We are two mechanical engineers who enjoy and occasionally participate in recreational endurance sporting events. From the MI Cup (Michigan lower peninsular cross-country ski races) to a few local triathlons, bike and swim events such as Swim to the Moon and the Michigan Mountain Mayhem. We felt like writing about our experiences and sharing tips and tricks we have learnt along the way. We aim to improve in technique; from gear prep and ski waxing, to understanding nutrition and the mind-muscle-body connection, and to express and document our accomplishments.

We are both relatively new to nordic skiing, (both skate and classic), I (Jolene) am originally from Singapore, and officially picked up nordic skiing in early 2020 after a knee surgery (ACL and MCL). I have always been big on swimming and running, and while living in Michigan have grown to enjoy open water swimming, exposed to the distances one can achieve outside of a pool. I also received my Red Cross Lifeguard Certification in 2021 and am a certified Water Safety Instructor. If you know how small Singapore is, it is quite daunting to comprehend the transition towards traversing such greater distances in endurance sports. I believe that it is all about conditioning and to constantly adapt. Sometimes I get overwhelmed by the distances, and sometimes I have such a big reluctance to train or to visualize myself finishing, but I know it all boils down to starting and committing. There is an importance in chipping away at the goals we have. The day to day brushing, flossing and maintenance plays in to the bigger picture in the grand scheme of things. It is with this consistency that we can look back and appreciate how far we've come and grown. These are the memories and moments that I feel passionate about, the spirit and resilience — the mettle; and of course to fuel and nourish with good refreshing milk. ☺