On this episode I welcome Luci Anderson! Luci is a U.S. biathlete from Golden Valley, Minnesota, and a lifelong skier who grew up racing in the Midwest before going on to ski for the University of New Hampshire. After graduating in 2024, Luci found herself at a crossroads, unsure if she was ready to walk away from competitive skiing, but also curious about what else might be possible.

That curiosity led her to try biathlon, a sport she’d always been intrigued by, but had never actually trained for. Within a year of picking up a rifle for the first time, Luci went from U.S. Biathlon development camps to racing on the IBU Cup, the World Cup, and even the World Championships, all in her debut season. For those who aren’t familiar with the biathlon world, the IBU cup circuit is essentially a step just below World Cup. It is still incredibly competitive and has athletes from all nations racing. It’s something that the Biathlon world has that the cross country circuit does not, to help support the development of athletes in the sport.

In this episode, we talk about taking risks, learning something completely new under pressure, and what it’s like to live between two sports. Because Luci is ALSO racing Cross country world cups!!

I think Luci’s story reminds us that sometimes the most exciting paths are the ones you don’t plan for.

Today’s episode is about what it means to grow, evolve, and keep skiing at the center of it all, even as life adds new roles, new priorities, and new finish lines.

I’m joined by two incredible women who embody that balance: Erika Flowers and Annie Van Fossan.

Both Erika and Annie are former professional cross-country skiers, both competed on the collegiate EISA circuit and then for the SMS T2 ski team. Both have gone on to pursue leadership positions in their careers, become mothers, and continue to keep skiing close to their hearts.

In our conversation, we talk about the transition from racing professionally to building fulfilling careers, the lessons skiing instilled that now guide their leadership and motherhood, and the evolving definition of “having it all.”

Both Erika and Annie recently became mothers. And both have spoken beautifully about the tension and joy of this season; loving their children deeply while also honoring the other parts of themselves: the athlete, the professional, the dreamer.

Most of all, we reflect on how skiing, whether it’s racing, coaching, officiating, or simply gliding through the woods, continues to shape who they are and how they move through the world.

I hope you enjoy this episode of Extra Blue with Erika and Annie!

Link to NNF: https://nationalnordicfoundation.networkforgood.com/projects/256302-d25-xc-2025

On this episode, I welcome Johnny Hagenbuch to talk about his build up for this season while training with the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation. Johnny grew up in Sun Valley, Idaho and you’ll hear just how much the SVSEF program had an impact on him, particularly, from the former program director, Rick Kapala.

We also discuss Johnny's time as a junior in Sun Valley, and what it was like to be a part of a winning Junior World Championship relay team just one week before the world shut down for Covid. Johnny shares what it was like to train through Covid and how he learned a lot about himself and how sometimes you have to chase happiness over training hours. He’s carried that sentiment with him the past few years while he attends Dartmouth College, racing on the EISA circuit while chasing World Cup goals as well.

I hope you enjoy this conversation with Johnny as we dive into what gets him fired up for ski racing and for the winter ahead of us.

Johnny's Strava: https://www.strava.com/pros/45561878

Johnny's IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnsteelhagenbuch/

NNF Drive for 25: https://nationalnordicfoundation.networkforgood.com/projects/264502-alayna-sonnesyn-s-fundraiser

Team Birkie Online Auction: https://www.32auctions.com/TeamBirkie2025