A Season in the Life of Ashley Maxfield

Julbo athlete Ashley Maxfield sure has a busy schedule. Between training and competition, including her second globetrotting run through the Freeskiing World Tour, she still finds the time to enjoy the heck out of life, skiing with friends and even coaching a Vermont girl's soccer team to a vastly improved record. Check out this post from Ashley, in which she let us in on her 2011-2012 season of skiing, competing, winning, losing, getting hurt, healing, and always staying positive.

For information on Ashley Maxfield check out her website here.

There is so much a year of competing will do for you, let a lone finishing my second season on the Freeskiing World Tour (FWT). With every event, with every run, I learned so much about myself and my sport. I have only started to scratch the surface of the Big Mountain sport that I have fallen in love with. Even with all of my injuries this year, I can say that this year was a huge susses in my personal growth and my skiing.

The first stop of the FWT this year was in Las Lenas, Argentina. It was an invite only competition called the Red Bull Powder Disorder. Coming down to South America I had a messed up foot do to soccer. It was bruised on the inside of the arch and my ankle was sprained. Despite it all, I was excited to be back on snow. I couldn’t land fully on my foot but still managed to get 8th on day one. We waited around for the weather to clear out but it never did, so I had to settle for the day one results.

The second stop of the FWT was at Ski Apra, Chille. It was one of the most beautiful places that I have ever been. We drove 4x4 trucks up a one lane dirt path to the “base” of Ski Arpa, which was just a shack where the guides lived. We where the only people skiing for miles around. It felt so peaceful and awesome to be in a place like this with some of your closest friends.

During the comp there wasn’t that much snow so MSI decided to do a best run of 2. I ended up in 5th after everything was said and done. It was one of the most amazing trips I have ever been on.

The day after the comp I had to fly back to the Vermont to start coaching Craftsbury Academy’s girls varsity soccer team. The team made it all the way to 6-7 and into the second round of the playoffs!! I was super proud to have helped their team go from winning 4 games in 2 years to winning 7 (counting the playoffs) in one!

Once the soccer season was over I moved back to Alta, Utah. We didn’t have much snow to start, so it was a great time to get back to the basics. I was feeling strong and ready for the Revelstoke! We started the 19 hour drive from Alta. Once you hit Montana we saw more snow than we had all season long. We where just about at the boarder, when we hit a deer. The cop thanked us for helping trim their deer population and gave us a bungee to tie up the bumper.

Once in Canada for the third stop of the FWT, we where greeted with tons of snow! Going into day one I just wanted to ski a line I thought looked fun. I picked a line that had 3 pillow drops and then a big cliff drop to get out. The judges must have seen how much fun I was having, because I was sitting in 1st at the end of the day! It was 5 days later that we finally got it off. I was the last athlete to go. I lost my take offs and landings in the flat light. I landed my last air, which was a 45-foot cliff then slammed into some avy debris. I tore my MCL in the crash. I ended up 9th.

I headed back to Alta and started on my 2 month recovery. Trying to get back to where I was before the crash. It was a long, painful journey, especially living in Alta. Watching everyone else going out on the few powder days we had.

The last stop of the tour was just like spring break. We where in the California sun, it had just snowed and it was World Championships. The cirque is never open except when The Northface Masters of Snowboarding and FWT are in town.

I got a chance to ski a couple days before the comp with Weeze and Paige Fitzgerald. It was awesome to ski trees again and to see the girls from Vermont! Going into day one I had built up some confidence from skiing hard with the girls and a new knee brace. I picked a line that was more technical and that I could let my turns do some of the talking. I had to ski over some rock to get in but I had tons of fun skiing it. At the end of the day I was sitting in 2nd.

For day two, I had a similar line pick out as day one. We had to hike twice to the start that day, once to inspect and once for your run. All of that hiking made my knee sore. When I left the gate to start my run I could feel that my knee wasn’t really responding. I knew that I needed that knee to be able to ski the line I wanted. So I skied around the top part and just hit the middle part of my line. Even though I didn’t ski half of what I wanted to I still finished in a tie for 4th place.

