Ever wanted to know more about how an Olympic alpine skier spends their day? How about their days off? Here’s the latest on Ali — from what she eats to what she’s watching on Netflix right now!
Whether she’s in the gym or on the snow, Ali likes to keep it simple in how she fuels her body to perform. In season, her typical breakfast is eggs and toast or yogurt — depending on what the hotel has — and she will occasionally add supplements as needed. She’s not a picky eater, but she prefers to stay away from large, heavy meals before highly intensive dry land training (spaghetti bolognese is a no-go, which she learned the hard way).
Although by now she could be a professional world traveler, Ali is a homebody at heart and prefers to spend her rest days on a quieter note. After a slow morning savoring a cup of coffee, she might catch up on some Netflix — the Lord of the Rings or Stranger Things to be exact — or just enjoy the lack of demands for the day. If there are consecutive rest days on her calendar, Ali and her teammates will often explore whatever city they are in and stretch their legs. It seems like “chill” is the magic ingredient when it comes to the rest and recovery game.
When she’s back on the snow, Ali’s course inspection playlist is country-leaning, as she likes to listen to music that’s more calming and “feel-good.” In the start gate, her playlist is a blend of songs that she ties to happy memories — it’s her secret trick for calming her nerves.
The greatest athlete of all time? “That’s a big question,” Ali says with a giggle. In skiing, she really admires Bode Miller, saying, “he would get injured and then come right back to racing, which is just really impressive. From what I’ve heard, he just took control of his own career and I think that’s really cool.” Recently, she watched Being Serena, a five-part documentary series on the personal and professional life of Serena Williams. “I never really followed her career, but as a female athlete, seeing everything she’s done in her life is inspiring.”
When it comes to her ski bag, Ali always has candy, “for quick energy,” and water. And the one thing she over-packs? “Goggles! I don’t know why, but I’m like ‘what if I break a pair every run?!’ so I have 5 extra pairs just in case.” It’s no secret that her athletic prowess transcends the slopes, as Ali loves to play hockey, volleyball, and motocross. “I like them all for different reasons. Motocross has a lot of crossover into skiing because you’re looking ahead, you’re trying to predict what’s coming at you, and it’s coming at you fast,” Ali says. “I like tennis too. I just started that this summer and it’s a lot harder than I was expecting. I like the challenge and that it’s something new too,” says Ali.