Rosebud's Blog

Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Ruggers Wanted: Come Play for Beantown RFC!

All experience levels & skill levels welcome!

It’s a chance to not only play for a team with 50 years of history behind it, but also the opportunity to help shape the next chapter.

Women’s Elite Rugby (WER) brought a national team to Boston – the Banshees – but so many members of my old club, Beantown RFC, were picked up by them, it has led to this turning point for Beantown.

This Saturday, May 2^nd, the Boston Banshees play their home opener vs the NY Exiles, at Veteran’s Memorial Stadium in Quincy, MA. Kick-off is 5 PM. Come check it out!

Also - this Instagram post has some great pics of the Banshees, representing Beantown, wearing the red and blue hoops during some recent New England Select competition.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DXmZOGIlR10/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Pics by @gsabin

I can’t tell you what rugby will do for you, only what it gave back to me. Every drop of blood, sweat, and tears that I put in, returned tenfold:

- A circle of lifelong friends

- Camaraderie

- Acceptance

- Encouragement

- Belonging

- Laughs

- Good times

- Road trips

- Family

- Drinking buddies, friends, friends who became more than friends

- Challenging myself

- A tiny fracture in my elbow (fine now)

- A lot of mud

- Feeling like I could do anything

- Opportunities to test myself, be tough, be the one to make the play, the tackle, the blocked kick

- Courage that I didn’t know I had

- The inspiration to write my first book

I could never re-pay rugby, Beantown RFC, and the University of Illinois club, for what they’ve done for me.

I can’t guarantee what it will do for you, but I can easily say that rugby changed my life, immeasurably, for the better.

If you haven’t played before, or have never seen a game before? All good. Come on out to watch the Boston Banshees home opener this Saturday May 2 at 5 PM in Quincy, MA, at Veteran’s Memorial Stadium. There will be some current/retired Beantown players there you can talk to. Look for the red & blue.

While Beantown RFC is in this re-building phase, re-inventing itself, it’s also drawing on the support of the alumni community which is deeply invested in Beantown’s continuing success.

Rugby is a place for everybody, and every body type, shape, and size. There are positions for the fleet-footed backs and strong-willed forwards.

I’m going to address the two issues that might keep potential players away. The elephants in the room. They both revolve around safety, personal safety and physical safety.

First, I’ll take on the L-word thing, straight on.

Rugby has always been historically – and to this day – an open and accepting environment for all women – gay, straight, bi, trans. Non-binary, genderfluid. And has probably suffered and paid the price for that, because some women might shy away from playing because of the fear of that stigma, of being associated with a “gay sport.” This was a topic of debate back in the 1980s. What should we do to look less gay? It was a form of self-censorship, alas. But still, what it means at the end of the day is that if you play rugby, no one will assume you’re gay, or that you’re straight; everyone will simply accept you as you are. It is a safe place.

And then I think, how far we’ve come, how evolved the world has become! All the out athletes at the Olympics, and in the WNBA and PWHL. All these amazing, strong, powerful women. Amber Glenn speaking so openly. Athletes proposing to each other. And then the whole Heated Rivalry book series. It seems like we’re having both a moment and a movement. And I’m not even really that familiar with all of these sports and teams. I didn’t even realize we had a women’s professional hockey team in Boston until after the Olympics. Why? I’ve been working non-stop full-out for 38 years and obviously LIVING UNDER A ROCK! A complete idiot sports-wise. I didn’t even make it to the Beantown games after a while. And I thought the song, “Stick Season,” was about hockey…

I’ve digressed a bit… but I’m going somewhere with this.

What broke my heart, though, after all of this, was reading on Wikipedia (yeah, I know, that’s some in-depth research there), that one very high-profile athlete hesitated to come out until only recently because she was afraid… And I think, oh my God, it’s 2026. But there it is, there is still fear.

Except, not in rugby. It just doesn’t matter. But, the fact that it doesn’t matter? Matters. A lot.

The second issue that might keep players away is physical safety, which I’ll address head-on.

No, I won’t. Because you should never go into a tackle head-first. Go low, and tackle around the waist or thighs.

Nothing is completely safe. Not gonna’ lie, injuries happen, as they do in all sports. It is this raw, sheer physicality of the sport, which is part of the draw, that also poses the greatest risk. But if you learn good form, and how to tackle low, you can lower the risk.

What you miss risking – you risk missing.

So, don’t miss out!

Beantown RFC:

Come join our pack! Currently recruiting players, all skill levels welcome, for both summer 7’s and fall 15’s. Beantown will be competing in NERFU Division II this fall. First league match of the XVs season will be Saturday, August 29th.

