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Olympic Cross Country Skier

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Kikkan Randall’s Cancer Year – Part 1 by Marc Lester

December 15, 2018

For Kikkan Randall, a hero’s homecoming. Then, an alarming discovery.

Part 1, April: With her historic gold medal, the Anchorage ski racer returned to Alaska’s open arms. But her moment barely lasted.

First of six part series of words and photos by Marc Lester with the Anchorage Daily News:

Kikkan Randall stood on the concrete platform of Anchorage’s Town Square and looked out at the faces of her hometown. On a Wednesday afternoon in early April, this mountaintop view capped her 20-year journey as an athlete.

She saw her family sprinkled in the crowd. Her son sat on her husband’s shoulders. Her dad held up an oversized picture of her. At her feet, children looked up, just as she had gazed on her own Olympic heroes as a girl.

She was already one of the most recognized and respected athletes in Alaska history. As a gold medalist and a mother, she was starting a new life.

That life would last 39 days from that April afternoon. And then a new journey would begin for Randall. A cancer journey that would remake how she was seen and how she saw herself.

Anchorage had followed every step of Randall’s skiing career. In the months that followed, she also shared the intimate moments of her difficult cancer year with the Anchorage Daily News.

The story begins in Town Square, with Randall’s skiing teammates at her side, Olympians in their own right. She had insisted they also be recognized.

But the crowd had come to see her. She had won a historic gold medal at the Winter Olympics six weeks earlier, the first in her sport for an American. It felt like it was their medal too.

“Kikkan, to come back wearing that hefty gold around your neck, you wear it with pride,” said U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, on the steps with Randall. “But know that as Alaskans, we wear it with you.”

For the complete article click HERE.

To follow along with the 6 part series by Marc Lester click HERE.

