2013 in Review: Part 1

2013 is almost over! It's been a busy year for me, mainly with work preparations for the upcoming Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, but there have also been a lot of fun adventures with friends and family! I've got quite a lot to review, so I'll do it in a few parts.

January

The year started off (as it usually does for me...although for in 2014!) in Florida, but I quickly headed from sand to snow and returned to Park City.

 I started skiing pretty regularly in January, so I gave in and bought my first pair of ski boots!

And that purchase was promptly followed by the purchase of my own skis!

Off the snow, I decided to run my first half marathon and opted not to train for it. While not the smartest decision I've ever made, I did, in fact, complete it.

In-N-Out is a must-have post-race. 

Julia and I went to Las Vegas after my half marathon for a bit of sun and fun.

I had my first Sundance Film Festival experience! Julia and I managed to get premiere tickets to A.C.O.D. (starring Adam Scott, Amy Poehler, Jessica Alba, Catherine O'Hara...and even more) despite being on the waiting list and sat in the front row.  

I was just a few feet away from these lovely actors. 

The month wrapped up with the Visa Freestyle International at Deer Valley...a truly wonderful event!

February

I worked at the Sprint U.S. Grand Prix, where I got to watch some amazing athletes do incredible things in the halfpipe, including Shaun White.

And then I got the flu.

 I decided that bangs were a good idea.

 I continued to ski as often as I could.

I explored Park City.

I worked at a skicross/snowboardcross event at the Canyons. 

March

I started volunteering a Furburbia, a wonderful animal shelter in Park City. They take animals from kill shelters and keep them at Furburbia as long as it takes to get them adopted!

 I skied my first black diamond at Deer Valley!

Nigella Lawson tweeted at me.

Yep, more skiing.

 Julia and I got crafty and made a bunch of homemade pizza. My personal favorite combination was ricotta cheese, peppers, garlic and bacon!

I went home for Easter at the end of March and, of course, normal hijinks ensued.

Hurricane for Hope

I'm starting to write a series of original content for work, so I thought I would share on here, as well! Last weekend, I had the privilege of volunteering at Hurricane for Hope, a fundraising event for The Speedy Foundation and the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation. Jeret "Speedy" Peterson was one of the first athletes I worked with in my career, back when I was a nervous intern at the USOC who had no idea what I was doing (photos here). He was kind, patient and definitely a great person to work with. When I heard that he had lost his lifelong battle with depression, it was tough. However, The Speedy Foundation is doing great work to carry on his legacy and work towards ending the stigma of mental illness. I was very proud to be a part of a great event.

Athletes Join Forces at Hurricane for Hope
By Riley Steinmetz

PARK CITY, UT (August 26) - U.S. Ski Team athletes past and present came together at the second annual Hurricane for Hope fundraiser to honor 2010 Olympic freestyle aerials silver medalist Jeret “Speedy” Peterson. The event, hosted by The Speedy Foundation and the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation, raised funds for both mental health issues and youth sports initiatives. 

The Speedy Foundation was created to help eliminate the stigma of mental illness by increasing awareness, enabling discussions and creating a safe environment. The Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation works to increase youth involvement in winter sports. The two organizations joined forces for the evening’s events, which included a silent auction and Flying Ace All-Stars big air show. 

“We’re making sure to carry on his legacy and spread his message. He was very, very passionate about talking about mental health and mental wellness,” Emily Cook, a two-time Olympian and former teammate of Peterson’s, said, “It was very important to him that all of us come together and support each other and just talk.” 

And come together they did. Dozens of current and former U.S. Ski Team athletes came to Park City for the event, reuniting with teammates they hadn’t seen in years. Among the alumni athletes at the event were 1998 Olympic Champion Nikki Stone, 2009 World Champion Ryan St. Onge and two-time Olympic medalist Shannon Bahrke Happe. 

“I think when you lose somebody like that, you realize how many good people are in your life and you need to celebrate those people,” Happe said, “There are so many people that loved him and tonight brings everyone together to talk about the good times and the amazing things he did.” 

While the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team was well represented at the event, it wasn’t just aerialists coming out to support the cause. The missions of both the Speedy Foundation and the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation have resounded strongly among the athletes of a variety of sports. Speedskating Olympic Champion Derek Parra, snowboarder Graham Watanabe and cross country World Champion Kikkan Randall were all on hand, mingling with the event’s attendees and sharing their experiences with Peterson. 

“I had the pleasure of meeting Speedy at the Olympic Games and he was always such a positive spirit,” Randall said, “It’s great to see the sports community coming together to celebrate a great life and highlight such an important issue—getting kids involved in sports and supporting them through the many challenges they may experience.” 

Later in the evening, the Flying Ace All-Stars—a group Peterson was once a part of—performed for a large crowd. The big air show included trampoline stunts, fireworks and an impressive array of jumps. For Peterson’s friends and former teammates, the performance was the perfect conclusion to the evening. 

“Speedy was a wild man. He was never afraid to get up there and do his big tricks,” Peterson’s 2010 Olympic teammate Scotty Bahrke said, “We’re all here putting on a big show, doing some big jumps and remembering our friend.” 

“It’s been truly an honor for me to be part of something that is paying forward who Speedy was and how he lived his life,” Jana Lindsey, Peterson’s former teammate and current secretary for The Speedy Foundation, “He was always giving to other people and always really supportive of his teammates, so it’s fun see all of these people out here remembering Speedy, what he stood for and the champion that he was.” 

For more information or to get involved with The Speedy Foundation and the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation, visit www.thespeedyfoundation.org or www.utaholympiclegacyfoundation.org.

Dogs and Black Diamonds

I haven't posted anything substantial in awhile...no particular reason why, but figured I'd at least pop in and give an update on my life.

I've been enjoying the last good skiing of the year (I even skied my first couple of black diamonds last weekend!) and started volunteering at a local animal shelter. I've really enjoyed volunteering! It's been a great way for me to get my fix of animals without actually adopting one (my lease doesn't allow that and I'm gone far too often for a pet - it wouldn't be fair to them!). My favorite at the shelter so far is a 10-year-old pug named Edgar. He's just a big cuddler who wants nothing more in life than to have his belly rubbed. Although I really want him to get adopted by a loving family, I also really love having him at the shelter to play with!

I've been watching the TV show The Taste. For those of you who haven't seen it, it's a cooking show take on The Voice where the judges (Anthony Bourdain, Nigella Lawson, Ludo Lefebvre and Brian Malarkey) sample dishes blindly. Each of the judges has a team and can eliminate their own team member since it's a blind taste. I've really enjoyed it - particularly the banter between the judges! During the last episode, I posted something on Twitter and got tweeted at by Nigella!

Not gonna lie - I was pretty excited! I've enjoyed Nigella since before The Taste, so it was definitely cool!

I'm headed home for Easter in about 10 days...pretty excited to see the fam, check out Aly's wedding dress and get fitted for my bridesmaid dress!

So, now I will leave you with a photo of my first black diamond. Sad to see ski season end :(

Dogs and Kitties and More...Oh My!

I love animals. I grew up with dogs and cats and even adopted my own dog, Lola, when I lived in Colorado.

Unfortunately, my work schedule and lease make it impossible for me to have a pet of my own at the moment. Lola now lives with her grandparents because of those reasons, but she loves them and loves having their dog, Maddy, to play with. 

So, I decided recently to apply to volunteer with Friends of Animals Utah, a local animal shelter here in Park City. I figured it would be an awesome way to spend some time with animals while helping a good cause and helping those animals have the best life possible before finding their forever home. 

My first shift is Tuesday...I cannot wait!