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Pre-Season Training Camp in Cervinia

Tuesday, November 15th, 2011

Happy to be back on snow!

Hard to believe I spent 3 amazing days on snow last weekend in Cervina, Italy, when as I write this today here in Chamonix, we are in short sleeves and riding bikes and roller skiing, and just one week before I was on the beach in a bikini! This was the 2nd time of our Chamonix Club pre-season camp in Cervina, where we had a chance to dust off the cob-webs from summer and get the ski legs under us a bit, remembering how to take skins off and on and do a kick turn. It takes a bit of remembering, but just like riding a bike, it comes right back rather quickly.

Enjoying the view!

What a great way to kick off the season with a group of people who are passionate about ski alpinisme and sport! It was not long ago, maybe 5 years ago, I fell in love with the sport of ski mountaineering. It combines all that I love in a sport: endurance, strength, speed of downhill, technical climbing and of course being in the mountains! I found it strange that in Chamonix, the heart of alpinisme in Europe, the local sports club of Chamonix which hosts most other sports including ping-pong and boule, did not have a ski mountaineering team.

Chamonix Ski Alpinisme Club photo in front of the Matterhorn

With the encouragement from my husband, I went ahead to try and start one. Just three years ago, joined by a team of others equally passionate about the sport, we founded the club. Now on our 3rd season, we have grown to nearly 50 members which include 8 nationalities and have an age range of 14-70 years old, all of whom take part in competition of one form or another, as this is a competition club, not one for purely ski touring. Here is our link: Chamonix Ski Alpinisme

Great conditions

During the weekend we were blessed amazing snow conditions and great weather. We were able to walk from the base of town up the dreadfully steep Mezzalama trail, to about 2300 meters where we could put our skis on. It was a perfect warm up and a great way to avoid the crowds of alpine skiers. The weekend included technique drills, avalanche beacon training (always important to do pre-season!), a small race-course combining all the skills and of course some great cappucino’s and pasta!

Relaxing after a hard training session!

It looks like I’ll be making some more trips to Italy as the ground is still quite bare here in Chamonix, even though the first race on the calendar is just a couple weeks away. 

Think snow and Be Happy!

Be sure to check out the winter line for Wild Roses at the following link!  And to see the Wild Roses ambassadors Blogs click here! 

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Musing in Mallorca

Monday, November 7th, 2011

Musing about this magical place

When the time came to muse about where to go for the Autumn term, we found ourselves settling on Mallorca, again. This a place we have been to many times but each time we are always discovering new roads and uncovering new places and faces.

"Happiness is a direction, not a place.” –Sydney J. Harris

Living overseas, we often muse about how we should travel more, see more of europe. But seeing more and doing more is not going to make it better, in fact often more exhausting. As many of you know, traveling with small children can be exhausting and overwhelming, especially in new and unfamiliar places. They need familiarity and stability.  It is often in the familiar that we can find the unfamiliar.

Today I shared with my five year old what a microscope was and he looked at small plants with new eyes.  I challenge you to open your eyes a little bit more and find the unfamiliar in the familiar, take a look at things with the eyes of a five year old.  It is really an eye-opener and often brings a smile.

Boys on their bikes! All smiles!

 

Everyone needs some time to wind down and this is a great place to do just that and spend some great quality family time doing things we all enjoy doing together.

Kite Surfing will be our next sport to try, for now just flying a kite in the wind is bliss

Sure, the weather can be hit or miss this time of year in Mallorca, but it is always calm, and tranquil. We left Chamonix, having been cycling in 6 -10 degree temps, knee warmers, jackets and full gloves and we were pleasantly surprised by great weather. Not once did I pull out my rain jacket, and only once did I wear knee warmers and a jacket!

Climbing up towards Cap Formentar

This time we brought our  own bikes and had a chance to ride with some of the locals, though you can rent some decent bikes at the shops. You can’t go wrong with the roads here for cycling. The Mallorcan government has invested millions into cyclotourisme and it is a nice change from the rough and traffic-y roads around home. This time of year things are pretty quiet, and not packed with tourists as in the summer. In January and February you may find some of the Pro teams training here, and if you are lucky you may be able to hop on the wheels of Leopard Trek. March through May is another great time to ride if you are not still on your skis.

Map of the cycle routes in Mallorca

Speaking of skis, the  ski mountaineering season is just around the corner. I took advantage of the great roads for roller skiing and had a great training partner too!