Just fill out this form on Google Docs: Player Interest Form

Beantown is currently hiring a coach for sevens this summer and 15s for the fall:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DWsIoKzjSB9/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

All of this comes just as Beantown is about to celebrate its 50^th anniversary:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DVvrtHgjf-H/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

For a pretty complete history of women’s rugby in the US, check out Kerri Heffernan’s book, No Advantage Given: The Incomplete History of U.S. Women’s Rugby 1972 – 2026.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DWXbAypDfU1/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

The best place to order it from is the publisher:

https://www.stillwaterbooksri.com/no-advantage-given-incomplete-history-womens-rugby-1972-2026

And then there is my rugby book, published 20+ years ago, Go Forward, Support! The Rugby of Life. And The Happy Clam, which came out in 2020, which is about, well, happiness. If you want a copy of my rugby book, just put something in the comments, and I’ll get one out to you, it’ll be simpler. The Happy Clam can be ordered directly from the printer/distributor:

https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?params=H5CEjLsCLxp0QjPdNOPvntbgUAZdvqWRZoms9HXVnCO

Quoting from my earlier post on the Lake Placid trip (“Why so many cowbells?”):

"Sports offer opportunities to take risks, fall down, fail. And get back up and try again. Girls are historically taught to behave. We miss those chances to take risks, possibly fail. Moments that are scary, but build grit.”

Bringing this full circle –

I always said, the best thing, or at least one thing, I learned from rugby, was how to fall, and get back up - over and over again.

I would, if I could, pull out my old jersey and cleats and get back on the field and play again. Some days, I feel like I could. And this is one of those days.

Go forward, support!

BUSY HEADS:

"Stick Season," by Noah Kahan – just give this a fresh listen, and see if it couldn’t be about hockey after all!

https://youtu.be/JKrDdsgXuso?si=H62auaQ0OOxGGNmH

BUSY WEEK AHEAD:

April 30– Boston Fleet Women’s Hockey Team - Game 1 of the Walter Cup Playoffs (PWHL) at 7 PM Eastern, at Tsongas Arena in Lowell, MA. Cheer on the Fleet as they take on the Ottawa Charge. Games are being streamed on YouTube and the PWHL website.

https://www.thepwhl.com/en/news/2026/april/24/2026-pwhl-walter-cup-playoffs-to-begin-april-30-in-boston-may-2-in-montreal

May 1 - Beantown Social/Fundraiser - From 6 to 8pm at Drawdown Brewing (3204 Washington St, Boston).

https://www.instagram.com/p/DWzrJAYjVM9/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D

May 2 – Banshees Women’s Elite Rugby (WER) - Home opener vs. NY Exiles at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Quincy, MA. Kick-off is at 5 PM. Tickets can be purchased online ahead of time: https://www.universe.com/events/boston-banshees-vs-new-york-exiles-tickets-7WRV5J?ref=share-widget-buffer

May 2– Boston Fleet Women’s Hockey Team - Game 2 of the Walter Cup Playoffs (PWHL) at 7 PM Eastern, at Tsongas Arena in Lowell, MA, vs. the Ottawa Charge.

Montreal Victoire also play Minneapolis Frost at 2 PM on May 2, and again on May 5 at 7 PM Eastern.

May 3 – Hull Pride 5K Run (run, walk, or dance; all paces as well as dogs and strollers are welcome!) – Registration is required. Begins at 9:00. Race starts and ends at Hull High School. https://www.hullpride.net/events/over-the-rainbow-5k-run

May 3 – Boston Legacy Women’s Football Club (i.e., Soccer) – Host the Denver Summit FC at 3 PM at Gillette Stadium. Celebrating Pride! Will also be televised on CBS & Paramount Plus.

https://www.universe.com/events/boston-banshees-vs-new-york-exiles-tickets-7WRV5J?ref=share-widget-buffer

May 9-10 - NERFU tournament in Newport, RI.

May 31 - Rosie's Ruck 7s in Canton, MA.

June 11 - MA high school state championship in Quincy, MA.

Books:

If anyone wants copies of my books, they’re both on Amazon, but for the rugby book, just reach out in a comment, and I’ll send you a copy. It will be simpler.

The Happy Clam can be ordered directly through the printer/distributor (IngramSparks), cutting out all the middle-people: https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?params=H5CEjLsCLxp0QjPdNOPvntbgUAZdvqWRZoms9HXVnCO

SubStack – Also, thanks and welcome to all the new followers on SubStack! A simple and convenient way to get each new post delivered directly to your in box.

https://substack.com/@rosemaryschmidt

References:

Rose Schmidt is the author of The Happy Clam (© 2020), and Go Forward, Support! The Rugby of Life (© 2004), both published by Gainline Press. The views expressed herein are solely those of the author, and do not represent the views of any other agency or organization. Use of individual quotes with proper citation and attribution, within the limits of fair use, is permitted. To request permission to re-use or reprint any of the content on the site, please contact me.

