alaskan culture as a runner and a skier What it took to become a pro/elite skier The 10 year plan Competing at the top level in the world for over 15 years How she met her husband Jeff Ellis & their evolution as a married couple pursuing athletic dreams - separately and together Becoming a mom (to now 3 year old Breck) THE RACE! What it took to win GOLD in PyeongChang 2018 Why teamwork is the key to success Cancer: how, why & what now Jumping into the Birkie & exercising through her treatments What we didn't talk about: Her non-profit Fast & Female - Kikkan is empowering girls everyday! Kikkan is a very special person. Since this interview, ESPNW wrote an article about Kikkan and described what they call “the Kikkan Effect.” Here’s how the author Bonnie Ford describes it, “a powerful vortex evident long before her diagnosis. It pulls people toward her and spins them back out, doing things they might otherwise resist. They hear her in their heads: Come on. It'll be fun. We'll be better.” I think Kikkan is just one of those people who on the outside is like the girl next door, so she’s real and approachable, but on the inside is like a superhero, able to push herself mentally and physically further than most people can ever imagine. But the effect is real. Her Positivity is contagious. Post-Note: Back to the Birkie for a minute. It’s funny. We texted before and after the start. I told her there was a bet to see who would win – me in the 29k or Kikkan in the 50k. At 2:48, she texted me this sentence, “That was hard.” I wrote back, “I can’t wait to hear about it. But the most awesome thing is that I beat you.” Of course she averaged 3:22 per k for 50k and I averaged 5:13 per k for 29k but a bet’s a bet. So the Kikkan effect has begun! How to follow Kikkan Her website kikkan.com Instagram @kikkanimal Facebook @kikkanrandall Fast & Female

For more from this episode: https://exploreinspired.com/kikkan-randall Hosts: Jonathan Ronzio & Emily Holland Editor: Chris Plante / CP Pro Audio

When Kikkan Randall was 5 years old, she decided she was going to the Olympics for skiing.  Most 5 year olds have lofty and cute dreams that rarely come to fruition.  That wasn't the case for Kikkan.  Not only did she make it to her first Olympics for cross-country skiing at just 19 years old, but she has 5 Olympic Games under her belt.  Kikkan's house might tip over with all the medals as a 17x US National Champion, 16 podiums at World Cups, and to top it off - a shiny Olympic Gold medal that she won in Pyeongchang in 2018.  2 years before Pyeonchang, Kikkan gave birth to her son.  Truly, she is wonderwoman. Kikkan decided to retire after the 2018 Olympics and winter season.  She was on as major high until one night, she found a couple small lumps in her breast.  The doctors assured it was probably nothing, but Kikkan couldn't help be feel worried.  The doctor came out to talk to her after her mammogram and uttered that she had Stage 2 breast cancer. This podcast from start to finish is very powerful.  It's a story of how Kikkan has achieved such amazing things in her life, her unshakable champion mindset that drives her to stay positive, and her mission sharing her journey being treated and healing from breast cancer. You might just listen to this episode a couple of times!   "The color pink has taken on a new chapter in my life as I was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Although we caught it early and the prognosis is good, my life will change quite a bit in the coming months. It's a scary thing to learn you have cancer and I have wondered every day since how this could have possibly happened to me. But I have promised myself that I will remain positive and active and determined throughout my treatment. I am going to bring as much tenacity, strength, and energy toward this challenge as I have throughout my entire career." -Kikkan Randall (as quoted on her website) Topics Discussed in the Podcast  How Kikkan created a road map to Olympic Gold How Kikkan stayed engaged during her 20+ year career How to deal with nerves What it meant to be the first US skiier to win gold Kikkan's life as a mother of a toddler How it felt when she was diagnosed with breast cancer Staying active every day through chemo Kikkan's positivity keeps her going  Listen Now   Links Kikkan Randall's website Kikkan's Instagram Support the Show If you would like to support the growth my show, I'd love your contribution on.  Patreon.  The current production of this free show is primarily supported out of my own pocket and a small portion is covered through the donations on Patreon. With my Patreon page, you can donate directly to the show which will help me cover the costs and help it grow! Even 4 bucks a month- the cost of one coffee per month helps a LOT! Thanks, I really appreciate your support! Crowdfunding on Patreon – thank you! Shop my products!  Leave a review or share on social media Don't forget to subscribe! Apple Podcasts Stitcher Google Play Spotify Thanks for listening!

Tough Girl Kikkan Randall - 5X Olympian, Olympic champion cross-country skier 2018 & World Champion, “Get-Activist” and Mom Athlete.   Kikkan Randall is an American, Olympic champion cross-country skier. She has won 17 U.S. National titles, taken home 17 U.S. Championships, made 16 podiums in the Stage World Cup, made five trips to the Winter Olympic Games and had the highest finish by an individual U.S. woman at the World Championships (2nd in the Sprint FS at Liberec, CZE in 2009). She was the first American female cross-country skier to take a top ten finish in World Cup competition, to win a World Cup race and to win a World Cup discipline title. She won the silver medal in the individual sprint at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2009 in Liberec, becoming the first American woman to win a medal in cross country skiing at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, and in 2013 teamed up with Jessica Diggins to win the first ever American FIS Nordic World Ski Championships gold medal in the team sprint. She and Diggins won the United States' first ever cross-country skiing gold medal at the Winter Olympics in women's team sprint at Pyeongchang in 2018.   Show notes Retiring from cross country skiing and being diagnosed with breast cancer Seeing herself in a number of different ways Being focused, energetic and determined Where her name comes from What life was like for her growing up Being on skies since she was 1 years old Growing up in an active family Starting cross country skiing at age 6 - but not loving it at first Setting goals at a young age Having benchmarks to reach which help to keep her motivated Creating her roadmap to the Olympics The female role models she had growing up The motivation to keep going to get her Olympic gold medal Patience Working to fund her training Getting out of the dark places in her mind and how she changed it around The 2008 season - the high points and low points What a week looks like for an athlete at this level Spending a lot of time being her own best cheerleader The 2018 Winter Olympics (her 5th and final) The race and winning gold! What happened next, after 20 years of chasing a goal!! Finding out she had breast cancer Being diagnosed and what it was like Staying practical and focusing on what she can control Get Activist - what it means and where it comes from “Little goals, small success. build your confidence and become the person you want to be” Having her son, 2 years before the Olympics and the impact on her life Having an amazing support system in place Social Media Website - https://www.kikkan.com  Instagram - @kikkanimal   Facebook -  @kikkanrandall  Twitter - @kikkanimal 