Roller skiing on the great roads with my lil' side kick running by my side

My lil' training partners

We had plenty of time to build castles in the sand

Building Castles in the Sand

and muse some more at the local cafes.

Enjoying the local flavor

Here are some shots of the great cycling around here. Thanks for reading!

If in our daily life we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will profit from it. This is the most basic kind of peace work. –Thich Nhat Hanh

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Cycling the Cols & Finding New Roads

Sunday, October 30th, 2011
Wait! This is not the Alps!

Discovering a new road

 

Often we say when one door closes another one opens. This season my trail running season was side-lined due to an injury. I do love trail running and it was tough not to be out there on the trails, but it opened a new door for me, Road biking.

Riding with my lil' training partner

My first road bike was actually one I borrowed from my younger brother. I can say that I did cycle on the same team as Tyler Hamilton and Chris Davenport in high school at Holderness, however with that said, I never learned how to change a tire and I don’t think I even learned how to draft.

At  Dartmouth, I spent most of my time on skinny skis with the ski team, free heel skis or roller skis. At the end of my 4 years, I dabbled in a few triathalons. I think I tried,  3 tris until the EBA’s pizza delivery guy backed up over my bike. I went out to get my bike the next morning and came to a crumpled bit of metal.  I ended up borrowing a bike 2x my size but managed to finish the tri in one piece.

Since then, my husband, who was once a Cat 2 competitive cyclist in the US, has been encouraging me to get back on the bike.

Michael guiding a group for Bike Switzerland in the Jura

I left the biking by the wayside until about 8 years ago when picked up a used bike for a couple hundred swiss francs 10 years ago and had been riding that bike ever since. This summer I picked up a sweet, new ride and have fallen in love with riding, not horse back riding. I already fell in love with that as a young girl, and competed seriously at the sport until I was 16.

One thing about living in Chamonix is that you can’t do many flat rides, it’s either up or down and then back up. I got pretty friendly with the Col des Montets.

Always a good session to the Col des Montets

I have to be honest. The roads in Switzerland are great for biking. If it gets too hilly around here, you can always ride flat around the lake.

A spinning session on the swiss cycle paths

One of my favorite rides and probably one of the best rides from Chamonix is to  Lac Emosson. It is a challenging ride but well worth the climb.

One of my favorite rides up to Emosson Dam

Lake d'Emosson almost looks tropical!

 

I managed to make it over to my old stomping grounds, parked the car in Aigle, Switzerland where my two boys were born. Probably the best maternity hospital around! I climbed up past my old town of Villars, crossed the Col de la Croix and down into les diableret and up to Col du Pillon. I had hoped to continue onto Gstaad and Col des Mosses but the time constraint of getting back for the school pick up at 4 caused me to cut my ride short.  Here is a map of the large route 

 

Col de Pillon

 

The view down to Les Diablerets

 

Col de la Croix- near my old stomping grounds- Villars

One of my favorite views

 

 

I am not sure if the cycling season is wrapped up or not. We may still get some warmer days in the coming weeks.

 

Enjoy your ride and the new roads you may discover! 

 

 

 

 

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The Amazing Outdoor Playground

Thursday, October 20th, 2011

The outdoor playground

” Mommy, I just want to stay outside the whole time we are here!” These were the words of my 7 year old as we arrived to the hotel on holiday.

 

Anders enjoying this outdoor playground

“I have never met two boys who are not only active but want to be outside all the time. Most boys these days want to just stay inside and play video games.” These were the words of a young friend who helps out with the boys from time to time.

Anders first hike at the Plan Midi

These were refreshing words to hear. Sure, it is no picnic raising children, and there is never really a dull moment or minute for that matter as parents, especially with two active young boys. One thing for sure is that  it is an active adventure, and most certainly one that I would never miss for a minute.

 

Below are a few photos from our autumn outdoor adventures around Chamonix. 

 

Cross-Ecoliers, an all inclusive, all schools event that brings together students, teachers and parents.

The All School Cross Country Race-Birki at his first Cross/ trail race pushed his stride to the end for a podium

Making Tarte aux Pommes with friends

Outdoor Cooking Class

Playing cards outdoors

 

Playgrounds

by Laurence Alma-Tadema

In summer I am very glad

We children are so small,

For we can see a thousand things

That men can’t see at all.

