Wins 50th Sierre-Zinal Trail Race

How are you feeling after your win in Switzerland? 

I’m really quite shocked. But, beyond the result and winning the race, I’m also just excited about how I executed the race. I didn’t have a huge tactical plan, but it seemed I came up with some tactics on the way and they worked out just right.

How do you feel like your cross country ski training is playing into your running right now? Or vice versa? 

I’m honestly quite surprised at how well my ski training has prepared me for these races. This summer, I’ve actually been doing a bit less running and more roller skiing instead. So, naturally, I’ve been a bit hesitant or worried coming into each of these races because I’m so unsure of my running shape. But obviously, it seems to be working great. I think the main reason is that I’ve been able to train at a much higher volume with all the roller skiing (less impact/toll on the body compared to running), which has really built up my endurance even more to excel in these running races. I also think that having so much training outside of running helps the body be much more rested and recovered for the races.

You’re first in the standings of the Golden Trail World Series and the first American since 2014 to win this race. What’s your mindset right now? 

It is definitely looking very good for the overall position in the series, but I don’t want to get too confident now because a lot can still happen. I am obviously hoping to win the overall in the end, so I will have to pick and choose a bit for the next few races to make sure I can peak for the finals in October and hopefully secure the overall win then. Also, knowing that there are not often Americans winning the overall, it really adds some extra motivation. Even in the individual races, it’s fun to put the U.S. more on the map, especially with some of the other U.S. women making it into the top.

What’s your stoke level right now? 

In general, I know it’s good to move on from races, whether they’re good or bad, but the stoke from this one is something I am going to hold onto for a while. I have had some great races before, but I do think this is one of my best performances both in skiing and running combined, so it’s safe to say that my stoke level is incredibly high. It’s easy to be excited about a result when it’s a win, but I am just extra proud of this race because of how I paced and approached the race from start to finish. It was the first time I felt that I had actually grown as a runner and put into practice what I have learned over the past couple of years. In other words, it was the first time I didn’t feel like a newbie in trail running.

This article was first posted on usskiandsnowboard.com.