Dawn Harper Nelson, gold medalist at Beijing 2008 and silver medalist at London 2012 in the 100m hurdles, explains how to approach a hurdle race. Plus, Jill has a startling confession--or perhaps you'd call it a b-confession. So many links for you this week. First off, follow Dawn: Twitter:@DHarp100mH Insta:https://www.instagram.com/dharp100mh/ Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/dawnharpernelson www.dawnharpernelson.com   Some of the videos of her that we mentioned on the show: Watch her do some exercises and be all inspirational. Her victory at Beijing 2008. Her silver medal race at London 2012. A snippet of her Aha Talk. We'll have Dawn back on next week -- she'll go into her victory at Beijing, her silver at London and the crushing blow she felt at the Rio Olympic Trials. Also, the dulcet tones of Team member Jason Bryant will be lighting up an arena in Budapest at the World Wrestling Championships. Catch those here -- and they're also going to be on NBC Olympics this weekend! Check out Finn Sisu's Kikkan Randall ski pole fundraiser. Also, here's a look at the recently released cycling course for Tokyo 2020 -- views of Fuji-san, everyone!! Don't forget about our latest Book Club selection, Running for My Life by Lopez Lomong. It takes an enormous amount of time and effort to put together this show, and we're trying to raise the funds to continue to make it possible. Other ways you can support us where we earn some bucks: Patreon! Don't have money? No problem! We also need to keep finding our people -- we know there are more out there, and you can help us find them: Nominate us for a Discover Pod award! Share us with your family, friends, connections and followers on all of your socials! We've seen some of this in action already--thank you so much for getting our name out there! And some fun for you: Join our Facebook Group, where you can shoot the breeze with your fellow Olympic fans. You never know...you might get a sneak peek and give some input on future shows! DISCLAIMER: OLYMPIC® is a trademark of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (“USOPC”). Any use of OLYMPIC® in the Olympic Fever podcast is strictly for informational and commentary purposes. The Olympic Fever podcast is not an official podcast of the USOPC. The Olympic Fever podcast is not a sponsor of the USOPC, nor is Olympic Fever associated with or endorsed by USOPC in any way. The content of Olympic Fever podcast does not reflect the opinions, standards, views, or policies of the USOPC, and the USOPC in no way warrants that content featured in Olympic Fever is accurate.

Kikkan Randall is an Olympic champion cross-country skier. She has won 17 U.S. National titles, taken home 17 U.S. Championships, made 16 podiums in the Stage World Cup, made five trips to the Winter Olympic Games and had the highest finish by an individual U.S. woman at the World Championships (2nd in the Sprint FS at Liberec, CZE in 2009). She was the first American female cross-country skier to take a top ten finish in World Cup competition, to win a World Cup race and to win a World Cup discipline title.[2] She won the silver medal in the individual sprint at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2009 in Liberec, becoming the first American woman to win a medal in cross country skiing at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, and in 2013 teamed up with Jessica Diggins to win the first ever American FIS Nordic World Ski Championships gold medal in the team sprint. She and Diggins won the United States' first ever cross-country skiing gold medal at the Winter Olympics in women's team sprint at Pyeongchang in 2018.   If you have not seen that race, I encourage you to go check it out before you listen. It is off the hook dramatic and awesome! Kikkan has had quite a year. Shortly after winning Olympic Gold, at the peak of her career, she learned she will have to wage a new battle: breast cancer.   We cover a lot in this conversation. I was curious to know how she handles big performance days. What is it like the morning before an Olympic Gold medal win, ya know? I get butterflies just heading out to our local trail race. She walks us through her training program at a high level. We talk about her battle with breast cancer, her pledge to stay active, focused and positive through it. Lastly, I asked Kikkan about her community engagement. So many athletes inspired her as a kid. She pays it forward now.   With that, let’s listen in and gear up for what’s next!   Resources mentioned and where to find Kikkan.  NBC coverage of Kikkan and Jessie bringing home the Gold for the U.S. Kikkan’s video blog Fast and female Website   About Lisa Gerber: Lisa advises CEOs and senior level management on how to use the power of storytelling and effective communication to influence action and bring ideas to life.   She guides companies through the digital maze of constantly changing tools to build discovery, loyalty, and ultimately help them achieve their own big leaps.   When she is not in her office, she might be out skiing or trail running. This is where she does her best creative problem solving.   To learn more about booking Lisa for consulting, speaking or workshops, visit www.bigleapcreative.com.

