In this episode, we talk with Alayna Sonnesyn (SMS T2), who is coming off of her fourth consecutive victory at the American Birkebeiner in Hayward, Wisconsin. But the path between these victories, especially over the last two seasons, has not been smooth or direct.  Alayna has had standout results on the SuperTour, but that has not directly translated into consistent results on the World Cup, leaving her navigating the tricky waters of being what is often dubbed a “bubble athlete”. Last...

In this episode, we chat with Hailey Swirbul, who took an alternate path to the World Cup this season, prioritizing her own mental health and aiming to rediscover her love for cross-country skiing along the way. Listen in to hear her discuss the challenges she's faced in transitioning into a professional athlete, along with how the Olympic experience contrasted the Olympic fantasy. She also discusses difference in summer training this year, highlights from domestic racing in period one and...

It’s been a minute! Our first guest of 2023 is the one and only Ben Ogden, who’s had a standout season of racing on the World Cup. In this conversation, we discuss the factors that have contributed to his development as a professional skier, from mindset, to training, to an effort to make the World Cup lifestyle sustainable long term. We also discuss his recent trip back to the Northeast, what has made collegiate racing “special”, and more. Thanks for listening!

In this episode, Julia Kern discusses season highs and lows, and her resilience in overcoming setbacks as she continues to build momentum in her ski career.

APU's Rosie Frankowski reflects on the 2021-22 race season, falling just short of her goal of a second Olympic team, and an upcoming transition in life and training.

In this episode, we have U.S. Ski & Snowboard Development Team Coach Greta Anderson to discuss her first year in the role and the growth and progress of the U.S. development program which feeds the success we now see on the World Cup. We take a look at highlights of the 2022 FIS Junior and U23 World Ski Championships, which took place in Lygna, Norway last February, discuss athletes newly named to the U.S. Ski Team, as well as the initiatives and philosophies within the development...

In this episode, we have U.S. Ski & Snowboard cross-country program director Chris Grover on to discuss the tumultuous last two years of navigating the pandemic, including the many ways in which it created strain for the team, particularly as Omicron variant surged during the months leading into the 2022 Beijing Olympics. It’s been a hard two years, but this conversation extends well beyond the impacts of the pandemic. We also discuss equal distance racing, the 2022-23 roster for the...

Jessie Diggins adds her voice to the conversation surrounding the impact and significance of body comments in the media, and awareness of pervasive underlying issues in sport, speaking from the perspective of someone who has experienced an eating disorder and since become an advocate for awareness and support in that realm. She also discusses her season, the 2022 Olympics, and what keeps her going in the sport now that she has earned an Olympic medal of each color and some of the top...

Last weekend, roughly 200 intrepid skiers lined up at the base of the Mount Crested Butte ski resort, awaiting a midnight race start that would send them 40 miles north through the rugged Elk Mountains to Aspen, Colorado. Among the masses, most of whom were on lightweight ski mountaineering or alpine touring setups, was a pair looking to return the Grand Traverse ski race to its cross country ski roots. The pair was Simi Hamilton and Ben Koons, wearing Fischer skate skis that had seen World...

Though the FasterSkier team would select other highlights from the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games, one of the most read articles we produced featured the responses of members of the ski community to a story published on February 8th by the New York Times. In this episode, a panel discusses why these comments are detrimental and voice opinions on how media can better cover endurance sports, while being mindful of the concerns of athletes.

In this episode, we’ve got Chad Salmela and Kikkan Randall on to discuss the experience of calling the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games, live from a booth in Stamford, CT.

In this episode, we have Sydney Palmer-Leger, Sophia Laukli, and Novie McCabe. Each is a member of the U.S. Cross Country team, and they are also all teammates at the University of Utah (UU), where they are coached by Miles Havlick and Fredrik Landstedt. Laukli and McCabe were recently named to the 2022 Olympic Team and are soon headed to Beijing, while Palmer-Leger will race in the RMISA collegiate circuit for the next few weeks before flying to Norway for the FIS Junior World Championships...

In this episode, we have Jake Adicoff and Sam Wood, calling in from Lillehammer as the duo races as athlete and guide at the Para World Championships. Jake is a visually impaired athlete from Sun Valley who grew up racing with the SVSEF cross country program and now trains with the Gold Team. Meanwhile, Sam is also a member of the SVSEF Gold Team, balancing his own training and race goals with his support of Jake this season. In this conversation, we get into the dynamic of the athlete-guide...

In this episode, we have Matt Whitcomb back to debrief the 2021/22 Tour de Ski, including highs and lows, overcoming setbacks, and managing a circulating head cold. We also discuss the cancellation of the Les Rousses World Cup, covid safety in a critical window before the Olympics, and the racing happening in Soldier Hollow during the 2022 US Cross Country Championships.

In this episode, we have Ben Ogden, Gus Schumacher, and JC Schoonmaker, members of the new generation of American men who have found success at the junior level internationally, and are now transitioning onto the World Cup as athletes to follow. In this conversation, we explore this transition from a variety of angles, along with goal setting, team dynamics, and navigating the challenges of competing for very limited and selective Olympic spots without compromising the friendship and culture...

In this episode, we have U.S. Ski Team members Hannah Halvorsen and Hailey Swirbul along with development team coach Kate Barton to discuss a variety of challenges female athletes of all levels experience during their careers. From social media to pressure, and “balance” to competition between teammates, these women shared powerful insights into their lives as athletes and coaches at the highest level of our sport.

In this episode, we have Tara Geraghty-Moats, a trailblazer in women’s nordic combined who made the switch this season to biathlon. Tara discusses this move, and provides insight into the state of women's nordic combined in the US, along with an update on her biathlon training and goals for the upcoming season.

In this episode, we have Jim Galanes to discuss some guiding training principles for masters athletes. If you enjoy the endurance athlete lifestyle, or are juggling a career and family, but still enjoy trying to get fitter and faster as in this fickle sport, this interview has plenty of exercise physiology insight to chew on. 

In this episode, we connect with US Ski Team Head Coach Matt Whitcomb following the US Ski Team and National Training Group camp in Park City. Whitcomb answers a variety of questions to provide insight into the upcoming season leading up to the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

In this episode, we discuss the topic of maternal mental health with Holly Brooks and Calisa Kastning, co-founders of Moms Matter Now and accomplished skiers. Through this platform and the online courses they are building, they hope to provide women with the tools to prepare for the emotional and psychological changes they might experience surrounding pregnancy and into motherhood, and to empower each participant to prioritize her own well-being in order to be the mother, partner, athlete,...

Decorated skier turned IRONMAN athlete Kris Freeman has paved the way for Type-1 diabetics in sport, becoming an expert in managing blood glucose and insulin along the way. In this conversation, Freeman shares a closer look into that process for a diabetic in contrast with a non-diabetic athlete, and give his perspective on the integration of continuous glucose monitoring into the athletic space by the company SuperSapiens. Thanks for listening.

In early July, the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation announced the launch of the Team Birkie professional racing team, led by Caitlin Gregg. In this conversation, Caitlin discusses the new elite group, how she incorporates her daughter, Heidi, into the mix, and what has kept her in the game and going strong after more than a decade and a half of elite ski racing.

In this episode, we get the skinny on what drives the little engine that could from Great Britain's coaches Hans Kristian Stadheim and Jostein Vinjerui.