February 24, 2012 (Erzurum, Turkey) – XC ski fans have been wondering why young phenom Jessie Diggins has not been listed in the results at the U23 World Championships in Turkey. Unfortunately, the medal hopeful picked up a bug during her travels and was forced to sit out some races at the big events. She hopes to be well and on form for tomorrow’s 7.5k C/7.5k F Skiathlon event. We join the ski community in wishing Jessie a speedy recovery and good luck for the rest of her season. Continue reading for Jessie’s latest blog update.

Here’s a little update on what’s going on – there’s definitely been some awesome times in Poland, and some rough travel getting to Turkey!

January 19, 2012 – Petter Northug (NOR) will skip this weekend’s Otepaa, Estonia World Cup, along with three members of the German National Team.

Northug intends to take one extra weekend off after Tour de Ski, where he finished third behind Dario Cologna (SUI) and Marcus Hellner (SWE).

He has been on the roster for the upcoming World Cup weekend in Otepää, but after a discussion with the head coach Trond Nystad on Wednesday, it became clear that Northug will get a permission to skip the Estonian World Cup.

Northug’s priority is to resume training and to take part in the 15 km free technique at the Norwegian nationals in Voss on Thursday on January 26, which will be his only show up at the national championships.

The day after the 26-year-old World Champion is traveling to Italian Val di Fiemme to take part in the famous Marcialonga on Sunday 29.

Only Ten Germans to Start Otepää
Germany’s national coach, Jochen Behle, travels to Estonia with a team struck by illness. Only ten Germans are to start on the upcoming weekend in Otepää.

Due to health problems, Behle is traveling to Estonia with a smaller team. Both Axel Teichmann and Hanna Kolb have been on antibiotics. Steffe Böhler is skipping the coming World Cup weekend as she has not come over aftereffects of a flu infection. Hannes Dotzler will make his debut in the World Cup instead. The youngster from Sonthofen could not show up in the World Cup this season due to broken leg.

Three German ladies are lined up for the World Cup weekend in Otepää will take start both in the sprint and distance competition. For the men’s sprint Behle will count on Heun, Wenzl and Wünsch. Angerer, Filbrich, Dotzler and Eisenlauer will be racing for Germany in the distance competition on Sunday.

Women
– Nicole Fessel (SC Oberstdorf)
– Denise Herrmann (WSC Erzgebirge Oberwiesenthal)
– Katrin Zeller (SC Oberstdorf)

Men
– Tobias Angerer (SC Vachendorf)
– Hannes Dotzler (SC Sonthofen)
– Sebastian Eisenlauer (SC Sonthofen)
– Daniel Heun (SKG Gersfeld)
– Jens Filbrich (SV Eintracht Frankenhain)
– Josef Wenzl (SC Zwiesel)
– Oliver Wünsch (SV Großwaltersdorf)

January 14, 2011 (Boulder, CO) – After two years of traveling across the country to compete at The US Nationals in Alaska, the races finally were held on my home turf: Rumford, Maine. Ironically, I was unable to compete. I’m on the long road to recovery, after suffering from a severe digestive disorder for the past eight months. Lucky for me, these races will be back in Rumford at this time next year!

For now my job is to rest, recover, and enjoy college life. This week I started classes at the University of Colorado in Boulder, CO as a freshman. Being a student again is an adjustment after being out of school for a year and a half, but I think I’m going to like it!

Summary of my illness
The human body has one goal: to live. Left alone, it’s pretty good at it. However, when outside stress amounts to more than the body can “handle”, occasionally, the body’s natural coping methods become detrimental to this goal of simply living. Apparently, the body starts to shut down the less necessary systems, like the digestive and the immune systems, and focuses all of its energy on the heart, lungs, and brain, when it reaches a state of chronic fatigue.

Just as technique is one movement, the complex internal network that gives us life is one, unified collaboration. So it makes sense that a slight imbalance can trigger a domino effect. There is a tremendous amount of research and scientific findings in the medical field for the typical sedentary human, but there seems to be much less information about the athlete’s body and how it copes. I hope that by sharing my medical experiences, other athletes will be able to avoid getting lost in medical mysteries.

According to my latest medical diagnosis, two stress fractures, a long standing infection, two invasive surgeries, plus daily training and racing demands, all occurring in just one year’s time – on top of long standing asthma and extreme food intolerances – fatigued my body beyond it’s ability to function normally.

In order to cope, my body began shutting down systems, one of which was the digestive system. I’ve seen a wide range of doctors, all of who contributed a piece of the puzzle, and continue to add to my growing quiver of medical knowledge and recovery process. I do not have one clear diagnosis, but rather a collection of theories. The recovery process is going to be long, occasionally with small set backs, but I have faith that my health is improving slowly.

I would never have imagined that I would experience this medical nightmare, but it has opened my mind to whole new fields of knowledge that I might not have explored otherwise. I have become fascinated by both traditional and alternative medicine (now understanding why it is called the “practice” of medicine). I have explored my artistic passions (spending hours designing and decorating elaborate gingerbread castles, creating my own crochet stitches and patterns, making brochures); and have learned what it means to hold out hope. It’s not always easy to have faith in a better tomorrow when there is no foreseeable solution in sight. I learned how to live day by day, and remain in the present moment; relishing in the limited pleasures, fighting to overcome the seemingly surmountable obstacles, and always believing that I could, and would, overcome this illness.

I am not alone on this journey. I’m forever grateful to the dedicated team of family, friends, coaches and doctors who have stood by my side, advocated, listened, fought, laughed and shared stories with me. (My parents are probably qualified for medical degrees after these past eight months of accompanying me to all of my various doctor’s appointments!)

Now I am at the University of Colorado in Boulder starting my college experience. I won’t be racing for the team this year as I recover, but will hopefully be on the roster in the fall. Bruce Cranmer, the CU Nordic coach, has been extremely flexible through my set backs and I’m looking forward to have him as a coach.

Good luck to everyone for the 2011 season ahead!