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Olympic Cross Country Skier

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Skirt Sports Podcast: Kikkan Randall Made a 10 Year Plan & Won Gold

March 1, 2019

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!

To listen to the podcast click HERE.

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!

 

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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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