 They don’t know much about the moss

And all the stones they pass:

They never lie and play among

The forests in the grass:

 They walk about a long way off; 

And, when we’re at the sea,

Let father stoop as best he can

He can’t find things like me.

 But, when the snow is on the ground

And all the puddles freeze,

I wish that I were very tall,

High up above the trees.

Anders at point Signal

Each day I wake up and make the most of this amazing outdoor playground we live in.  I am so glad to share it with our boys and see them enjoy this amazing playground as much as we do!

Enjoying the last of the autumn light


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Sharing Stories

Wednesday, September 21st, 2011

The first breath of autumn comes in a cool, crisp morning, a pink down jacket , a fresh dusting of snow in the hills, golden hued larch trees, and sugar maples with a touch of red.

Autumn Breath

Seasons tell their own story. They give a quiet sense of rhythm, a cadence to change, keeping us on track. Stories create connections and community in our everlasting web.

Aletch Glacier telling it's story

Just recently  Wild Roses and a few ambassadors, teamed up near the  Aletch Glacier, with two amazing storytellers, professional mountain photographers Dan and Janine Pattituti. The Aletch Glacier, part of the Jungfrau-Aletch World Heritage property, is one of the most majestical spots in the Alps and certainly made for an amazing backdrop for some amazing stories.

Reading Stories

Stories are a part of everyones lives. We listen to stories, we read stories, we tell stories.  My two boys still love listening to us tell a story before falling asleep.

Sharing Stories

If I had a recorder for every different bedtime story I have told over the past 5 years, I just might send them off to the publishing house, and perhaps, like J.K. Rowling, my story could evolve into a time-lasting classic (that rocked the boxoffice).

None the less, everyones story, is just that, a time lasting classic, that will continue on and on just as the Aletch Glacier will continue to tell it’s own story for many more years to come.

Rainbow of Dreams

 Enjoy your story, the change of season and your next chapter.

Waiting for Morning

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Summer Footprints

Saturday, July 2nd, 2011

 

Podium Combloranne 18km trail (nina 2nd)

Summer kicked off with the Combloranne 18km trail race. Early one sunday morning, with fresh snow in the hills, the boys and I piled in the car and headed to village of Combloux, a.k.a, the pearl of Mont Blanc.

Summer Snow in the Hills

Anders capturing his mom's heart with a photo of a wild rose

My shoes post race

 

 

 

On route home, Anders said to his older brother,  ”you are making paw prints on the back of the seat.”

Making Paw Prints

I smiled silently as I thought of my five year old calling footprints, paw prints. It is the simple things like this we remember.

 

 

 

Summer Footprints…..

The snowy winter boots have been put away only after the last snow on June 19th.  Our entry way welcomes you with muddy footprints, a spattering of sports shoes, sandals, sneakers, random slippers amongst some grass clippings and the smell of recently mowed lawn.

When I worked as an instructor for National Outdoor Leadership School, we tried to teach to our students to leave only footprints when we travelled in the wilderness. I, too, try and teach this message  to my two boys ages 5 and 7.  Funny, they have not quite grasped the message as there is a continual trail of Lego’s,  Hama beads and socks throughout the house. The Leave No Trace philosophy is not easy to embrace in our household but we are working on the “Get it out, put it away” principal.

Summer fills us with longer days and lingering alpenglow evenings.

Evening Alpenglow

The birds rise early with their songs, and then sing small intermittent tunes throughout the day. Most Moms yearn for these endless summer days, banking on the fact that  they can check off more from their to-do list,  but in fact it is a mere ruse. At least my own children boycott the early bedtime …”mommy it is not dark out yet for sleeping“.

Backyard summer evening fun with friends

Many moms attempt to squeeze in just a few more hours into the day to work, workout, have fun with the kids, plan a meal, shop for groceries,  clean the house, finish laundry, finish the  to-do list, have a glass of wine with a friend, carpool the kids, and what am I forgetting? Oh yes of course, Sleep!

Making bubbles

 

 

 

Sad, but true, these few extra hours are simply squeezed out like a lemon in a glass of  summer lemonade or burst like a bubble. Whatever would we do if we lived in Alaska? I, then recall the answer from  a friend who does live in Alaska and she said, sleep less, do more and get black out shades.

