Tag Archives: Utah ski clinic

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Earlier this week I had the great honor and privilege to go sky diving with the US Special Forces-the Golden Knights, in North Carolina. My tandem partner, Michael Elliot, is the top of his rank. He was the tandem partner for George Bush Sr. for both of his jumps as well, including the one made on his 85th birthday. Turns out my parachute was the chute also used for that birthday jump. Me and the Pres Baby!

On this trip, Chris Sacca of Twitter and I also got to spend an hour in the best wind tunnel in the world, with the worlds best skydivers and wind tunnel riders that exist. A whole hour of flying, including watching these brilliant athlete’s show off- was one of the highlights of my life.

My athletic and now mindset coaching career has allowed for me to have such a magical life- full of opportunities like this. Regarding the Military- I’ve also flown in an F16 with the Blue Angels (Navy) and an F16 with the Air Force, and two years ago I was hired by the Air Force to mindset coach the academy in a week long series of talks for their National Character and Leadership Symposium. The cumulative of all these incredible events with the US Military has left me in awe of our country and what we are as a people.

The man that trained me and Chris for our tandem jump left his 2 year old son and very pregnant wife the next morning to spend a year in Afghanistan. A year. He gave us this amazing experience then left his family for a year. I sit at home now with my adorable husband and amazing life and career, and bow in reverence to people’s choices and beliefs. We’re all in this together, iKristen Ulmer mpacting each other in ways we can only imagine.

Thanks for the ride, all of you.

Ski to Live for Cancer Survivors

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‘Ski to Live’ is not a cancer survivor ski program, but ‘STL for Survivors’ IS! Coming in March- yes indeed a ski event specifically for survivors and friends. Here’s what an alumni wrote about her cancer with regards to skiing. Her name is Abby and I love her:

While going through chemo, I had these intense flashes of the mountains when deep in meditation. They would spark, uninvited, and by all means, they were not sought on a conscious level. Yet, the body knew the mind needed to heal with the aid of the mountains, and the medium necessary to make it happen: skis.

Born in Colorado, but not born on skis. Some of my first ventures in the snow were at a young age, the main intent was to have fun, to experience the world and Dad was usually involved in all antics. Dad would pull me along side the road when there was enough snow, and the family dog would follow, a Fox Wire Terrier named Asta. Asta’s love of the snow was unequivocal to all of us, she would burry her snout, convinced things lurked beneath the snow, as a terrier and family protector; it was her duty to find them. After the sled was out grown, cross-country skis were added. I admired the grace my dad had while on skis, while over six feet tall, and with his full beard, he looked like the skis were made for him- and thus my love affair began.

On my back, forced out of work, forced to take medications causing the body to  fight internally, my mind went to the mountains. There was healing to be found there, cancer had left a skid mark, but skiing held a deeper skid mark in my heart.