midwest mag olympians 2010

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For athletes likeLindsey Vonn, the

Rocky Mountainsof Colorado are theultimate Olympictraining ground.

PEAKSEASON

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GREAT A E CING SOUL OF ATHENS


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56MyMIDWEST JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010

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CHENBLEILER

KATIE

UHLAENDER


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WHEN THEYRE LOOKING TO BUCKLE DOWNOR REST UPBEFORE

THEY GO TO THE WINTER OLYMPICS, MANY MEMBERS OF TEAM

U.S.A. HEAD TO COLORADO. LUCKILY FOR THESE FOUR HOPEFULS,

THAT MEANT STAYING HOME.

BY ALEX MILLER

COLORADO IS USUALLY WELL REPRE-

sented in the Winter Olympic Games, and this

year should prove to be no exception. Withits 26 ski and snowboard areas, incomparably

active population and long, sunny winters,

the state is home to dozens of athletes doingtheir best to make the cut for the U.S. team

in their respective sports. We caught up with

four veterans, each of whom has a pretty good

possibility of bringing home a medal, to ask

what they think of their chancesand to find

out what they love about living in the Rocky

Mountain state.

What we discovered is that no one takes

anything for granted in the world of Olympic

competitionespecially the support they get

from their hometowns.

STEVEFISH

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LINDSEYV

ONN

Peak Performers


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A FEARLESS ALPINE SKIER WITHtwo World Cup championship titles(2008, 2009) under her belt but adisappointing finish at the 2006 WinterGames in Turin, Vonn will likely be oneof the top athletes to watch at Whistlerthis year. She competes in all fivealpine skiing disciplinesdownhill,super G, slalom, giant slalom and supercombinedand the faster the event,the better.

Downhill and super G are the ones

Ill be looking for medals in, and Ill tryto do my best in the others, Vonn says.

As for how shes preparing for theOlympics, Vonn cites the standardmantrafocus, discipline and hardworkbut adds that the encouragementshe gets from the Vail community isan important motivating factor. LastSeptember, the city even held a pep rallyin her honor.

The community is so supportive,and its something I can draw confidencefrom, she says. Seeing the kids excite-ment and knowing theyll watch me inthe Olympics makes me really happy. Italso gives me the extra motivation to dowell for them.

Because of the hype and excitementsurrounding the Olympics, for Vonn,theres no competition quite like it. Itsa world stage where everyone is watch-ing you, she says, and I feel a great dealof pride being an American representingmy country. Its special.

LINDSEY VONNHOME:VAIL

SPORT:ALPINE SKIING

AGE: 25

LINDSEY S VAIL PICKS

Vonn says downtime is hard to come

by, but she takes advantage of Vails

offerings as much as she can. I like to

go shopping on Bridge Street, she says,

and my husband and I enjoy eating at

Pazzos Pizzeria (970-476-9026; itsblank

.com/pazzos).


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KATIE UHLAENDERHOME: SUMMIT COUNTY(BRECKENRIDGE, KEYSTONE,COPPER, ARAPAHOE BASIN)

SPORT: SKELETON

AGE: 25

Picture hurling yourself down a bobsled track on a Flexible Flyer

and youre not too far from the sport of skeleton racing. Its not

for the faint-of-heart, and Summit Countys Katie Uhlaender is

anything but. The daughter of Major League outfielder Ted Uh-

laender, she inherited her fathers competitive spirit and athletic

determination. But 9 was a tough year for Uhlaender: Ted

died in February and she shattered her kneecap while snowmo-

biling later that winter. With much of the year spent in various surgeries and

rehab activities while mourning the loss of her father, the two-time World Cup

champ is still pushing hard for her spot on the Olympic team.

Uhlaender jokingly states that she is officially homeless, but because of

the boost she gets from the community, she always considers Summit County

to be her home.

That local support is crucial, she says.

I didnt realize the last time [at the 6

Winter Games, where she placed sixth] how

much my hometowns were supporting me.

I want to feel that and take it with me to

[this years] Games.

Experience will also play an important

role in Uhlaenders performance. I am

really thankful Ive been through the Olym-

pics before, she says. You cant ever know

or plan what youre going to see there. Its

bigger than yourself. But Im not a rookie

anymoreI know how to be prepared.

When youre hurtling headfirst down

an icy track faster than anybody else in the

world, a little preparation can go a long way.

