Three Days in Pyeongchang, Korea Alpensia Ski Stadium

2025 August 9th

Korea was intense, eye-opening, and unforgettable. The competition was three days long, with one event each day, and it felt like a whirlwind from start to finish.

Day 1: Classic Sprint
The first day was a classic roller ski sprint, and I won’t lie—it was rough. After only 20 days of roller ski training, I crossed the finish line with 994 FIS points. Awful? Yes. But it was a start, and I learned so much about pacing, technique, and the reality of international competition.

Day 2: 15K Free Skate
The second day brought the 15K free skate, a true test of endurance, strategy, and mental toughness. This was my best event, and I managed to score 504 FIS points. Seeing that number gave me hope—proof that I could actually improve and compete. The feeling of skiing in an Olympic arena with actual Olympic athletes only added to the thrill. Knowing that athletes from around the world had trained, competed, and even won there before me was surreal.

Day 3: 15K Classic
The final day was a 15K classic race, and by this point, I had learned a lot from the first two events. I approached the course with a bit more confidence, a clearer strategy, and the mental toughness that comes from surviving two full days of high-intensity competition. Every push, every glide, and every climb was a reminder that I was truly here to challenge myself with Selina and my coaches pushing me to finish.

These three days were exhausting, eye-opening, and humbling. They showed me exactly what I needed to focus on: technical skill, endurance, and race strategy. I also realized how critical coaching, proper training, and mental preparation were. And while I didn’t come away with podium finishes, the progression over three days—culminating in that 504-point 15K free skate—gave me real hope for the future.

It was the perfect mix of thrill and education. I learned more in those three days than in month and a half of solo training back home, and I left Korea inspired, motivated, and ready to train smarter for the next competition.

To be continued…