Perrine & I trying to squeeze in an extra hour on the bike together

Despite all moms’ great attempt to squeeze more hours in the day, summer is a wonderful time to slow the pace down and take advantage of all the juice and pulp in that lemon, to enjoy the bittersweet taste of lemonade and to sip it slowly ’til every last drop. My mom makes the best lemonade and I am still attempting to get the recipe just right.

Summer Smiles

A pre-breakfast run up to Chalet La Floria

A favorite spot

with Sari Anderson and Lyndsay Meyer . Home in time for breakfast with the boys.

Run up to La Floria w/ Sari and Lynds

A run up to Plan d'Aiguille- Another great refreshment spot

Riding with the B-man. He is hard to keep up with!

Birki on his bike

Top of the Source!

The boys took part in the Mini Cross du Mont Blanc, which was one of many races over the Mont Blanc marathon weekend.

All smiles

I volunteered for the 1st KM vertical of Chamonix. It was a huge success, head up by our coach from our Chamonix Ski Alpinisme Club

En route up the KM vertical Chamonix

As usual the ambiance that this weekend brings is spectacular. It is great to see so many  thousands of  people , young and old, passionate about the sport of trail running.

Mont Blanc Marathon Weekend Ambiance

On Sunday Birken and I cheered on the Marathon finishers

Team Support at the finish!

I took the start of  the Cross du Mont Blanc and did not feel quite right on course. It turns out I pulled a tendon in my hamstring so I am taking a break from running this week and enjoying some other summer moments, as well as tackling our biggest event on the calendar this summer, moving house.

Anders and Mommy Pre-Cross

It is easy to be discouraged by an injury or a setback. For me, this has allowed me to re-adjust my training and my summer stride.

Team Trail Swiss Training w/ Damien & Malika

I hope to discover some new races and leave new footprints in some new places.

Enjoying the Swiss bike paths

It has been a nice treat to vary the summer training with road and mountain biking, strength training, yoga, and of course swimming at a pool with one of the best views in the world.

Nina and Michael enjoying a ride at the World Cycling Center- Aigle, Switzerland

Changing the stride- making new footprints

So you know where you can find us these next few months, smiling in the moment, leaving muddy footprints and enjoying summer!


Summer Footprints

 

 

 

Here is a little summer mantra inspired by  Buddhist Monk Thich Nhat Hanh

Breathe in summer…enjoy

Breathe out summer, smile.

Enjoy your summer where-ever you may be

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Smile Together

Wednesday, June 1st, 2011

If you smile at me, I will understand
‘Cause that is something everybody everywhere does
in the same land.- Crosby, Stills and Nash

Summer Smiles

It seems like the rest of life can take off at an even a faster pace than when the training and racing comes to a full stop. It always take some time to re-adjust.

Keeping up the pace

For me, I caught up with the things that had been put on hold all winter, notably laudry, officework, housework, and catching up with friends.  I have had more time to for my own practice of Yoga, working on the power of the breath and how it can be applied to daily life and sport with grace.

Finding time *

Most importantly I have had even more time with my family and smiling together.

Sourire Ensemble- Birki's class art project won a prize for the Fete de Sourire

For me, celebrating mother’s day with my boys

Happy Mother's Day!

and sharing a gorgeous day in the mountains

Mother's Day together

was just what I needed to jump start into summer!

Grimpée Ruisseau 2011- Birki- 2nd 7km marche/ Nina- 3rd- 15km trail

 

Please note on June 1st- It snowed in Chamonix!

* Photo credit patitucciphoto

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Breathe & Believe

Friday, May 20th, 2011

Smile, breathe and go slowly (except when racing) ~Thich Nhat Hanh

There are many things that go into a season of racing. The ski mountaineering season is long, beginning in early december and ending in the 1st of May. There are moments in the season that are low points and high points, races to try to peak for and others to recover from. Juggling and balancing it all is never easy but for me two things help a lot:

Breathe and Believe

When one window closes another opens

 

 

 

 

 

Practicing yoga daily is not always possible but remembering to keep the breath  even both on and off the race course really helps, especially when the going gets tough.

As I reflect back on my 2010/2011 season I want to graciously thank all of my supporters and sponsors who have helped me believe in this dream. Above all I would like to thank my family; my husband  Michael of High-Alpine Mountain Guides who continues to  support  me to follow this dream and all that comes with it, and my two amazing boys who keep me smiling when the going gets tough. I just counted it up and I had 26 races this past season between Dec 5th and May 1st.

 

Training "En Famille"

 

It  is the journey that counts….