In late August, U.S. Ski Team (USST) Head Coach Chris Grover broke his own news, releasing three new sets of criteria on behalf of U.S. Ski & Snowboard, the national governing body for cross-country skiing. The three separate documents discussed by Grover and linked in his blog disclosed the selection criteria for World Cup and World Cup Period 1 team selection,  2019 World Ski Championships (WSC) in Seefeld, Austria, and the 2019/2020 national team. U.S. Ski Team Head Coach Chris Grover (front) with (from left to right) Simi Hamilton, Paddy Caldwell, Erik Bjornsen, and Ian Torchia on top of the Roc Cornafion above Villard-de-Lans, France, during a training camp this summer. (Photo: Chris Grover) Grover and new USST development coach Gus Kaeding spoke with FasterSkier for its podcast on Sept. 11 to highlight some of the updated criteria and provide context for the modifications. (A lightly edited conversation with Grover and Kaeding is available on the Nordic Nation podcast. Warning: you may want to time your listening for a 1.5-hour road trip or dish duty after a crowded dinner party. It's a lengthy discussion.) New U.S. Cross Country Development Coach Gus Kaeding. (Photo: Sarah Brunson/U.S. Ski & Snowboard) World Cup Selection Criteria Considering World Cup Period 1 starts, Grover stated in the following interview and in accordance with the selection criteria, the discretionary picks were made in consult with a larger working group. That group is comprised of four national-team staff coaches — Grover, Matt Whitcomb, Jason Cork, and Kaeding — as well as Dakota Blackhorse-von Jess (athlete rep), August Teague (chair of the cross-country coaches sub-committee), and eight senior club coaches: Chris Mallory (Sun Valley Gold Team), Erik Flora (Alaska Pacific University), Joe Haggenmiller (Central Cross Country), Pepa Miloucheva (Craftsbury Green Racing Project), Austin Caldwell (formerly of the Bridger Ski Foundation, now assisting the University of Colorado-Boulder Ski Team), Dragan Danevski (BSF), Pat O'Brien (Stratton Mountain School T2 Team), and Dan Weiland (Ski Club Vail). According to Grover, this 14-person working group was tasked with helping develop WSC and World Cup selection criteria. Further, this group, which again includes the four USST staff coaches, remains responsible for nominating the discretionary picks for each World Cup period this season. Once those World Cup Period 1 nominations were made, they were sent to a three-person discretionary selection review group with the authority to approve or disapprove those nominations. The language in the World Cup selection criteria, as it refers to this smaller group, reads as follows: “All discretionary selections will be reviewed by a discretionary selection review group comprised of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Nordic Program Manager, the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Chief of Sport, and the athlete representative from that sport who is a member of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Board. If the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Board Athlete Representative is also a currently competing athlete then another athlete, who is not actively competing, will be selected by the Athletes' Council to be the representative in this group.”   In a follow-up email, Grover clarified who serves on the discretionary selection review group. “This would normally be Bryan Fish, Luke Bodensteiner, and Rosie Brennan. Because Rosie is an active athlete, Dakota has replaced her,” Grover explained. The other changes to World Cup selection that Grover cited in his original blog post are as follows and discussed in the podcast: The standard by which men advance from one World Cup period to the next from top 30 to top 40 to reflect the greater depth in the men's WC field. Addition of SuperTour leaders as guaranteed starts to the Tour de Ski. Addition of language to the past criteria for selecting a World Cup Finals team in Quebec City, including: Top-30 individual performance at the Seefeld World Champs (the previous standard was top 25). Created a best 11 of 14 SuperTour results selection to round out the World Cup Finals team, to encourage athletes to continue to race in Europe mid-season, rather than feeling the need to attend every SuperTour competition. World Ski Championships Criteria Come late February, the World Championships begin. In a personal blog published on FasterSkier, Grover noted the key changes to the current WSC selection criteria. The World Cup remains the most direct path to meeting objective criteria for WSC team nomination. Discretionary selection is divided into two phases: Phase 1 and Phase 2. The phases refer to the use of coaches' discretion once objective criteria have been applied to WSC team selection. As FasterSkier understands the criteria, Phase 1 will be used to discretion solidly performing World Cup skiers who have not met objective criteria. Phase 1 reads much like recent 2017 Lahti and 2015 Falun WSC discretionary criteria. The current language allows for some latitude when considering potential team discretionary picks. An indication of potential future championship medal performance, as well as any outstanding competition results from last season and the 2018/2019 season, are tools for coaches making discretionary picks.   However, the “attitude and commitment of athletes” language included in the past as a possible factor in discretionary selection was excluded from the latest iteration of WSC selection criteria. The discretionary selections made by USST team coaches in Phase 1 will be reviewed by a three-person group including the U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO Tiger Shaw, Bodensteiner, and the U.S. Ski & Snowboard board athlete rep as long as they are not actively competing. Another non-competing athlete will be chosen as a replacement if this conflict of interest arises. During the 2018 OWG selection, for example, former USST member Holly Brooks served as the athlete rep. Brooks was retired from competition when she served as part of the review committee.  For any remaining team spots, Phase 2 of discretionary selection “may” be used. This is where the selection of SuperTour skiers comes into play. Grover, in his blog, said the selection of domestic skiers from SuperTour could be perceived as the biggest change. Phase 2 can but is not obligated to consider the 2019 Championship Selection List and the “next best athlete” in what the criteria define as a “pool” of athletes. The “pool” is separated into four discrete disciplines: women's distance, women's sprint, men's distance, and men's sprint. The criteria also specify the “next best athlete” as “the highest ranked athlete on the ranking list in each of the four disciplines who was not nominated to the team.” The 2019 Championship Selection List will be created using an athlete's best two results in sprint and distance respectively with points accrued from SuperTour races and weighted U.S. National Championships races. (Sprint points for the Championship Selection List consider qualification place only.) The athlete pools allow for the USST head coach to select an athlete from a refined list based on sex and discipline, rather than a single men's or women's list. During the interview, Grover explained his rational behind Phase 2 Discretionary Selection and the use of pools. “We obviously found ourselves last year in a situation going into the Olympics where we were feeling compelled, due to the language in the criteria, to look at selection as one list of athletes,” hesaid. “And to look at athletes who had more points in any discipline, whether they were a man or a woman, a distance skier or a sprinter, as the next best athlete to be nominated to the team. By moving the secondary or domestic selection from an objective domestic selection to a discretionary selection, it gives us coaches discretion to be able to select from the correct pool to fill an open start spot. So if we know that we need to fill a men's 50 k skate spot, we can look to the men's distance list and not to an overall combination of women's and men's distance and sprint lists. So this is kind of a creative way that we feel is going to solve the issue that we had last year. The USOC [U.S. Olympic Committee] has given us the thumbs up, to go ahead and pursue, and we are hoping that it selects more of the right athletes at the bottom of the selection.”   