Even though I was a gimp for most of the season I finished 3rd overall on the Freeskiing World Tour. I learn a lot about my self in the process. Don’t ever let yourself give up, there is always something amazing waiting on the other side. It wasn’t the season I was hoping for, but just maybe it was the season I needed. It was filled with sadness and loss, but it was also filled with perseverance, hope, love and after parties. As always it’s been a wicked good time. I would like to thank my sponsors for another successful year: Fat-ypus, Widsix.com, Bern, Julbo, Leki, Jay Peak Resort, Alta, The Skier Shop, Gekco Skins, Ski the East, Flylow, Discrete Headwear, and last but not least Jim Maxfield (my dad). Can’t wait to see what next season brings!

Run to the hills – but protect your eyes first

If you’re just getting into running, trail or road, you may be wondering what kind of eye protection works best. Not only should they offer full protection against ultraviolet rays, they need to stay put on your face and keep your vision clear at all times.

According to an article from livestrong.com called “The Best Running Glasses” (which recommended the Julbo Trail, by the way), “Running glasses are made to do a lot more than keep the sun out of a runner’s eyes. In addition to blocking glare and ultraviolet rays, running glasses have to stay put during the persistent bouncing that comes along with a workout.

“Also, running glasses need to be able to repel sweat and water, keeping a runner’s vision clear whether it’s raining or sweltering outside. The best running glasses are made to do all three: effectively repel the sun’s rays, stay on a runner’s face, and stay clear on a run.”

And what about which lenses work best? Last summer, Julbo athlete and endurance competitor Kami Semick shared what she needs in a lens: “Anti-fog, and lenses that adjust to the light levels for two reasons: often races start in the dark and run until mid-day or evening, so I need lenses that adjust to the light. And, in trail races, I am running in and out of tree cover – so I need lenses that will adjust quickly to new light levels. Also, I need lenses that cover the full eye, because when the sun is at different angles, I don’t want light creeping over the top of the sunglasses or around the sides.”

Polarized lenses, meant to reduce glare from a shiny surface, are not ideal for trail running in the woods, because they may cause a little depth distortion which can lead to tripping over roots or other obstacles.

The following Julbo Performance models have the Zebra or Zebra Light lenses which adjust to variable light and are great for running because of their venting, anti-fog, and “staying put” capabilities. Check ‘em out:

The Ultra http://www.julbousa.com/performance/ultra/

The Dust http://www.julbousa.com/performance/dust/

The Trail http://www.julbousa.com/performance/trail/

The Race http://www.julbousa.com/performance/race/

The Reflex http://www.julbousa.com/performance/instinct/

Julbo in the Media: Outdoor Living

The Julbo Trek will stay visibly clear and keep you covered from all sides in Summer issue of USA Today Outdoor Living:

To read more, click here.

One ride, many reasons: Celebrate the bicycle!

National Bike to Work Week kicks off today, with Bike to Work Day happening this Friday the 18^th. Actually, the entire month of May is National Bike Month, sponsored by the League of American Bicyclists. It’s awesome that the League devotes an entire month to pay homage to the beloved bicycle.

The purpose of National Bike Month is to “celebrate the unique power of the bicycle and the many reasons we ride.” Whether you bike to commute, save money or time, preserve your health or the environment, or explore your community, people are encouraged to get involved in Bike Month in your city by hosting/attending an event or by simply hopping on your bicycle to get to work on Friday.

The website includes Bike Month Events, U.S. Bike Commuter Data, Bike Month Guide, and educational and promotional materials.

For Bike to Work Day on Friday, Julbo’s stylish yet functional Travel glasses would be a great choice for your commute. These frames are fashionable enough to complement your work duds nicely, but technical enough to handle super-bright, glaring or changing light. Available with either the Spectron 3 or Falcon lenses, which are photochromatic and polarizing.

I personally dig theZuluwith its wraparound style, rounded lenses, and chrome logo temples. You will be the hottest-looking biker at work if you walk through the door with the Zulu’s.

The Julbo Performance line has some awesome options as well for biking. Let’s get out there and pedal this week!

Calling all entries for the “Julbo Junior of the Summer” contest through May 31st

Do you think your child or teen is the cutest ever? Then snap a photo of him or her enjoying the outdoors in their shades (or without them), and post it on Facebook to enter the Julbo Junior of the Summer contest.

Once you post the photo, simply tag it with “Julbo USA” to enter. If awarded the Grand Prize, Junior will win shades of choice as well as for Mom and Dad. The Runner-up receives two children’s pairs of choice, and Second Runner-up scores one kids’ pair. They do not have to be wearing a pair of Julbo’s, although that’d be cool, too!

