The past few days have been all about adjusting to the 10-hour time difference and preparing for the first race! Yesterday was the first time I slept all the way until my alarm at 7:30am. That feels like progress! Afternoons after training have mostly been spent fighting off jet lag and staying awake until our afternoon run.

We’ve officially completed our first race of the trip—the 7.5k sprint! It’s important for me to keep in mind that this is one of my first biathlon races of the season. So far, I’ve only raced once a month compared to the more typical schedule of racing every weekend. That said, my ski times have improved by about 13 seconds per kilometer from the leader, which is a big step forward! I’m looking forward to seeing what the next race brings now that I have one 2025 overseas race under my belt and had a chance to work on improving my shooting average.

Tomorrow is the Mass Start 60, where the top 60 athletes qualified to compete from the sprint. Two U.S. girls and two U.S. boys have automatically qualified! The rest of the U.S. team, including myself, ended up just outside the top 60. I placed 64th, just 25 seconds from qualifying. While it is very frustrating, the Junior Cup is all about development, and they aim to fill the start line. If any athlete decides not to race due to illness or to save energy, the IBU will move further down the list to fill the field. There is a low chance I may still get a start tomorrow. Whether I’m racing or cheering from the sidelines, I’m ready to give my full support to my teammates!

Of course, it is tough to miss my goal of qualifying—especially since I love the four-stage races with 20 shots, such as the Mass Start 60—but I’m grateful to be here and learning from every experience. Whether I’m competing or not, there is always something to gain.

A few highlights from the trip so far:

• Receiving our Team USA gear kit! Plus a new water belt and headband from Haakon Sports and Max Borsky Sport Performance in my nice waterproof Helly Hanson bag!

• Spending time with my sponsor and friend who lives in Czechia—grateful for the post-race exploring!

• Visiting the beautiful Mumlava Waterfall.

• Trying a traditional Czech meal! It was made of bread that is boiled instead of baked, and a sweet vegetable sauce with beef. It was very good! The bread was a unique Czech food that is unique to the country.

• Exploring a noble family’s palace (called a zamek) that featured paintings by a local artist from the 1800s and a firefighter exhibit.

• Completing my first race in Jakuszyce this season—some things went really well, and others I’m excited to work on during the next sprint race on Sunday!