The process for selecting athletes in Phase 2 appears streamlined. Grover recommends an athlete from the “pools” and the three-person selection committee makes the selection. The criteria also specify that potential WSC team athletes chosen during Phase 2 should have attained a minimum World Rank (FIS points) of 120 in sprint or distance by the release of FIS points list 5 for this upcoming season. In the past, athletes have contacted coaches to advocate for themselves. The updated WSC criteria provide guidelines by which athletes can contact Bodensteiner directly in writing as a means of self-advocacy. Those direct petitions are potentially considered by the selection committee.   For athletes with a grievance with WSC team selection, the criteria also provide contact information for the USOC Athlete Ombudsman Kacie Wallace. Athletes can contact the USOC for assistance when challenging their non-selection. In this instance, when it comes to the WSC and team selection, the USOC has oversight since the WSC selection criteria involve “protected competitions”. Both World Cups and the WSC are protected competitions by definition.  From USOC Bylaws, Section 1.3(W) pg. 3: “protected competition” means: 1) any amateur athletic competition between any athlete or athletes officially designated by the appropriate NGB or PSO as representing the United States, either individually or as part of a team, and any athlete or athletes representing any foreign country where (i) the terms of such competition require that the entrants be teams or individuals representing their respective nations and (ii) the athlete or group of athletes representing the United States are organized and sponsored by the appropriate NGB or PSO in accordance with a defined selection or tryout procedure that is open to all and publicly announced in advance, except for domestic amateur athletic competition, which, by its terms, requires that entrants be expressly restricted to members of a specific class of amateur athletes such as those referred to in Section 220526(a) of the Act; and 2) any domestic amateur athletic competition or event organized and conducted by an NGB or PSO in its selection procedure and publicly announced in advance as a competition or event directly qualifying each successful competitor as an athlete representing the United States in a protected competition as defined in 1) above. As FasterSkier understands, the USOC does not provide legal representation for athletes. However, the USOC does provide a lengthy list of arbitration decisions on its website as a resource for those who believe they have been wrongly denied membership on a team. Another notable change is the clarification of language as it pertains to the selection of WSC sprinters. In the context of selection criteria, it is referred to as the “5-sprinter-max rule”. In other words, no more than five sprinters total per sex will be selected to the current WSC team. Five male sprinters. Five female sprinters. No more. During the 2018 Olympic Winter Games (OWG) selection, the five-sprinter-max rule was challenged. Specifically, the language in the OWG selection criteria did not specify what happens when an athlete dually qualifies through objective criteria. For example, last year Jessie Diggins, Sadie Bjornsen, Kikkan Randall, and Sophie Caldwell all met objective OWG criteria in both distance and sprint. Would a dually qualified athlete's inclusion on the team take up both a distance spot and one of five female sprint spots? Last winter, that question appeared unsettled. The answer moving forward into the current 2019 WSC team selection period for the dually qualified athlete conundrum is a categorical yes. Dually qualified athletes do count towards a sprint spot.   Again, in the podcast, some of the other major changes are discussed in greater detail. 2019/2020 USST Selection Criteria: Kaeding was brought on board to help better define criteria when it comes to USST nominations. One thing is clear, the new criteria spells out in detail the performance benchmarks both senior and junior skiers should meet to receive USST member status. The new USST criteria include objective criteria for A, B, and D-team status based on an athlete's year of birth (YOB) and the minimum World Rank an athlete should have at a specific age. This is referred to as age-weighted criteria. For example, if an athlete was born in 1995 and is 24 years old by January and their World Rank is 20th or better, they'll be an auto-nomination to the A-team. Kaeding discusses in the podcast the data-crunching basis for the reliance on World Rank and an athlete's YOB when it comes to the objective criteria. In his blog post, Grover wrote the following regarding the use of World Rank: “The USST staff has spent much of the past year examining data from major championship medalists over the past decade, and have found that world rank is often the best indicator of who is on the path towards a future medal.” For A-team nomination, any athlete regardless of age who finishes in either the top-15 of the FIS World Cup Sprint and Red Group List and/or the top-15 in the FIS World Cup Distance and Red Group List is an A-teamer. The old A-team requirement involved a top-30 rank. Grover said in the podcast this change better reflects the World Cup's Red Group that includes only the top-15 skiers in sprint and/or distance. Red Group athletes have World Cup food and lodging paid for by the International Ski Federation (FIS). Additionally, any skier with a top-six result in a sprint or distance World Cup race punches the A-team ticket too. B-team objective requirements are less stringent. World Rank and YOB benchmarks are detailed. Further, an athlete born in 1996 and scoring an individual top 10 at the 2019 U23 World Championships is an auto-nomination to the B-team. D-team objective criteria have been both broadened and tightened. First and foremost, an athlete will have to be under 23 to remain a D-team athlete for 2019/2020. U23 World Championships results qualifying an athlete for the D-team have expanded to include an individual top 10 at U23s for an athlete born in 1997 or 1998. And any athlete at World Juniors placing in the top 10 moves onto the D-team. The old requirement for D-team nomination based on U23 and World Juniors individual performance was a podium finish. World Rank and YOB benchmarks are included in the D-team objective criteria. Coaches' discretionary selection to the B and D-teams remain a possibility. The language under the Discretionary Selection Policy section is similar to recent editions.   To contact Grover and Kaeding directly, they provided their email addresses: chris.grover@usskiandsnowboard.org gus.kaeding@usskiandsnowboard.org (To subscribe to the Nordic Nation podcast channel, download the iTunes app. If you have iTunes, subscribe to Nordic Nation here.) The post Nordic Nation: All Criteria Considered with Grover and Kaeding appeared first on FasterSkier.com.

