The Olympics are here and I am pumped! I love watching the games – it’s super exciting and inspiring. (I get sad when it’s over, is that weird?)
Last week a rep at Kashi contacted me about interviewing Kikkan Randall, three-time Olympian cross-country skier. She just arrived in Sochi this week (yes, I’m stalking her Instagram). But before she went I picked her brain about what she eats and how she trains…
RER: What is a typical day of training like?
Randall: Most days I train twice, once in the morning and again in the afternoon. For my morning session, I usually ski between 1-3hours. In the afternoon I like to mix it up with a run, spin or strength workout. Indoor strength training is one of my favorite types of workouts. I do two sessions a week which include a mix of power lifting, jumps, core and mobility. One unique exercise I do coming into the season is weighted pull-ups, my record is one max pull-up with 60lbs tied to my waist.
RER: What did you eat yesterday for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks? My readers love to see a full ‘day in the life’ of other athletes!
Randall: Breakfast: bowl of oatmeal with yogurt, nuts, fruit and a scoop of GO Lean Crunch on top.
Lunch: small green salad with tomatoes, cucumbers and shredded carrots on top, pasta carbonara with a piece of lightly breaded pork, a small piece of grilled fish and a juicy orange for dessert!
Dinner: Bowl of miso soup with tofu, cooked spinach and mushrooms, and celery root. Green salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, olives and carrots. Asian rice noodles with shrimp. A piece of grilled chicken.
Bedtime snack: Bowl of Kashi Cinnamon Harvest wheat pillows with milk.
RER: What do you eat before competition? Is that hard to navigate when you’re out of the country?
Randall: I fuel my active lifestyle – and my races –with simple and nutritious ingredients. On race day I usually go for a bowl of hearty cereal together with some yogurt and fruit. If it’s going to be a longer race, I might have a side of two soft-boiled eggs as well.
Being well educated on healthy food choices really helps me on the road. I focus on the power of positive eating and eating the right foods at the right times. I know what basic nutrients my body needs and I do my best to fill the required categories with what they offer in the country that I’m in. I also travel with a few staples that I can always count on if I get stuck. I try to have some whole grain cereal and granola bar options with me so that I have a healthy and reliable food source no matter where I am.
RER: What’s your favorite ‘cheat’ food or victory meal after a competition?
Randall: After the Olympics I am really looking forward to a big American Cheeseburger, with mushrooms and swiss on top!
RER: Do you like the cold?! I’m in SoCal and freeze just thinking about snow! Any tips on how to stay warm in cold climates?
Randall: As a skier, you have to like the cold! I’m from Alaska, so it’s sort of in my blood. To stay warm, it’s all about how your dress. You need to layer properly and not wear cotton!
There is also this fun video made by Kashi about her training. She has to take BEAR MACE with her to stay safe! I found that super interesting/scary!!
Question: Can we get a “Good Luck” to Randall in the comments?
Kikkan Randall is my hero! I’ve been cheering for and following her since before her first Olympics. 🙂 🙂
AHHH XC skiing is so cool! (literally). Thanks for interviewing an athlete in a sport that gets unnecessarily overlooked outside of the Olympics. And BEAR MACE? yeesh.
GOOD LUCK!!! Go USA!
I loved that video – she seems so real!
She’s inspiring! Good luck!
Good luck, Kikkan!
By the way, she has FABULOUS arms!
Oh my gosh– she’s so awesome! Good Luck Kikkan!!
good luck!
Good luck, Kikkanimal!
She’s so right about not wearing cotton in the cold! As a Michigan runner learning how to dress during the polar vortex has been a challenge!
Good luck! I love reading Olympic athlete interviews!
Go Randall!!! Loved reading this–I need to get into a winter sport since I live in Michigan!
Wow! Good luck! How exciting for her. Love reading about the habits of athletes!
Good luck, Kikkan!
How exciting for her! Interesting to see the parallels between cross country skiing and running.
Woo! Good luck~
And it’s always nice to read about the training and fueling of an elite, world-class competitor!
Thats so cool that you got to chat with her just before the olympics! good luck!
I love reading what athletes eat on a daily basis. I am so excited for the Olympics I love watching them to!
As an avid Nordic skier, I was so excited to see your interview with Kikkan! I really enjoyed reading about a typical training day. I am looking forward to watching all the winter Olympic events and cheering on our US athletes. Good luck Kikkan!
You DO know they started today right? Not a few days from now.
Good luck to Kikkan Randal!! I love when you do these interviews, reading about the athletes is so awesome. Can’t wait for the Olympics!
I’m obsessed with winter sports and skiing, so thank you for featuring Kikkan Randall! She’s a tremendous athlete, and I can’t wait to watch her as well as the other amazing athletes during the Olympics. Looks like my DVR is going to get full real quick 🙂