2010/2011 Season Stats:

9th overall in the World Cup with 5 individual World Cup starts in multiple countries- Italy, Poland, France,

Best world cup result: 5th Sprint World Cup Gavarnie

2011 World Championships- 8th place Team Race, 12th sprint, 17th individual

3rd French National Championships

3rd Overall French Ranking

2nd in the French Cup

6th Trofeo Mezzalama

7th Pierra Menta

8th Adamello Ski Raid

1st place Run/Skate mix

1st Transvanoise Mix Team

Other Podiums:

Mt Saxonnex- 2nd

Verte a L’envers- 2nd

Combloux-2nd

A big thanks goes out to Wild Roses for their support as I follow my own dream of racing on the World Cup Ski Mountaineering circuit. I am proud to be an ambassador for Wild Roses.  So much about Wild Roses as a company is encouraging woman to follow their dreams and believe in their dreams. I feel very lucky to be a part of such an amazing team of woman who are following their dreams.

I hope through my own dreams I can help empower others to follow their own and BELIEVE!

Just Believe

To check out the Wild Roses Dream Book click here

photo credits to Patitucci Photo and Brava Bella

 

 

 

 

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Teamwork

Sunday, May 15th, 2011

Teamwork! 6th place women's team

My 2011 ski mountaineering race season culminated with one of the biggest, longest and hardest races out there, the Trofeo Mezzalama.  This was the 3rd and final race in the Grande Course Series. Believe it or not, this was the 3rd time I had been at this start line and the 1st time I had finished so it was a memorable moment for me. Even better was knowing the my family (mom, dad, michael and the boys) and friends were there to welcome us at the finish as we ran in on foot!

part of the welcoming crew!

This race  was held on May 1st already delayed 1 day due to new snowfall. The majority of the race  is between 3600 meters and 4200 meters, with 3000 meters of climbing and 45km in length. What makes it equally amazing is that this race is done as a team. This year I shared this experience with two other amazing woman, also high level athletes and professionals, Lyndsay Meyer and Valentine Fabre,  both from my ski mountaineering club in Chamonix.

Being on a ski mountaineering team is like any team, a soccer team, football,or  an expedition team.  It takes preparation, especially to be aclimized at altitude.

Nina & Lynds training at altitude

As on any team, the key is working together and sharing the strengths and  helping out the weaknesses within the team. Here is a little photo essay of our Mezzalama 2011.

5:30 am Start

Col de Breithorn

It was very very cold at the Col. We tried our best to keep moving here to stay warm. Eating and drinking was difficult at this altitude of 3800 meters as the water bottles were frozen and the wind was quite strong. One also looses their appetite at such a high altitude.  I managed to get a Wild Berry Nuun going in one bottle and a multi-hour bottle of Hammer Nutrition Cafe Latte Perpetuum in my other. This as well as the hot tea at a few stops along the way managed to give me enough energy. Every 2 hours I tried to remember Sport Legs for avoid cramping.   Temperatures were well below zero degrees Celsius until the sun hit.

Castor

Finally kissed by the sunshine!

Castor Peak 4228 m

Col between Lyskamm and nose of Lyskamm

All smiles at the end!

We finished with a very respectable 6th place( out of 23 womans teams) with a time of 7h:30 m

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Mont Fort en Famille

Wednesday, April 27th, 2011

Cabane Mont Fort

We finally took advantage of the pass we have at Verbier and spent a couple days at the Cabane de Mont Fort, The cabane lies on the slopes of Verbier at an altitude of 2457m.  It is a regular stop for those doing the famous “Haute Route” ski tour from Chamonix to Zermatt. We had the luxury of having a family room.

Family Fondue

The boys were ecstatic to have bunk beds. This was a perfect altitude for sleeping and training at as I prepped for the last races of the season, the Mezzalama. I took advantage of the great weather, set my alarm with the “haute routers” and set off  with my skis and skins to catch the morning sunrise

Morning skin to Col de la Chaux

I returned back with plenty of time for breakfast back at the cabin.

Morning game of cards and cocoa

and  then spend the days skiing the slopes with the boys.

Heading up the Rainbow Tram

 

Not a bad day to miss school!

I had my eye on a couloir just above the hut. The next morning I set off and had a nice little ski down and then once again was back for breakfast.

Morning Moonlight

Testing Wild Roses Dreamline

Check out the great  Wild Roses Dreamline here!

 

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