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For athletes likeLindsey Vonn, the
Rocky Mountainsof Colorado are theultimate Olympictraining ground.
PEAKSEASON
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GRET
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
ER
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.