The About Us tab on the Contest page shows the full lineup of the Julbo Kids category. The only sunglass manufacturer to offer a comprehensive range of protective eyewear for children from infants to teens, Julbo has designed the line with the unique structure and dimensions of a child’s head and face in mind, so glasses fit comfortably on their noses and temples.

More importantly, the sunglasses offer full protection against harmful UVA, B and C rays with the Julbo Spectron 4 lens or the Polar kids lens – which is critical, as a child’s eyes are still developing (full ocular development takes 25 years, actually!). Be aware: not all kids’ glasses offer 100% protection.

You can also check out Reviews to find out what other parents are saying about Julbo Kids sunglasses. Happy shooting!

Update on Julbo climbers in Nepal: Cory Richards recovering in Katmandu, Freddie Wilkinson and Ueli Steck training on the big peaks

National Geographic photographer/filmmaker and Julbo athlete Cory Richards is currently recovering in Katmandu after being evacuated on April 28 from Base Camp by helicopter, according to the National Geographic Adventure Blog. Cory suffered from symptoms associated with altitude sickness while up at Camp 2.

Richards had joined fellow The North Face athlete and renowned mountaineer Conrad Anker for a daring attempt up the West Ridge of Everest. It’s been almost 50 years since the first American successfully ascended the technical and seldom-visited route. Richards was to document the expedition for a National Geographic feature to be published in early 2013.

On May 4, the Adventure Blog reported that Richards underwent a battery of tests in Katmandu that determined it wasn’t the altitude that made him sick. However, without a better understanding of why he had difficulty breathing up on Camp 2, it remains to be seen whether Richards will return to the expedition. We wish Cory well in his recovery!

Meanwhile, Julbo athletes Freddie Wilkinson and Ueli Steck are still in the Himalaya for the Mountain Hardwear “Khumbu Express” project.

Photo Credit: Mountain Hardwear

 

Since the duo arrived in mid April, they’ve been training hard via Ueli’s unorthodox style, which weights climbing over waiting. According to the April 7th post from “Live Dispatches”, the plan is to treat Himalayan peaks like climbers in Jackson or Grindelwald treat the Tetons or the Alps: get up early, climb hard, and get down in time to sleep in a warm bed.

Most climbers can’t climb in the Himalaya this way because they move too slowly and there is simply not enough time to push from base to summit in a day. Therefore, most Himalayan climbing is done expedition-style: trek to a base camp, hang out for days or weeks and acclimatize, all the time worrying about the weather and hoping you won’t get sick before a window opens for a summit push.

Photo Credit: Mountain Hardwear

 

Ueli and Freddie, who honed their speed mountaineering skills in the same region last spring, move fast enough to make day climbs in the Himalaya a reality. Pretty impressive, given the fact they’re climbing 6,000- and 7,000-meter peaks!

The Khumbu Express project will play a pivotal role in Steck’s attempt for Everest without oxygen, which he will carry out when and if weather conditions are right. According to Ueli’s latest dispatch, it’s unlikely any summit attempts will be made before May 20th. High winds on the upper sections have been forecasted through the 17th. At last word, Freddie does not have plans to climb Everest.

We wish Ueli good luck in his Everest attempt!

Follow Julbo mountain biker Erica Tingey this season as she guns for the World Cup in June

Dirt diva and Julbo athlete Erica Tingey is off to a busy start with her race season. Focusing on the national Pro Mountain Bike Cross Country Tour, or “Pro XCT”, Erica hopes to garner enough points to race the World Cup in New York at the end of June.

“There were seven races in the Pro XCT last year and only five this year, so each one is really important!” states Erica.

In between the Pro XCT races, Tingey will participate in the Intermountain Cup, the Utah State Championship Series, and finish off her season with the Park City Point to Point, an endurance race on 80 miles of buffed-out, classic Utah singletrack.

On April 21, Tingey competed in the renowned Sea Otter Classic in Monterey, California, placing 14th in a world-class field of 30 (including four national champions). As it is an Olympic year, racers on the long list are working to get as many UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) points as possible to secure a spot on the Olympic team, so competition is fierce. Go Erica, we are rooting for you this season!

And which Julbo’s will we see Erica rocking these days? “I’m still loving The Dirt glasses. They are my default glasses for just about every ride. They are perfect in all types of light and are super comfortable. The Tour are my casual glasses that are worn the rest of the day. Anytime you see me off my bike, I will be in those!”

– Christine Rasmussen