Mining for Gold from Alaska to Paris!

Olympian Kristen Faulkner in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France after winning her first gold medal. (Photo courtesy of family)

By Seth Beaubien

TN News Contributor

Kristen Faulkner, double Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Gold Medal Champion, thank you so much for taking time from your very busy schedule to share your thoughts with the Turnagain News and its readers. 

TN: Growing up in Homer, what are your memories of the Arm and Girdwood Valley?

KF:  I remember learning to downhill ski at Alyeska. My family spent the whole day on the mountain and would break midday to get cinnamon rolls from the Bake Shop. I also love cross-country skiing in Moose Meadows, which are some trails in Girdwood that my Grandpa Stumpy helped build.  

TN: You have been an active athlete your whole life, in Homer, at Phillips Academy then Harvard before getting into the competitive cycling world, what about those experiences helped prepare you for becoming an Olympian?

KF:  Sports taught me the importance of discipline and hard work. As a student athlete, I also learned the importance of time management. I used to wake up at 6am for morning practice before school, and so it was an easy transition when I started training on my bike in the mornings before work. 

Olympic Gold Medalist Kristen Faulkner with her parents, Sarah and Jon, displaying her two medals. (Photo courtesy of family)

TN:  Cycling is both an individual and a team sport, can you describe that and the differences/similarities for our readers?

KF:  For each race, the team Director selects a team leader, and the entire team sacrifices themselves to help that leader win the race. Support riders do this by chasing down competitors, distracting the other teams, and allowing the leader to draft off them. Different races suit different riders, and so the team leader changes depending on the race. It's important that we sacrifice ourselves for our teammates, knowing that they will do the same for us when it is our turn to be the leader. 

TN:  Can you describe what it feels like and means to you to represent America and wear USA kit and jersey? How is it different from the Tour de France Suisse or Giro Donne?

KF:  I love representing my country. I am really proud to be American, and donning the Red, White, and Blue is a dream come true. I feel like I am racing for something much greater than myself, and that inspires me and motivates me.  

TN:  What did you think and feel when you got the call as a replacement for the road race?

KF:  I felt a huge sense of relief and excitement. I had prepared really well for the Road Race, and I was ready to show people what I believed I was capable of. 

TN:  Can you describe and contrast what was going through your mind as you crossed the Seine the last two times?  First as you prepared for that gutsy, powerful, sweeping attack to the left then a couple km later with the finish line in sight, knowing you had the lead?

KF:  I was 100% focused on the task at hand, so I didn't have much space for emotions until after the race. In fact, I didn't even know how much of a lead I had until I crossed the finish line!

TN  Forty-eight  hours later you had to hit the track and were equally successful winning your second gold, how was preparation for that different?

Alaskan Kristen Faulkner was a double Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Gold Medal Champion. (Photo courtesy of family)

KF:  The Team Pursuit is about a 4-minute race, so it's very different preparation physiologically. Also, Team USA had a lot of pressure on us to win a medal, so psychologically I had to manage the pressure. That is very different from the Road Race, where people viewed me as an underdog. 

TN:  Average, how many hours a week are you training, does that spike or shrink in preparation for big races?

KF:  I usually train 20 hours per week. A few days before a big race, I will train a little less to give my body a chance to rest and taper before the big day.  

TN:  Being in Paris, enjoying the Olympic experience, what was your biggest sports fan or tourist memory or moment?

KF:  I loved seeing all the other athletes in the dining hall. They all walked around in team attire and we liked to guess which sport they were based on their physiology.  

TN:  What activities or work outs do you use to clear your head?

KF:  I love going on long adventure rides to places I have never been before. I especially like quiet country roads, or rides along the ocean. I feel really connected to nature and it reminds me of growing up in Homer.  

TN:  What advice do you have for young, Alaskan future Olympians?

KF:  There are no dreams that are too big. Believe in yourself and keep working towards your goal. People might doubt you, but that should never stop you. Keep believing in yourself and working hard. Anything is possible!

TN:  What are your favorite winter recreational activities in the area?

KF:  I love to ski - both cross country and downhill. I want to do some backcountry skiing this winter as well. And of course, sledding!  

 TN:  Where, what is your favorite local meal?

KF:  Sourdough pancakes at The Bake Shop, or a large pepper steak from the Double Musky!