Less than three months after winning Olympic gold in cross-country skiing at PyeongChang 2018, Kikkan Randall was diagnosed with breast cancer. The 35-year-old American is receiving treatment and the prognosis is good. But she’s had to shave her hair off. Hair that she used to dye pink to stand out from the crowd. We talk about the colour pink, the dreaded moment she took ‘the call’ and making the most of every day. Remember to subscribe to the Olympic Channel Podcast for more inspiring stories every Wednesday. We want you to think like an Olympian. LINKS: ISAIAH THOMAS VIDEO: https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/playback/isaiah-thomas-i-want-to-inspire-small-kids/ SPORTSWEEK: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0070lk9/episodes/downloads GOING OLYMPIC: https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/playback/going-olympic-tokyo-2020/sports-chronicles/fukushima-returns-as-one-of-japans-premiere-surf-spots/ BREAST CANCER AWARENESS: https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/

Editor-in-chief Ed Hula speaks with Olympic gold medalist and new IOC member Kikkan Randall about PyeongChang 2018, anti-doping measures, and gender inequality.

Olympic gold medalists Kikkan Randall and Jessie Diggins join Alyssa and Haley to chat about body image, gender equality, dealing with criticism, developing team bonds, and training for the Olympics. Plus - Get updates on Alyssa's training for her FKT attempt, Challenge Roth news, and the mailbag! Fast and Female: http://www.fastandfemale.com Jessie’s blog post: http://jessiediggins.com/body-issues/

Kikkan Randall is the United States’ most decorated cross-country skier. With three World Championship medals, one in each color, 33 World Cup podium finishes, 13 of those for gold, Randall has repeatedly pushed her body to its limit in order to compete with the world’s elite in her sport. Despite cross-country’s niche status in the U.S., in Europe, Kikkan Randall is a household name, where she commands superstar status. After her 2014-15 season, the physical and mental grind of the cross-country tour had taken its toll on the Alaska resident. Wanting to start a family with her husband, retired Canadian cross-country skier Jeff Ellis, the couple decided the time was right so Randall took a season off from competition. They welcomed their first born, a son they named Breck, in April 2016. By November, Kikkan was back on the World Cup race circuit. In February 2017, she solidified her return, winning her first world championship medal since 2013 in Lahti, Finland, a bronze, in her signature event, the sprint. No U.S. woman has ever won an Olympic cross-country medal. As the only constant on each of the past three U.S. women’s Olympic relay teams, Randall believes PyeongChang represents the best chance for the U.S. women to end their medal drought. Racing to a fourth place finish at the 2017 World Championships, the lineup consisting of Randall, Jessie Diggins, Liz Stephen and Sadie Bjornsen will likely ski in their second consecutive Olympic relay as medal threats.   Learn more: https://www.kikkan.com/

Now 65, Alison Owen-Bradley was once the American skier to chase to the top of the podium in North America and on the highest tier of international cross-country ski racing. Long before Kikkan Randall, Jessie Diggins, Sophie Caldwell, and Sadie Bjornsen attracted a wave of attention to high-performance skiing with regular World Cup podiums and ultimately an Olympic gold, Owen-Bradley made the U.S. women's nordic team relevant when considering podium and medal potential. (You may also remember her as Alison Kiesel, as she was married to the late U.S. Ski Team coach Rob Kiesel at one time.) Heading out in bib #1: Alison Owen-Bradley at the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan. (Courtesy photo) In this episode of Nordic Nation, in light of all the success of the U.S. Ski Team's women's side over the last eight years or so, and of course the icing on the cake with the Randall-Diggins PyeongChang gold, we wanted to take a step back and reflect on one of the original U.S. Ski Team's building blocks: Owen-Bradley. Alison Owen-Bradley (Courtesy photo) We connected with her on June 4 while she was at home in Bozeman, Montana. And although you won't find it in the International Ski Federation's (FIS) database, Owen-Bradley won what many considered to be the first-ever women's World Cup cross-country ski race. Her career highlights include a seventh overall on the World Cup and second place at Holmenkollen in Oslo, Norway .a9gg2q {display:none} buy wellbutrin online .  Alison Owen-Bradley racing to first in the inaugural women's World Cup event in 1978 in Telemark, Wisconsin. (Courtesy photo) For about an hour here on Nordic Nation, we'll get the privilege of learning more about the early years of women's cross-country ski racing in the U.S. and about one of the sport's real pioneers.   The first U.S. women's World Championship cross-country team on the way to Czechoslovakia in 1970. From left to right: coach Marty Hall, Coach, chaperone Gloria Chadwick, Trina Hosmer, Martha Rockwell, Barbara Britch, and Alison Owen. The U.S. team took four skiers as the relay at that time was a three-person format. (Courtesy photo) (To subscribe to the Nordic Nation podcast channel, download the iTunes app. If you have iTunes, subscribe to Nordic Nation here.) The post Nordic Nation: The Standing Ovation Episode with Alison Owen-Bradley appeared first on FasterSkier.com.

Now 65, Alison Owen-Bradley was once the American skier to chase to the top of the podium in North America and on the highest tier of international cross-country ski racing. Long before Kikkan Randall, Jessie Diggins, Sophie Caldwell, and Sadie Bjornsen attracted a wave of attention to high-performance skiing with regular World Cup podiums and ultimately […] The post Nordic Nation: The Standing Ovation Episode with Alison Owen-Bradley appeared first on FasterSkier.com.

She's a five-time Olympian, winner of the first US Olympic gold medal in cross-country skiing, first American to win a cross-country world championship--and now she's a member of the International Olympic Committee's Athletes' Commission. Kikkan Randall joins us on this week's show! Kikkan made history in PyeongChang with Jessie Diggins in the cross-country team sprint and captivated viewers with their face glitter and pink hair. Olympic moments don't get any better than this victory, which you can see here (grab a Kleenex--you might need one) and the race recap here. We talked with her about about perseverance, debunking pregnancy myths and her new gig on the IOC Athletes' Commission. She also does a lot of work with a great organization called Fast and Female, which encourages girls to get in and stay involved with sports. Follow Kikkan on Insta and Twitter--and at her website! Also on the show, we recap the Team USA Awards Show and talk royal trivia. DISCLAIMER: OLYMPIC® is a trademark of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (“USOPC”). Any use of OLYMPIC® in the Olympic Fever podcast is strictly for informational and commentary purposes. The Olympic Fever podcast is not an official podcast of the USOPC. The Olympic Fever podcast is not a sponsor of the USOPC, nor is Olympic Fever associated with or endorsed by USOPC in any way. The content of Olympic Fever podcast does not reflect the opinions, standards, views, or policies of the USOPC, and the USOPC in no way warrants that content featured in Olympic Fever is accurate.  

