Sari Anderson

Age: 32, Skiing since: Age 3, Hometown: Carbondale, CO, Favorite shoe: STRATOS

Who introduced you to skimo? Who are your influences?

Pete Swenson and Monique Merrill introduced me to skimo in 2007 however I could not race until 2008 since I was pregnant at the time.

How old were you when you first became a professional athlete?

I received my professional mountain bike license at age 20 and then adventure raced professionally starting at 25 years old. My first skimo race was at 29 just after having our first child.

What are some of your lifetime skiing/race goals?

Skimo will hopefully debut at the 2018 Olympics in South Korea and I would love to be able to represent the United States. In the meantime, I would like to become National Champion and place on the podium in the World Cups.

What is your proudest skiing accomplishment?

Since I have not been racing very long, I'm hoping my biggest accomplishments are still ahead of me. Besides watching my children learn to ski, I am proud of my top 3 overall finish at the 2011 Elk Mountains Grand Traverse among an elite group of men.

Are you a skier for life? Was there a defining moment that made you realize this?

I believe I am a skier for life and realized this when I moved to Colorado for college in order to be closer to the mountains. Now that my husband and I have two small children that love to ski, I think we will be skiing as long as we physically can.

What do you enjoy most about skiing?

Skiing allows me to compete year round and be outside all winter long. I also love being able to spend the day with my family on the mountain.

Describe your dream run:

My dream run is in fresh powder on a Colorado bluebird day with my husband.

Top five favorite movies:

Unfortunately I don't stay awake for many movies. My husband says a movie is a 9 dollar nap.

What do you do to train for races?

With two small kids and work, I don't have as much time as I would like to train. Therefore I began working with a coach from Carmichael Training Systems in order to make sure my training is quality over quantity. This means intervals a few days a week, a rest day and some endurance days.

Top five favorite books:

The Secret Knowledge of Water by Craig Childs Otherwise, I read a lot of parenting books these days.

What’s the longest you’ve spent on a single skimo expedition?

I raced the Pierra Menta, a four day stage race in France a few years ago. I have also raced the Elk Mountains Grand Traverse, a 40 mile race from Crested Butte to Aspen starting at midnight.

Top five favorite musical groups:

Bruce Springsteen and then whatever my husband loads on my phone.

What’s the farthest you’ve ever traveled for a race?

I have traveled to France for the Pierra Menta as well as to Abu Dhabi, China, Tasmania, Mexico and Europe for adventure races.

Top five favorite foods/meals:

I have a bit of an obsession with Chai tea lattes, Nutella and dried mango. When it's time for a real meal, Indian and Asian top the list.

Briefly describe your most memorable moment while skiing:

One of the most memorable experiences skimo racing was breaking trail with the boys in the 2011 Elk Mountains Grand Traverse. It was the first year coed teams broke into the top 3 and I was able to be a part of the lead group for the most of the race.

Are injuries a part of skiing? What’s your general mentality for handling injuries?

Thankfully I have not been injured skiing. I believe cross training and strength training play a big role in staying healthy.

Top five hobbies when you’re not skiing:

Kids, family, trail running, mountain biking and vacuuming.

If you had to ski one mountain for the rest of your life, which would it be?

Aspen Highlands