Caitlin Patterson (Craftsbury Green Racing Project) leads Kate Fitzgerald (APU) and the rest of the pack up the on the first of four laps up the final hill of the Olympic 5 k course at Soldier Hollow during the 20 k freestyle mass start at U.S. nationals.

Alex Kochon

Alex Kochon (alexkochon@gmail.com) is a former FasterSkier editor and roving reporter who never really lost touch with the nordic scene. A freelance writer, editor, and outdoor-loving mom of two, she lives in northeastern New York and enjoys adventuring in the Adirondacks. She shares her passion for sports and recreation as the co-founder of "Ride On! Mountain Bike Trail Guide" and a sales and content contributor at Curated.com. When she's not skiing or chasing her kids around, Alex assists authors as a production and marketing coordinator for iPub Global Connection.