April 17, 2016 (Alaska) – Kikkan Randall and Jeff Ellis are the proud parents of a new baby boy, Breck Stuart Randall Ellis, who arrived on April 14th at 7:47pm Alaska time at Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage. The excitement is high as Randall tweeted, “Overwhelmed with love and happiness to welcome Breck Stuart Randall Ellis into our family last night.” and we caught up with “dad” for the latest update on newest member of the Randall-Ellis family.

Kikkan, Jeff and Breck ©

Very exciting news… what time did Breck arrive on April 15 ?
Jeff Ellis: Breck arrived on April 14th at 7:47 pm Alaska time at Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage.

Breck’s stats ?  
JE: Breck entered the world at 8lbs 11 oz (3,946 g) and 21 inches (53 cm) long.

Tell us about the origin of his cool name.
JE: He’s named after the 6-day stage race called the Breck Epic that takes place in Breckenridge, CO. I raced it in 2013. Kikkan picked the name.

Breck Epic... a Colorado classic ©

How’s mom doing ?
JE: Mom is doing very well. Eager to get back to training but isn’t in a rush. She’s enjoying the learning curve of being a new mom and that’s her top priority.

Was dad there for the birth ?
JE: I was in the room during birth. We had an awesome crew of medical staff in there. It was just Kikk and I present besides them.

Did Kikk keep training up almost until Breck arrived ?
JE: Let’s say she stayed active. At the end ski training was replaced with bikes with her mom or short walks with me. She did keep up gym work once a week and started to swim in final weeks.  With a record early spring up here the ski trails were gone in March and trips up to the mountains to find snow weren’t appropriate so late in pregnancy.

Breck Stuart Randall Ellis takes 5 ©

When does training begin again for Kik (and for Breck) ?
JE: She will begin when her body let’s her know it’s ok following a couple weeks of laying low with short walks. Her goal is to be able to start back with ski training at the beginning of June. Until then it’s about healing up, returning to the new normal and being “mom”.

Do you have a convertible pulk yet ?
JE: It’s in the mail so to speak. Thule is setting us up with a Chariot for Europe and we’ill be ordering one from LL Bean for home here.

Is there a special Alaskan cheer when a newborn arrives ?
JE: Probably but we don’t know it. In general it was a nice celebration in the room with medical team. Our day shift nurses stayed after their shift just to be present and Kikkan’s parents were out in the waiting room during delivery but had been with us most of the day.

Is handing out celebratory “cigars” still a tradition in Alaska and/or Orangeville… or is “kick wax” the new norm ?
JE: Haha… there were a cigars unwrapped on our behalf that we received in photos along with a drink or two.

Has the idea of being “mom and dad” sunk in yet ?
JE: I think it has and will only continue to more and more as we are just now home alone. We’ve had nurses 24/7 for the first 40 hrs of being parents to answer questions and help. Now the real parenting begins!

Congrats and all the best to you and Kikk.
JE: Thanks