Home for US National Championships

I made it home in time for the holidays and US National Championships after concluding our 5 week early season race circuit in Canmore, AB. After my first sprint heat of the championships Peter Valaas asked me, "Katie, were you smiling during your race?" I told him I certainly wasn't trying to smile, but I probably did have a huge grin plastered to my face because I was having so much fun.

Here are a few of the reasons why I thoroughly enjoyed racing on my home turf:

1. The home town crowds were AWESOME. There were hundreds of helpful volunteers and hundreds of people who came out to cheer. It was exciting to have family, new friends, old friends, former coaches, and other nordic skiing enthusiasts scream "GO Katie!" as I raced past. It sent chills up my spine and pumped energy through my veins. Lindsay Williams (US Ski Team), Katie Ronsse (APU Nordic Ski Center) and Holly Brooks (APU Nordic Ski Center) finish one of the classic sprint heats (Magic Bus Photo).

2. Getting to relax at home with close family and friends, eat home cooked meals, and sleep in my own bed was sure wonderful. I also had as much wild Alaskan salmon as my heart desired, thanks to a Libby Brothers Co. fish sponsorship. Here's Jus out for a cruise from the cabin. The highlight of my break before nationals was getting to hang out at the Libby cabin.

3. Home courses at sea level. Katie Ronsse, Laura Valaas, and Caitlin Compton-- sea level born skiers in the skate semifinal (a Laura Gardner photo).

4. Massages from Michael Henrich, my very helpful massage therapist. Michael usually works out of the West AK Club but came out to Kincaid to offer Kikkan and I massages in between our prologue and heats. Ronsse in the classic prologue race (an Anchorage Daily News photo).

5. Getting to do my easy workouts with family and friends. Skiing with famly/friends doesn't feel like "training" and it's something I would choose to do with my free time anyway.The Ronsse family on the Lekisch loop, January 2010.

I also got to ski with the up and coming fast female girls of Alaska. Ronsse and Valaas as mentors at the Fast and Female event organized by local superhero, Kikkan Randall(A Magic Bus photo). Several of the top elite racers volunteered their day to inspire and empower the young skiers of Alaska. It was supposed to be the young skiers inspiring the elite racers...but I felt pretty inspired myself to see 300 Alaskan girls stoked to ski around on a blustery day.

Another great thing about this years National Championship was that even though there were cold days, it was never too cold to race!
The skate sprint day was cold and clear but beautiful and race-able. (Rebecca Dussault #5 and Katie Ronsse #15, Anchorage Daily News photo).

Overall the championships went off smoothly and I had two top-10 performances (with a 6th place in the classic sprint and a 7th place in the skate sprint). That definitely wont put me on the Olympic team, but I did earn the opportunity to represent the US as part of the Nations group in the World Cup in Canmore, AB! More to come on my upcoming schedule...