Extra Blue

Alayna
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A podcast about cross country skiing. Bringing you stories, insight, tips and knowledge about ski racing at the elite level.

  1. Ep 37: 2x Olympic Silver Medalist, Ben Ogden

    3 DAYS AGO

    Ep 37: 2x Olympic Silver Medalist, Ben Ogden

    Ben is coming off an incredible Winter Olympic Games in Italy where he won two silver medals in the individual sprint and the team sprint, with teammate, Gus Schumacher. Both results were historic. The individual sprint medal was the first Olympic medal for a U.S. man in cross-country skiing in fifty years, since fellow Vermonter Bill Koch won silver at the 1976 Winter Olympics. For decades, Koch’s medal stood as a symbol of what might be possible for American men in a sport long dominated by Scandinavia. And fittingly, Ben’s story is deeply connected to that history. He grew up just a few miles from Koch in southern Vermont, skiing in the same community and even spending countless hours as a kid skiing jumps and terrain in Koch’s backyard training playground. Fast-forward to February 10th in Val di Fiemme, Italy — and suddenly that history came full circle. Ben put together the race of his career, skiing aggressively but with remarkable composure through the rounds before battling for silver in the Olympic final. An epic day in itself, Ben returned just a few days later with teammate, Gus, to compete in the team sprint event. And yet again, both athletes showed up composed, full of life, and ready to fight for a medal. It was a close race til the very end and the two guys walked away with a set of silver medals. Today, I chat with Ben about both races. We discuss the journey that led him there, what it was like growing up in the shadow of Bill Koch’s legacy, some behind the scenes with his ski technician, Eli Brown, and some of the moments and perspectives you maybe haven’t heard yet.

    43 min
  2. Ep 36: Gear West Birkie Athlete Panel feat. David Norris, Jessica Yeaton, Reid Goble and Anna-Maria Dietze

    6 DAYS AGO

    Ep 36: Gear West Birkie Athlete Panel feat. David Norris, Jessica Yeaton, Reid Goble and Anna-Maria Dietze

    Gear West presents this elite-athlete panel coming to you LIVE from the Birkie Expo hosted by me, Alayna Sonnesyn. Featuring David Norris, Jessica Yeaton, Reid Goble and Anna-Maria Dietze. We dive into fueling strategies, racing tactics, training preparation, and the love and joy of skiing the American Birkebeiner. How do we race to win the Birkie? What keeps us coming back for more? Listen to find out!

    34 min
  3. Ep 35: Happy People Race Fast w/ Greta Anderson, US Ski Team Development Coach

    13 FEB

    Ep 35: Happy People Race Fast w/ Greta Anderson, US Ski Team Development Coach

    On this episode of Extra Blue I welcome Development Coach for the US Ski Team, Greta Anderson. Over the past several years, Greta has been quietly shaping the future of US cross-country skiing. She works with the national team staff to support junior athletes, oversee camps, guide World Juniors and U23 athletes, and help strengthen the pipeline from grassroots skiing all the way to the World Cup. A former Alaska Winter Stars skier and APU athlete turned coach, Greta has spent her career working across club programs, World Juniors trips, and national team development roles. She’s known for her belief that happy people race fast and that development is about building the whole person, not just the athlete. In this episode, we talk about what it really takes to develop world-class skiers in the U.S., what success looks like at 12, 16, and 23 years old, trends she’s seeing in the pipeline, and where she hopes U.S. skiing is headed in the next five years.

    1h 9m
  4. Ep 34: Showing Up Anyway: A Conversation with Jack Young

    5 FEB

    Ep 34: Showing Up Anyway: A Conversation with Jack Young

    Jack Young’s path to the top of U.S. cross-country skiing hasn’t been linear — and that’s exactly what makes this conversation so powerful. From growing up as a multi-sport athlete to fully committing to skiing, Jack reflects on the decisions, sacrifices, and mindset shifts that shaped his rise from college racing at Colby to the World Cup circuit.  This episode was actually recorded over a year ago but there are some great takeaways from Jack that are relevant today. We talk about breakthrough moments, including a career-defining sprint result in Davos last year, and the quieter, harder moments that don’t always make headlines — navigating disappointment, managing expectations, and learning how to stay grounded when the goals are big and the outcomes aren’t guaranteed. This episode is about progress over perfection, trusting the process, and redefining success when the finish line keeps moving. Jack was recently selected for Team USA for the Winter Olympic Games. Congratulations, Jack! However, he also found out he might not have a start in any of the races. In this episode, Jack shares what he's been going through recently and how he's been dealing with these polarizing emotions.  Whether you’re an athlete chasing a dream or someone learning how to stay patient through uncertainty, Jack’s perspective is honest, thoughtful, and deeply relatable.

    45 min
  5. Ep 33: How Curiosity Turned Into a World Cup Biathlon Season w/ Luci Anderson

    16/12/2025

    Ep 33: How Curiosity Turned Into a World Cup Biathlon Season w/ Luci Anderson

    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.

    1h 2m
  6. Ep 32: Tracks That Shape Us: Skiing Through Career, Motherhood, and Identity with Erika Flowers and Annie Van Fossan

    02/12/2025

    Ep 32: Tracks That Shape Us: Skiing Through Career, Motherhood, and Identity with Erika Flowers and Annie Van Fossan

    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

    1h 29m
  7. Ep 31: Chasing the Love of the Sport w/ Johnny Hagenbuch

    18/11/2025

    Ep 31: Chasing the Love of the Sport w/ Johnny Hagenbuch

    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

    1h 7m
  8. Ep 30: Strength for Skiers w/ US Ski Team Strength Coach Tschana Schiller

    05/11/2025

    Ep 30: Strength for Skiers w/ US Ski Team Strength Coach Tschana Schiller

    Strength for cross country skiers of all ages and abilities. On this episode, I welcome US Ski team strength coach, Tschana Schiller. Tschana is the leader for all things related to strength for cross county skiers in the US. She has been with the ski team for over 20 years and has brought so many insights into the philosophy of strength for us cross country skiers. She works with athletes like Jessie Diggins and Gus Schumacher but really her strength concepts get trickled down into clubs all across the country and are incorporated into many young athletes programs. Today we are diving into what skiers should be focusing on and how to get to the start line feeling their like strongest and best self. We talk about where the areas of focus should be for young skiers in high school or starting college. We then talk about the time-crunched athlete and how they can make the most of a few minutes out of a packed schedule. Finally, we talk about the secrets behind strength training for world cup athletes! I hope you enjoy this episode with Tschana Schiller!

    57 min
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About

A podcast about cross country skiing. Bringing you stories, insight, tips and knowledge about ski racing at the elite level.

Information

  • Creator
    Alayna
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    37
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Extra Blue
  • Show Website
    Extra Blue

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