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Happy National Girls & Women in Sports Day! So ma Happy National Girls & Women in Sports Day!  So many of my favorite memories from sport have come from the women I’ve learned from, the teammates that have made the days so memorable and  from all the things we were able to accomplish TOGETHER. Today we celebrate the victories, the near misses, and the moments of courage just to get out there. ⁣
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#gogirls ⁣
#girlsinsport⁣
#womensupportingwomen
Fantastic weekend sharing ski tips and stories wit Fantastic weekend sharing ski tips and stories with at the inaugural Ski de She weekend!! A big thanks to @fischernordic for bringing me in and to the @americanbirkebeiner team for putting on a great event!! #livetoski #birkie #skideshe #womenwhoski
Puffed up and ready for a chilly day out at the @a Puffed up and ready for a chilly day out at the @americanbirkebeiner Ski de She!  It’s race day! ⁣
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#llbeanambassador ⁣
#beanoutsider ⁣
#skideshe
Breck’s first XC ski race! It’s been super fu Breck’s first XC ski race!  It’s been super fun to share something that’s been such a big part of my life and see his enthusiasm growing.  The ice cream treat capped a great day😜! ⁣
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A big thanks to our amazing community, @anchoragenordicski and the Sons of Norway, and all the volunteers, for making it a fun day! ⁣
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#skifamily ⁣
#breckreation ⁣
#livetoski ⁣
#beanoutsider ⁣
#anchorage⁣
Doubles biathlon…new sport? ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #momspor Doubles biathlon…new sport? ⁣
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#momsport
Let gravity do the work for a change. Great views Let gravity do the work for a change.  Great views and nice conditions for a family ski at @resortalyeska !! #skialaska #livetoski
Ski marathons are a new challenge for me and somet Ski marathons are a new challenge for me and something I’ve had to learn a lot about.  So I’m sharing some of my tips and tricks on @untappedmaple blog.  See the link in my profile.
Made it 40km for 40 today with a 30km skate race a Made it 40km for 40 today with a 30km skate race and an extended cool down.  Hurt so good and made the pizza after taste even better.  Thanks to teammate @hollybrooksllc for convincing me to start off the new year with a bang! ⁣
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#40for40 #icicledouble #thatwashard #livetoski
Had amazing help celebrating my 40th birthday with Had amazing help celebrating my 40th birthday with family and friends!  Feels pretty special to have completed my 4th decade with so many great memories along the way.  Can’t wait to see what the next 40 bring! #thisis40 #40andfab #cheerstothenext40
Sledding 🛷and sunshine ☀️ makes the season Sledding 🛷and sunshine ☀️ makes the season bright! ⁣
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#llbeanambassador #beanoutsider #winterfamily
Merry Christmas from the ski trails! Nothing beat Merry Christmas from the ski trails!  Nothing beats gliding through the snow on a two horse pair of Fischer Speedmax.  Extra fun with friends!⁣
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#merrychristmas #livetoski #beanoutsider
Fun couple of days coaching in the Okanagan. Cold Fun couple of days coaching in the Okanagan.  Cold must have followed me down from Alaska though, it was chilly 🥶! We were pretty bundled up but it was great to be able to share some tips, tricks and stories from my World Cup days.  Lots of enthusiasm and love for XC skiing! ⁣
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Thanks @glennbondevents for setting up these camps! ⁣
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#livetoski #coachkikkan #sharethelove
Records are made to be broken! Congrats to my tea Records are made to be broken!  Congrats to my teammate @jessiediggins for becoming the winningest U.S. Cross Country skier of all time!  Taking home the cheese (and the sled) in Davos for lucky #14!  So proud of this sparkle chipmunk and the champion she has become!  #usskiteam #smilesformiles
Another snow day!! ❄️❄️ 18 inches fell ove Another snow day!! ❄️❄️ 18 inches fell overnight adding to the 24 inches we got last week.  4th day of school cancelled so working from home today.  Had to take a “snow break”! ⁣
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#llbeanambassador ⁣
#snowday ⁣
#snowbreak
The Moms raced, the kids cheered (and sledded) wit The Moms raced, the kids cheered (and sledded) with Grand Dude.  Oh boy, I forgot how much racing hurts 😛. But also how good it feels afterwards 🥳 !!⁣
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Fun racing the local AMH Anchorage Cup series after watching all the great World Cup action all weekend.  Got inspired by the US team to pull out the relay socks 🇺🇸 🧦!!⁣
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#livetoski #skiracing #hurtssogood #anchoragenordicski #amhcup
Snow day fun continued into the night with a light Snow day fun continued into the night with a light tour to the sledding hill.  I feel like a kid on Christmas with all this snow.  It’s been especially fun to share the snow adventures with Breck! ⁣
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#llbeanambassador #snowday #nightski #beanoutsider #livetoski
Turkey trot to start the day 🏃🏼‍♀️🦃 Turkey trot to start the day 🏃🏼‍♀️🦃! So fun to be out with the masses shaking out the legs and getting the furnace running hot for the big dinner.  Made it a full family affair! ⁣
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Thanks @skinnyravensports for a great event. ⁣
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#turkeytrot ⁣
#gobblegobble ⁣
#familyfun ⁣
#funrun
Saddle up, it’s time to JOIN the @gonnf Drive fo Saddle up, it’s time to JOIN the @gonnf Drive for 25 Core Challenge!  Only happening this week to support the future of U.S. Cross Country! ⁣
1. Donate $25 this week (link in bio) ⁣
2. Try this core challenge ⁣
3.  Challenge your friends to join the challenge ⁣
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NNF supports developing Nordic athletes from across the 🇺🇸 ranging from financial support for training camps all the way to World Cup races!! ⁣
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So many crucial experiences along my 20yr Olympic career were made possible from the support from NNF and today’s and tomorrow’s skiers need our support more than ever!! I hope you’ll join us in this challenge to spark some energy in your day and help support this important cause!! ⁣
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I challenge @hollybrooksllc @idasargent and @laura.mccabe.129 !! ⁣
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#gonnf #drivefor25 #nationalnordicfoundation #crosscountryskiing #americanskiing #strongertogether
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