Megan McJames

January’s trip to Europe!

meganmcjames — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:45:49 +0000

Many professional athletes, from Tiger Woods to my inspirational teammate Julia Mancuso, have been able to turn periods of struggle in to motivational performances in their sport. Athletic careers can be a roller coaster and I have found that the highs re-confirm my love for skiing while the lulls make me question my passion for racing. I just completed my first world cup giant slalom of the season and am left wondering, “where did my speed go?” I have been doing everything right; I feel physically strong, work with a sports psychologist that I trust, train on-snow hard, watch video after and am staying positive through the minimal support of our team environment.

The coaches told me it looked like I was skiing conservatively down the icy slope in Kranska Gora, Slovenia and I am confused. Although I watched video that confirms I was hooking the end of each of my turns and thus slowing me down at every gate, I wonder why skiing slowly takes so much work and when I am skiing my best it feels so effortless?

Sometimes I want to sleep in and skip the risk of failure but deep down I know that then I would also miss an opportunity to succeed! The next step towards finding my speed and my confidence are the Noram cups in Vail, Colorado. I hope that there are more good results in my skiing future but success can be defined differently depending on whom you ask. Until then I am going to keep watching my Disney and Pixar films because they always have a happy endings and help me remember to BELIEVE!

Highlights from my January trip to Europe include rodeling and a fondue dinner! Below are some nice pictures from my three week adventure over seas……….

The women's world cup tech team training slalom at our new European home base, Solden, AUT (left to right: Resi, Me, Sarah, Hailey, Lindsay our physical therapist and Mikaela)

Powder skiing! Solden, AUT

Hailey Duke showing us how it is done!

FIS giant slalom in Oberjoch, GER. More new snow!

Some of the festivities at our world cup race in Kranska Gora, SLO

Saying goodbye to our awesome physical therapist, Lindsey! ;-( Until next year lady!

Home for the holidays!

meganmcjames — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 19:31:31 +0000

Food, family, friends and skiing!

Sunshine at Park City Mountain Resort

My little brother and I out ripping!

Family ski day on Christmas morning!

My first gluten-free baking experience came out pretty good. Yummy pumpkin roll for Christmas dessert!

My biggest fan and I at the pre-Christmas night slalom in Steamboat. Thanks for joining me on my road trip mom!

Cody and I at the torchlight parade in Alta (my favorite place on earth) on New Year's Eve!!

Now I am off to Europe for three weeks to continue the ski racing journey!

Pre-Christmas NorAms in Panorama, Canada

meganmcjames — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 00:59:15 +0000

On the lift before sunrise!

Snow capped Christmas trees everywhere!

First podium of the season, yay super combine!

Giant slalom course.....not to shabby looking!

AND one more podium two days later in giant slalom

Teammate Forreste Peterson and I taking it all in!

Celebrate!

meganmcjames — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 21:04:03 +0000

Often, as ski racers, we get caught up in the stress and pressure of competition and forget that for everyone else this time of year is set aside for celebrating! I love the holidays because it celebrates food, baking, family, friends, snow, Christmas trees and ripping arcs in the mountains. What makes your holidays happy?

My holidays started on Cody's birthday, November 15th. We celebrated with a vanilla cake I made from scratch, mmmmm!

The best little brother in the world and I about to stuff ourselves with Thanksgiving dinner!

Park City....HOME

Hailey Duke and I remembering skiing is fun!

Charlie Brown Christmas trees definitly count!

And of course, Christmas cookies!

Happy Holidays everyone!!!

End of fall, beginning of Winter!

meganmcjames — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 01:27:19 +0000

Although I did not feel like I had had enough training since my injury to race the season opener in Solden, AUT, I have been at home enjoying the last bits of fall and getting excited to go to Colorado and train this November. Meanwhile, I joined the speed team girls for a ten day dryland camp in Park City that included pre-season physical testing as well as a lot of fun games and activities!

The greatest group of ski racer girls that I know getting ready to ride the mid-mountain trail at our pre-season dryland camp!

The best/scariest pumpkin I have ever carved! Couldn't have done it without my carving partner Cody Marshall!

Me, feeling ready, refreshed and excited to start another winter of ski racing! YAY!

Also, our album Out of Bounds is open for download from October 15-December 15th and all the proceeds go to help fund the women of the national team! If you haven’t done so yet go to www.hopealivemedia.com/alpinesupport, support a good cause and download some new music!

Fundraising and such…

meganmcjames — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 14:33:59 +0000

Hello everybody!

The bands Axis Armada, Rubblebucket, Giant Panda Guerulla Dub Squad, Bryon Friedman, The Prickers, Ghosts of Jupiter have paired with Hope Alive Media and the girls of the U.S. Ski Team (Hailey Duke, Kiley Staples, Megan McJames, Brooke Wells and Julia Ford) to try and help raise the $20,000 each athlete has to pay to be a member of the national team. Download the album for $10, get good music and help support the dreams of these athletes.

Check it out at: http://hopealivemedia.com/alpinesupport

You can also donate to the cause here on my website anytime!

Thank you to everyone for your time and support!

Also, I thought I’d post some pictures of what I have been up to lately because a fan asked me too and it made me feel like someone is visiting this blog and that people care!

The view of the sunset from our hotel room in Chile! Photo credit: Hailey Duke

Photo by Hailey Duke

Being silly with teammate Resi Steigler, and again, photo by Hailey Duke

After Chile, I flew home and since then I have been enjoying fall!!!!

Living room rocks, Park City. Check out all the fall colors!

Dog Lake!

Thank you Cody for the yummy birthday cake! I am 24 years old!

Putting all my new POC mountain biking gear to use, thank you POC!

Leaf peeping in Vermont with Cody Marshall!

Summertime :-)

meganmcjames — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 19:48:47 +0000

Tj showing us how to surf!

Me, Hailey, Jess (left to right) enjoying independence day

Josh Ritter concert, Red Butte Garden

Cody, me, Josh Ritter (left to right)

Kate, Alice, me (left to right) mid mountain trail

Me, Leanne (left to right) getting ready to go out on the boat!

Brandie’s wedding-Eagle

meganmcjames — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 15:36:45 +0000

Hailey and I

Cody and I

funfetti cake!

Sister Sweet Tooth

meganmcjames — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 15:42:41 +0000

We pulled all the ends together by the wedding! Job #1 finished!

Moab-2011

meganmcjames — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 04:48:37 +0000

Best camping/hiking/biking group ever! (left to right: Kevin, Hailey, Me, Cody, Alice, Kate)

Riding baby steps with my little brother!

Can't go wrong cooking dinner and some s'mores over open flame!

Here's proof: we saw THE delicate arch!

We may lose and we may win

Though we will never be here again

So open up, I’m climbin’ in

and take it easy!

-Eagles