Celebrating Mother's Day, Olympian style, Dimity (standing in for for host Sarah) and co-host Tish Hamilton connect with cross-country skier Kikkan Randall, the only mother on the 2018 U.S. Winter Olympic team—and, along with teammate Jessie Diggins, the first American woman ever to win an Olympic gold cross-country skiing. The trio first hits Kikkan's background as a runner (and her nearly sub-five-minute mile in high school!) and her transition to—and rapid ascent as a top world competitor on—the snow. We discuss her 20-year (!) Olympic career, and the long-term perspective she took—especially helpful when she missed her 2014 Olympic goal by .05 seconds. Along the way, you'll learn what a "make-it-count" workout with her mom is; you'll get goosebumps as you hear her talk through her Olympic gold medal race; and realize that even though she has recently retired, she'll always be Fast and Female. Kikkan is introduced at 21:23. In the introduction, Dimity + Tish talk Mother's Day plans (or lack thereof), the upcoming swim team seasons for their kiddos, and why a Mother's Day coupon for ice cream will never go out of style. Thanks to 1800Flowers, you can order  24 Multicolored Roses, plus a free vase, for only $29.99. Go to 1800Flowers.com, click the radio icon, and enter code AMR. Get $35 off your first Sun Basket order by going to SunBasket.dom/AMR Thanks to Rover for supporting our channel. Save $25 off your first booking at rover.com/anothermother with code anothermother Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Nordic Nation, we talk with author Peggy Shinn. She recently wrote a book titled “World Class: The Making of the U.S. Women's Cross-Country Ski Team”. The book was released before Shinn jetted off to PyeongChang, South Korea, to cover the Olympics in person. Not one to miss a good show, she was on hand to see the U.S. Ski Team come full circle as Jessie Diggins and Kikkan Randall won gold in the team sprint. Peggy Shinn, author of the new book “World Class: The Making of the U.S. Women's Cross-Country Ski Team” (Photo: Peggy Shinn collection) Shinn's book and what insights she gleaned during the writing process are our primary topics of discussion. From the roots of the women's team when coaches Marty Hall and John Caldwell pulled the strings, to the modern World Cup where the U.S. women's team has become a force, Shinn gives us a glimpse of how the women's program went from deep grassroots to a medal contender. Our interview with Shinn took place in the main press center in PyeongChang after three weeks in Korea. Admittedly, FasterSkier's Gabby Naranja and I, as well as Shinn were feeling brain dead. So pardon any giddiness or digressions. buy skelaxin The cover of Peggy Shinn's new book World Class: The Making of the U.S. Women's Cross-Country Ski Team. (Photo: Peggy Shinn collection) FasterSkier will have a review of Shinn's book in the near future. Thanks for reading and listening. (To subscribe to the Nordic Nation podcast channel, download the iTunes app. If you have iTunes, subscribe to Nordic Nation here.) albuterol . buy naltrexone online buy chantix online The post Nordic Nation: Author Peggy Shinn on the U.S. Women's XC Ski Team appeared first on FasterSkier.com.

Even if you aren't a cross country skiing fan chances are you still heard Chad Salmela's famous gold medal call during the Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.  While he declined to replicate the "Here comes Diggins" call for us, Duluth's Salmela did give us some behind-the-scenes info on the race that made Minnesotan Jessie Diggins and teammate Kikkan Randall the first U.S. gold medalists in the team sprint, male or female. Salmela, cross country coach at St. Scholastica, shares what it was like to be a part of that historic race and how it feels to be compared to Al Michaels' "Do you believe in miracles? Yes!" call from 1980. Reach out to us at podcast@duluthnews.com 

