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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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Beautiful afternoon ski with my favorite little sk Beautiful afternoon ski with my favorite little ski buddy. 

#livetoski #winterinak #familyski
Digging out of more snow! Winter has fully arrive Digging out of more snow!  Winter has fully arrived in Anchorage and all of our winter activities are back in the spotlight.  Pulling out the sleds, skates, skis and snow shoes.  So many fun things to do!  Wahoo! 

#llbeanambassador #beanoutsider #winterfun
October might be over but let’s keep our breast October might be over but let’s keep our breast health at top of mind!! It’s hard to believe it’s been five years since my cancer journey.  Every day has been an absolute gift thanks to early detection.  I was 35 and in peak shape when I discovered my cancer.  And it was May!⁣
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Knowing your own body is so important and if something seems off, get it checked!  Female friends, make sure you get your annual mammograms!!⁣
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I will keep wearing my pink all year round, as a reminder to do my best to stay healthy and live each day to its fullest with the people who matter the most!!⁣
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#breastcancerawareness #morethanjustoctober ⁣
#morepink ⁣
First snow!! Feeling like a kid on Christmas 😀. First snow!! Feeling like a kid on Christmas 😀. Probably not here to stay but a good test run to get out all the gear and start to getting stoked for winter!! ❄️⛄️🧤🧣

#llbeanambassador #firstsnow #winteriscoming #alaska
Amazing first day joining my fellow #llbeanambassa Amazing first day joining my fellow #llbeanambassador friends for a tour of the new @llbean HQ!  This has been years in the making and it’s been so wonderful to meet all these amazing creators (and awesome humans) and to see the new digs for one of my favorite brands. 

We also enjoyed a scenic tour by kayak with the Outdoor Discovery Program team, an experience I would highly recommend! 

#beanteam #beanoutsider #feelslikefamily
Moms night out to see Hamilton in Anchorage! Moms night out to see Hamilton in Anchorage!
Kicking into fall with new kicks! Loving this fun Kicking into fall with new kicks! Loving this fun collaboration with @llbean and @blundstoneusa to bring the Buffalo check to life.  Limited quantities available to grab yours today at LLBean.com!

#llbeanambassador #buffalocheck #fallkicks
Flashback to our fun adventures on our friends’ Flashback to our fun adventures on our friends’ boat last weekend.  Breck reminded me, “It’s so good to be in nature 🌿.” The combo of the green and the blue definitely has a fulfilling effect!! 

#llbeanambassador #beanoutsider #princewilliamsound
And the next adventure of 2nd grade is underway! And the next adventure of 2nd grade is underway!  Feels like a blink since he started kindergarten.  So fun to see all the kids and families descend on the school grounds today like bees to the honey 🍯! It’s going to be a great year.

#llbeanambassador #schoollife #2ndgrade
Taking advantage of some sunshine, friends and fam Taking advantage of some sunshine, friends and family, and a little slower pace of life to recharge mid summer. 

#llbeanambassador #beanoutsider #sponsored
Fun to be back running some familiar trails in the Fun to be back running some familiar trails in the sun!

@salsagirrl #penticton
Made a little trip from Alaska down south to Canad Made a little trip from Alaska down south to Canada.  4 days of driving but some beautiful views and fun spots to check out along the way! 🌄 🐻 🚙☀️⁣
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#llbeanambassador #roadtrip #newsights #southtocanada #sponsored
Happy Olympic Day! What are you going to do today Happy Olympic Day!  What are you going to do today to get out and move?! It’s 6am here in Alaska and I’m joining friends for a circuit strength class.  Let’s do this!  #olympicday #letsmove
#ad. Cancer affects all of us in some shape or for #ad. Cancer affects all of us in some shape or form so everyone, at any age, can contribute to the @americancancersociety 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 and help to end cancer as we know it, for everyone! ⁣
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➡️ Breck, age 7, sells cookies to his neighbors. 🍪 ⁣
➡️ Kikkan, age 40, collects pledges for push-ups. 🏋️‍♂️ ⁣
➡️ Ronn, age 70, recruits friends to pledge and hike together. 🚶 ⁣
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We can all contribute in our own way and together we can make a difference. I’m excited to see what you will come up with to support the 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲! ⁣
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#americancancersociety #relayforlife #3generations #strongertogether @relayforlife⁣
Looking forward to another weekend to relax in our Looking forward to another weekend to relax in our @llbean hammock and just enjoy the sounds of the outdoors! 🌲☀️⁣
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#llbeanambassador #beanoutsider #relaxing
#ad My Team got me through Cancer. They were there #ad My Team got me through Cancer. They were there every step of the way. Now I walk with my team to celebrate and pay it forward. The American Cancer Society Relay For Life is the perfect way to raise funds and have fun with my team. Go to relayforlife.org to find an event near you! @americancancersociety @relayforlife #RelayForLife #MyCancerTeam #Payitforward
Awesome weekend in Bellingham for the Ski 2 Sea re Awesome weekend in Bellingham for the Ski 2 Sea relay race.  The Delicate Flowers took the top spot in our division, a proud accomplishment for a group of working parents!  The race was fun but the time with friends was even better!  The sun was pretty nice too ☀️😎. Already thinking about how to improve for next year!
#ski2sea #delicateflowers #relayrace #friends
A perfect Mother’s Day, spent all outside ☀️ A perfect Mother’s Day, spent all outside ☀️! Being a Mom is the best job I’ve ever had, learned from the best role model a kid could ask for!  Celebrating all the Moms out there and just soaking in the family time ❤️! ⁣
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#mothersday ⁣
#outsidetime ⁣
#familytime ⁣
#llbeanambassador
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