Send It with Stef Fleckenstein
What do you get when you combine snow-covered mountains, spandex one-piece suits, red and blue plastic gates, year-round training, and a ticking clock? That would be the fickle sport that we call ski racing. My name is Stef Fleckenstein and I’ve spent the last 12 years of my life climbing the ladder in this complicated sport and now I’m here to share all of the lessons I’ve learned along the way. This podcast will be your go-to stop for everything from workouts and mental training, to the intricacies of managing a high-performance athlete lifestyle.
Episodes
Hey friends it's me again :) I'm finally out of the hospital after my 5th and final surgery and I'm ready to make his recovery my entire personality!! I thought I'd share a couple of tactics I've used over the course of this crazy experience and hopefully it can help some of you if you find yourself as the princess of the ICU like me :)
Cande Moreno is a World Cup DH/ SG racer from Andorra who also happens to be one of my best friends on the circuit. Over the last couple of years we've explored the World Cup venues together and have bonded over our love for being active outdoors. One of our shared loves (aside from racing) is freeriding and Cande has helped me see how much freeskiing can help me with my racing. Unfortunately Cande also suffered a season ending inj...
I love to put a positive spin on my life, but sometimes it's ok to admit that things are frustrating and this is not where I want to be right now. This episode I talk about the exhausting side of injuries and how I've learned to be kind to myself when I'm feeling overwhelmed, how I'm staying positive even when it feels like I'm not moving forward, and how I've learned to take things personally. This isn't my usual style of podcast ...
Here are some of the main things that I'm doing to prepare for my 4th surgery on my leg:
- Keeping my body as healthy as possible with vitamins, sleep, and staying active
- Getting anything urgent done so that I don't have added stress while recovering
- Trusting the process and embracing the situation I'm in
- Keeping a positive mindset heading into the surgery!
Inni Wembstad is an up and coming speed skier on the Norwegian Ski Team, with massive results on the Europa Cup circuit and she started to make her mark on the World Cup circuit before she tore her ACL in the 2022/23 season. Inni fought her way through rehab and was looking really good heading into the 2023/24 season when she had another massive crash which resulted in an ACL tear and a concussion. Inni has been a massive help for ...
I'm not someone who usually experiences FOMO but I think it's inevitable to feel like you're missing out while you're injured. This episode dives into some of the ways I've been experiencing FOMO and what I'm doing to change my mindset about my situation. Feeling like you're missing out can present itself in lots of different ways and it's ok to let yourself go through the emotions you're feeling, but try not to get too caught up i...
With any major injury there are lots of steps that go into a full recovery and right now I'm working my way through the first baby steps. There has been some interest in what I'm doing for rehab with my leg so I thought I'd share what I'm up to. The majority of my treatment is focused on reducing swelling, increasing flexion and allowing my bones to heal. Thanks for following!!
Sometimes I plan what I should talk about during my podcasts but today I decided to let my mind roam and dive into some of the things I've been feeling. I thought it would be fun to share some of the things that I've been working on in my rehab and how I'm staying motivated during this confusing time. It's not always easy but I'm finding ways to make each day feel like a step forward and know that the hard work will eventually pay ...
I won't lie and say I've stayed positive through this whole injury experience, but I will say that I've managed to avoid the dark and twistys for the most part. Sometimes life sucks and that's ok, but it's important to understand that the way you handle it can determine your future outcome. Anyways here's another episode of me blabbering about my experiences, I hope you enjoy!
Hospitals can be scary but my experience over the past 2.5 weeks has been really eye opening and has given me a new perspective. I've only gone a little bit crazy but I think that means I'm healing so I'm embracing it!
Life is crazy but life in the hospital is even crazier. I'm going to share my experiences living in the hospital for the past 2.5 weeks and help give some insight into some of the feelings you'll have after a big injury/ surgery!!
Before this crash I had never sustained a major injury before, so I had no idea what to expect. Athletes are quick to share their rehab and comeback stories, but very few share what actually happened from their perspective. I thought I'd give you a look inside my head to hopefully make crashes and injures seem a little less scary, but also to show you what us athletes are thinking about. Hopefully you enjoy :)
The plan was to make this form of episode a series for the winter so you could all stay up to date on the World Cup season, but now that I'm injured this will be the only one :( If you like this style please let me know and I'll make sure to do it again once I'm back out racing!
It can be hard for people to fully grasp the lives of professional athletes because from the outside it looks like all sunshine and rainbows. While that may be true for a portion of our lives, the majority of it is spent obsessing, working, and pushing ourselves to limits that affect us in more ways than one. I've had a lot of time to think about who I am and who I want to be, so I thought I'd sit down and share some of my thoughts...
Alayna and I have shared similar paths to our World Cup careers. She grew up in Minnesota (basically Canada), competed on her NCAA ski team (on the East coast...), and now is racing World Cups as an independent athlete representing the USA. We were able to talk about all the things that go into skiing including training, life on the road, managing burnout, long distance relationships and finding your community. While some things cr...
It's safe to say that being a ski racer in North America means leaving your home around the age of 15 and learning how to travel the world for 6 months a year to ski. I've been incredibly lucky to have crossed paths with so many generous people and I wanted to send them a big thank you while also sharing some of my favorite stories. I also add in a few tips for athletes and surrogate families to make sure that your experiences are ...
From how I avoid paying for overweight charges at the airport, what team am I on, how I manage an independent team, to how I stay motivated, I'm answering all your Qs! Over the last couple of years I've been asked the same couple of questions so I decided it was time to finally give you some answers. This will be the first episode of a little series I'll be starting to help answer questions that you guys have for me!
Being an independent athlete is hard enough without the added feeling of being alone all the time. I've been incredibly lucky to have my coach be one of my best friends and to have my families support, but sometimes you just need a friend who's going through the same things as you. This episode I share how I became friends with some of my competitors, overcame the idea of being on my own, and came to the realization that your commu...
My hiatus is finally over and I'm back ready to share my life with everyone! Last year was a rollercoaster and the stress of trying to graduate college, run an independent team, and work a part time job got the best of me. I'm excited to be back and hope you guys are too! This first episode is just a life recap from the last year that I've been away from the mic and gives a little preview into what I'm up to this season.
It can take years to master the art of living out of a suitcase and travelling the world, but I've got some quick tips that will make your life easier. If I had a dollar for every time I told a checkin agent I loved them or that my bags "aren't that heavy" I'd be able to fund my ski racing career. Stay tuned for more tips as this race season gears up!
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