KATIES FRISCO PICKS

When it comes to kick-

ing back, Uhlaender

gravitates toward Frisco,

a central location be-

tween Summit Countys

four ski areas. She en-

joys going to Kemosabe

Sushi Bar (970-668-

2100; kemosabesushi

.com) and Pika Bagel(970-668-0902). After

hours, she hangs out

with friends at Upstairs

at Jonny-Gs (970-668-

5442;jonnygs.com), a

bar in Frisco Mall.


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I

n a sport where many of the top athletes

are too young to legally drink, Brecken-

ridges Steve Fisher is an old hand. At 7,

hes been snowboarding for years, and

hes a favorite to compete in the snow-

board half-pipe at Whistler this year.

According to Fisher, experience, as

well as knowing better than to listen to the

naysayers, will play important roles.

Maturity plays into it, he says. Im over

the petty stuff; I dont care what people say.

Im at peace with my career.

In true snowboarder fashion, Fishers

training regimen sounds somewhat casual. I

jog to stay in shape and do some light weight

training and injury-prevention stuff, he says.

That said, hes very focused when it

comes to mental preparation. In the last

Winter Games, Fisher just missed getting on

the team and admits that at the time, he was

a little burned out. But this year is different.

Ive got my feet back, and Im finding the

love for competition again, he says. Part of

STEVE FISHERS BRECKENRIDGE PICKS Exploring the many shops and eateries along

Breckenridges Main Street is an activity in and of itself. Fisher recommends a nice,

healthy, light lunch at Amazing Grace (970-453-1445)an intimate cafe that serves

sandwiches, soup and baked goodsand happy hour at the Blue River Bistro (970-453-

6974; blueriverbistro.com). Later in the day, he suggests Relish (970-453-0989; relish

breckenridge.com) for a dinner of hearty, Colorado-inspired cuisine.

STEVE FISHERHOME: BRECKENRIDGE

SPORT: SNOWBOARDING

HALF-PIPE

AGE: 27

that came from just enjoying the place where

he lives.

High up at 9,6 feet above sea level,

Breckenridge is a picture-postcard mountain

town with a popular ski resort. It may be a

tourist mecca, but Fisher says that it also has

a base of locals that gives the area a real com-

munity feel.

The residents in town are absolutely in

love with outdoor activities, and theyre also

really warm and caring to tourists, he says.

Thinking of the Olympics, Fisher says hes

excitedbut also looking at the big picture.

Its great to do well, but I dont think

winning is what defines you as an athlete, he

says. Snowboarding is not about winning or

being the best, but about just having fun with

people you enjoy riding with.

VETERAN SNOWBOARDERGretchen Bleiler attracts a lot of

attention wherever she goes. Whether

its because of her all-American good

looks or long list of awards, Bleiler

takes it in stride, and this year, her

focus is on beating her performance

in the 06 games, where she won the

silver medal in the womens half-pipe.

When winter hits, Im 100

percent focused on my riding, Bleiler

says. And she has a great place to

practicewhen asked aboutAspen,which has been her home since she

was 10 years old, she gushes.

I have been fortunate enough to

travel to some of the most beautiful

locations in the world because of what

I do, and I always find myself compar-ing them to Aspen. I still havent found

a place that I love more, she says.

Bleiler cites Aspens natural

attributeswhich make it a perfect

place for outdoor activities year

roundas the reason for her dotage,and also appreciates that it is a small

town with big culture.

Though it means being away

from the place she loves, Bleiler cant

wait to hit the slopes at Whistler. Like

her compatriots on Team U.S.A.,

she sees the Olympic Games as an

opportunity to be a part of a different

kind of community.

The Olympics are special

because they bring people together.

When youre competing in the Olym-

pics, its no longer an individual thing.Youre representing your country,

your community and your family.

MIDWEST AIRLINES offers daily flights toand from Denver, as well as other Coloradocities through a codeshare arrangementwith Frontier Airlines. Details can be foundat midwestairlines.com .

GRETCHENBLEILERHOME:ASPEN

SPORT: SNOWBOARDING

HALF-PIPE

AGE: 28


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GRETCHENS ASPEN PICKS

I love getting a tune-up with

acupuncture and chiropractic

treatments at The WIN Health

Institute (970-384-8484; winheal

thinstitute.com), she says. I also

like having a nice meal with my

friends and family members. For a

quick, easy, delicious and organic

dinner, head to Toppers (970-

920-0069; toppersaspen.com).

Another favorite dinner spot is

Matsuhisa (970-544-6628; mat-

suhisaaspen.com), a Japanese sush

and seafood restaurant. Eating

there is always a nice way to end

the day, she says.

midwest mag olympians 2010

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