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Olympic Cross Country Skier

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Kikkan Randall’s cancer year – Part 5

December 20, 2018

With family in mind, Kikkan Randall fights cancer for the life she had planned after racing

Part 5, October: Randall wasn’t the only one whose life changed once she was diagnosed with cancer. Her family changed, too.  By Marc Lester.

Fifth of six parts

Kikkan Randall, groggy and sick, passed her Olympic gold medal through the airport security scanner as she returned to her family in British Columbia in October. Winning it seven months earlier seemed a lifetime ago.

Randall had been slow to fall asleep the night before, suspended by medicine-induced hot flashes and recurring, unpleasant thoughts. At a coffee stand before boarding her plane, she was brief with a fan. Her stomach tumbled.

This was Randall’s harshest chemotherapy aftermath yet. Seated on the plane, she covered her mouth with a mask, folded her body forward on her tray table, and closed her eyes. Reading lights reflected off her bald head.

In Penticton, her toddler was also miserable. Breck, 2, was in the grip of an ugly cold. Randall’s husband, Jeff Ellis, had planned for a walk outside their hillside home in southcentral British Columbia, but Breck wasn’t having it. He was nearly inconsolable when they loaded him into the minivan for a soothing fall drive instead.

This is a family constantly recalibrating.

Randall held her son’s hand as Ellis drove the minivan across the bucolic countryside of vineyards and orchards. They moved here weeks after Randall’s final race, but six months later, preoccupied with her cancer, there were still many roads unexplored and experiences on hold.

For the complete article 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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