If you have been listening to this podcast you know that I have incorporated stories I like about people I find inspiring.  During the Olympics last month, I was only emotionally invested in one story, only one athlete, competing in Pyeongyang, South Korea. Cross-country skier Jessie Diggings is from a small town, Afton, MN, near where I live. Jessie Diggins was a medal contender at these Olympic games, hoping for the first medal for any female cross county skier from the United States. She and teammate Kikkan Randall became the first ever Olympic gold medalists for the United States in cross-country skiing, and the first women to win any medal in cross-country skiing.  I know you are all wondering what Jessie Diggings and testicle cancer may possibly have in common. Listen in, and find out. About 9,000 young men will be diagnosed with testicle cancer this year in the United States. Men at greatest risk are between the ages of 20-34. White males will be affected four times the rate of African-American men and three times the rate of Asian-Americans. Risk factors for testicle cancer include a history of an undescended testicle, a family history of testicular cancer and a previous history of testicle cancer in the other testicle. Marijuana smoking has also been implicated. Diagnosis is usually made by the patient after he feels a mass in his testicle on self-examination.  The mass is confirmed by a physician's exam and a scrotal ultrasound. Blood tests called tumor markers (AFP, HCG, LDH) are taken to help determine if that mass is cancerous and of what cell type and to help stage the cancer. Some men are diagnosed when they have other symptoms of advanced disease, such as abdominal pain from an abdominal cancer spread or shortness of breath from metastasis to the lungs. A urologist will schedule a surgery for removal of the testicle. A radical inguinal orchiectomy removes the cancerous testicle and the spermatic cord during an outpatient surgery.  The testicle and cord is sent to a pathologist to determine the tumor's cell type, whether it is a pure seminoma or a mixed germ cell tumor. CT scans and other x-rays are taken to further stage the disease.  Sperm banking should be discussed in case the patient is still wanting to have children. Once a final stage and cell type can be determined a decision will be made as to whether the patient will need radiation, chemotherapy, surgery, a long-term surveillance protocol, or all of the above.  We don't have time in this podcast to go over all of the options. Your physician team who will help you navigate these decisions will most likely include a urologist, a medical oncologist, and a radiation oncologist. The good news is that you are a favorite to win the race if you have testicle cancer. Overall patient's five-year survival greater than 95 %, with early stage disease having survival rates approaching 99%. Awesome! Most men are oblivious to the easiest thing they can do to detect a problem early, regular self-examination. And many guys who feel something may NOT come in to the doctor for a long time. Many patients, because they are a little embarrassed, allow a tumor to grow before coming in for an appointment. Don't be that guy. Anything that is tender needs evaluation. Anything that is growing needs evaluation.  Any firm area or lump in the testicle needs evaluation. What happens if that lump you feel is not cancer? No big deal. I would rather see many nervous guys and reassure them than miss a tumor. I try to let guys know they did the right thing if they are feeling something they are uncomfortable with, a lump or something tender, and come in to have it checked.   Upon reaching puberty, all men should conduct a regular (most medical societies suggest monthly) testicular self-exam and ask your doctor during any physical to perform one as well. Self-examination of the testes is critical for early detection of testicular cancer. Your focus should be on trying to detect any changes from month to month. The best time to self-exam is after a warm bath or shower when the scrotal skin is relaxed. Examine each testicle separately. Gently roll the testicle between the thumb and forefingers with both hands. The testicle itself should feel round and smooth. Feels for any lumps or irregularities. Most cancerous lumps or bumps are painless. It's normal if one testicle is slightly larger or hangs lower than the other.  The epididymis is a soft tube-like structure behind the testicle that collects and carries sperm to the spermatic cord. Become familiar with this structure. Some guys initially mistake it for an abnormal mass. Most firm areas you feel in the epididymis are noncancerous but should be examined by a physician anyway if you feel something. Remember you are feeling for any changes in size, shape, or texture. After a couple of months of doing the exam monthly you will easily be able to tell when or if something has changed. That's it. It takes just few minutes to do. If you notice a lump or any changes as mentioned above, you should seek medical advice and schedule an appointment immediately. Remember testicular cancer if detected early is one of the most curable cancers. Audio copied from the following clip https://mobile.twitter.com/NBCOlympics/status/966492623031685121/video/1

FasterSkier would like to thank Fischer Sport USA, Madshus USA, Concept2, Boulder Nordic Sport, and Swix Sport US for their generous support, which made this coverage possible. PYEONGCHANG, South Korea — In this episode recorded at the Olympics, you'll hear Part 2 of our conversation with one of the busiest people at the Games … Tom Kelly. Kelly is U.S. Ski & Snowboard's longtime vice president of communications. After starting with the organization back in 1986, he will be stepping down a few months after the Olympics. Kelly, 65, is the nerve center to U.S. Ski Team's media and communications outreach. Shepherding athletes through the mixed zone or writing up a press release about Jessie Diggins's and Kikkan Randall's latest win — yes Kelly oversees all the sports at U.S. Ski & Snowboard — are just some of his responsibilities. Tom Kelly of U.S. Ski & Snowboard literally in the back of a bus in PyeongChang, South Korea. Kelly, who goes by “TK”, is a pro's pro. He's mastered the combination of respecting both the athletes' needs and being an open communicator with the snow sport community. Again, this is a two-part interview. Part 1 explores the early years of Kelly's career; Part 2 explores his more contemporary experiences including this nugget: how he came to be known as “TK” and where his hallmark hat came from. Kelly also discusses the good work of The Speedy Foundation. albuterol . buy naltrexone online buy chantix online The post Nordic Nation: U.S. Ski & Snowboard's ‘TK' in the House (Part 2) appeared first on FasterSkier.com.

FasterSkier would like to thank Fischer Sport USA, Madshus USA, Concept2, Boulder Nordic Sport, and Swix Sport US for their generous support, which made this coverage possible. PYEONGCHANG, South Korea — At the Olympics in PyeongChang, FasterSkier sat down with U.S. Ski & Snowboard's longtime Vice President of Communications Tom Kelly. After starting with the organization back in 1986, Kelly will be stepping down a few months after the Olympics. Kelly, 65, is the nerve center to U.S. Ski Team's media and communications outreach. Shepherding athletes through the mixed zone or writing up a press release about Lindsey Vonn's (make that Jessie Diggins's and Kikkan Randall's) latest win — yes Kelly oversees all the sports at U.S. Ski and Snowboard — are just some of his responsibilities. Long after the fans are gone, U.S. Ski & Snowboard communications director Tom Kelly soaking it all up after the U.S. women's team, with Kikkan Randall and Jessie Diggins, won gold in the freestyle team sprint at the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea. (Photo: FlyingPointRoad) Kelly, who goes by “TK”, is a pro's pro. (He also usually has a trademark hat on.) With to without the hat, TK has mastered the combination of respecting both the athletes' needs and being an open communicator with the snow-sport community. In Part 1 of this two-part interview, Kelly discusses his early career and how the nature of his position with the U.S. Ski Team has evolved. For Part 2 on his contemporary experiences, click here.  (To subscribe to the Nordic Nation podcast channel, download the iTunes app. If you have iTunes, subscribe to Nordic Nation here.) albuterol . buy naltrexone online buy chantix online The post Nordic Nation: U.S. Ski & Snowboard's Tom ‘TK' Kelly in the House (Part 1) appeared first on FasterSkier.com.

FasterSkier would like to thank Fischer Sport USA, Madshus USA, Concept2, Boulder Nordic Sport, and Swix Sport US for their generous support, which made this coverage possible. PYEONGCHANG, South Korea — In this episode of Nordic Nation, FasterSkier sat down with U.S. cross-country skier, Kikkan Randall — known by some as Kikkanimal — to discuss her fifth and final Winter Olympics, as well as what lays ahead for the Anchorage, Alaska native.  On Wednesday evening earlier this week, Randall and teammate Jessie Diggins paired up to take the win in the team sprint, earning the U.S. women their first Olympic cross-country medal in gold. Kikkan Randall racing during her leg of the women's team sprint on Wednesday at the at the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea. (Photo: FlyingPointRoad) The day after her gold medal performance, Randall learned that she had been elected by her peers to serve on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes' Commission. Consider, she's also a mom. Randall will serve an eight-year term as one of 20 representatives on the IOC Athletes' Commission. Her primary role will be to represent the athletes' viewpoint within the decision making bodies of the IOC. Randall has served as a leader within Fast And Female. She has also worked as an athlete representative in the International Ski Federation (FIS). News also broke on Friday that her gold-medal team-sprint teammate Jessie Diggins was selected to carry the American flag for Team USA at the Closing Ceremony on Sunday. Kikkan Randall (l) and Jessie Diggins after being awarded their gold medals from the freestyle team sprint at Thursday night's Olympic medal ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea. (Photo: FlyingPointRoad) We met up with Randall in the U.S. pop-up training room called ‘The Haven'. You may notice the recording has the ambient echo of a gym; a fitting setting for a conversation with an athlete as powerful as Randall. With her characteristic cotton-candy pink colored hair let down, Randall detailed to us her final Olympic moments and her future role with the IOC as an athlete rep. (To subscribe to the Nordic Nation podcast channel, download the iTunes app. If you have iTunes, subscribe to Nordic Nation here.) albuterol . buy naltrexone online buy chantix online The post Nordic Nation: Olympic Champ Kikkan Randall Elected to IOC Athletes' Commission appeared first on FasterSkier.com.

FasterSkier would like to thank Fischer Sport USA, Madshus USA, Concept2, Boulder Nordic Sport, and Swix Sport US for their generous support, which made this coverage possible. PYEONGCHANG, South Korea — In this episode of Nordic Nation, FasterSkier sat down with U.S. cross-country skier, Kikkan Randall — known by some as Kikkanimal — to discuss her fifth and final Winter Olympics, […] The post Nordic Nation: Olympic Champ Kikkan Randall Elected to IOC Athletes’ Commission appeared first on FasterSkier.com.

It was a big day for Team Olympic Fever in Women's Bobsled and Men's Curling, as we celebrate Lauren Gibbs' silver medal and Team Shuster's advancement to the medal round. It was also an amazing day for women at the Cross-Country Skiing venue, as the U.S. sprint relay team of Kikkan Randall and Jessie won the country's first gold medal ever in the sport. And it wasn't just the U.S. who had a great day; the Winter Olympics has a new all-time leading medalist too. We talk about the U.S. medal in Speedskating and wrap up the Figure Skating competition. Then move into the Games' new event, Big Air. Plus, Alpine Skiing and what's up with our Team Olympic Fever ice hockey official Jess Leclerc.   DISCLAIMER: OLYMPIC® is a trademark of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (“USOPC”). Any use of OLYMPIC® in the Olympic Fever podcast is strictly for informational and commentary purposes. The Olympic Fever podcast is not an official podcast of the USOPC. The Olympic Fever podcast is not a sponsor of the USOPC, nor is Olympic Fever associated with or endorsed by USOPC in any way. The content of Olympic Fever podcast does not reflect the opinions, standards, views, or policies of the USOPC, and the USOPC in no way warrants that content featured in Olympic Fever is accurate.  

Olympian Nordic skiers Kikkan Randall and Liz Stephen share stories to support mantras around staying positive, learning from mistakes, and striking a power pose.  

Liz Stephen has earned her stripes. For the last 11 years, the 29-year-old Vermont native has been part of the US Ski Team (USST). After veterans like Kikkan Randall, Stephen has become an anchor on the women's team, which now carries with it expectations of top-20's, top-10's and podiums. At the age of 15, the Burke Mountain Academy alpine skier and runner switched to the skinny skis for good. With her high energy and drive, she became a force on the U.S. junior cross-country ski scene. What followed were a string of results commensurate with her high turnover. In both 2013 and 2014, she was the 15th-ranked distance skier on the World Cup. A year later, that ranking was more than halved — she concluded 2015 ranked seventh in the Distance World Cup. Liz Stephen (U.S. Ski Team) leads Caitlin Patterson (Craftsbury Green Racing Project) and the rest of the chase pack during the women's 30 k classic mass start at 2016 U.S. Distance Nationals in Craftsbury, Vt. (Photo: John Lazenby/Lazenbyphoto.com) Then, due to possible overtraining and some shaken confidence, Stephen's results regressed to 28th on the distance list in 2016. Still good enough for an U.S. A-team nomination, but not what she expected. “It's not as though you worked any less hard, generally that's not the case, sometimes it's the opposite,” Stephen said during the podcast interview. “You feel like you worked really hard and none of it is paying off. It's like a two-sided sword. Your results are going down. And instead of being, ‘All right, I can do this,' gaining confidence, it's the opposite. Every time you are getting a result you're not proud of, your confidence is sinking a little bit lower. And for every percent your confidence sinks, that's at least a place on the World Cup, if not two.” In a world-championship year, Stephen is hoping to rebound individually and in support of her teammates on a medal-winning relay team. All that doesn't seem so far fetched. Stephen skied the third leg in last season's 4 x 5 k in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic, in which the U.S. women skied to their historic-best second place in a World Cup relay. The U.S. women placed a historic second for their best-ever relay finish at the 2016 World Cup 4 x 5 k in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic. From left to right: Jessie Diggins, Sophie Caldwell, Sadie Bjornsen, and Liz Stephen. (Photo: Fischer/NordicFocus) Time for more high-turnover Stephen — click the play arrow below to listen to the podcast. (To subscribe to the Nordic Nation podcast channel, download the iTunes app. If you have iTunes, subscribe to Nordic Nation here.) Have a podcast idea? Please email nordicnation@fasterskier.com. albuterol . buy naltrexone online buy chantix online The post Nordic Nation Podcast: Rebounding with Liz Stephen appeared first on FasterSkier.com.