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Saturday, April 25, 2026

Falling

Okay, so one last re-visit to Lake Placid. I actually forgot to share one of the funniest bits of it. As we were leaving Mt. Van Hoevenberg the day of the 10km race, in the midst of practically a blizzard, after we’d tromped back through the woods, we were almost back to the pick-up point for the shuttle. So close! Susan was bee-lining it, as the bus was within sight, meanwhile the path was hard-packed snow and slippery, and sure enough, my feet went sliding right out from under me. Now I’m lying flat on my back like a turtle, laughing so hard, and all I can think is:

“Good on me! Look what I’ve done, I’ve slid right in front of the bus. It can’t leave without us, not without running over my cold dead body at least!” I’m thinking I’ve been very valiant, heroic even. Susan turns around and looks at me.

“What are you doing there?” she asks.

I’m laughing so hard, I can only answer in sentence fragments.

“Do… you think… I’d be lying here… if I could… could be doing something else?

Telling this story to friends later, when I ask if they’d like to join us on our next adventure, they say “No thanks,” and summed it up this way:

“If it’s a good time, it’ll be a good time. If it’s a bad time, it’ll be a good story.”

Well, we haven’t laughed that hard in a while. So, it was a good story at least.

Quoting from my first post on the Lake Placid trip (“Why so many cowbells?”):

When I wrote this, the 20km x-country ski race hadn’t happened yet, I published the post that Sunday morning. And so I had no idea that Jessie Diggins was going to fall coming around that last turn before the finish line, again an indicator of how aggressively she was attacking the course. She fell down, got back up, and still finished in 12^th place.

It was heart-breaking of course, but also maybe in another way it was okay.

Even the best fall down sometimes. And it’s okay. It’s getting back up, that’s what matters most.

Maybe you can’t know great peaks without also knowing deep valleys.

And maybe the harder you hit, the higher you bounce.

There were so many stories from the Olympics about athletes who had fallen, battled injury and other adversity, to return to their sport: Mikaela Shiffrin, Lindsey Vonn, Federica Brignone, and so many others.

Just saw an interview on Insta with US Bobsledder, Elena Meyers Taylor, talking about how she wanted to show her kids, who are disabled, what’s possible if you pursue your dream.

She said, “I wanted my kids to see me fall.”

“As much as I want my kids to see me succeeding, I also want them to see me falling and getting back up.”

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXe1aI1pOFd/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

So, Jessie and I are obviously kindred spirits. She fell, got back up and placed 12^th, and I fell and got on the bus! Yay us!

Actually, there is one thing we do have very divergent opinions: Glitter.

I was reminded of Jessie the other day... found a stray piece of glitter on the floor. Drives me nuts! I spend the months after Christmas cleaning up glitter. It's my nemesis. I have been known to crawl around on my hands and knees with a roll of tape to pick up any errant bits of glitter after the holidays. We won’t even buy Christmas cards that have glitter on them, because I know I’ll be picking up little bits of glitter for the next three months. You know how you have to back up, look side to side, to get the light to hit it just right, so that you can see it? I shudder to think of how much glitter there is at her place.

How can one person be so joyful?

And then I also follow Noah Kahan, huge fan, and i ask –

How can one person be so sad?

Went to a CD listening party for his new album, The Great Divide, last week^,at Wanna Hear It Records in Watertown, and the place was packed, as we all quietly stood and listened to the songs for the first time, and sang along with the title track when it came on.

But now after the Olympics, and Lake Placid, and going to Boston Legacy FC soccer games, and watching Boston Fleet hockey games, my Insta feed is all messed up, and thinks I’m a Nordic skier, and play hockey and soccer.

Skiing – It’s just too cold. I guess one should expect snow and coldness. I’ve been thinking a lot about why we were so unprepared for Lake Placid, and I think it comes down to two things: We think March is spring. It is not. And we have an irrational fear of being too hot. This fear has now been replaced by an irrational fear of being too cold. We might go back to the Weston ski track where Julia Kern got her start, to shoe. But I can tell you exactly where I'll be in four years: watching the Olympics from my couch.

Hockey – Also chilly. And not enough scoring.

Soccer – Not enough scoring. Not enough tackling. So much running after the ball and kicking it, when wouldn’t it be so much easier if you could just pick it up and run with it? And then players get penalized for just bumping into each other.

If only there was a sport where you could actually put your hands on the ball and run with it. And you could actually tackle people.

Oh, wait, there is a sport like that: RUGBY!

And it’s a sport where there’s a place for everybody, and every body type. Many sports you need a certain type of physique to excel. In rugby, there are positions for fleet-footed backs as well as power-house forwards, grit being the common ingredient. As I always said, “I may be small, but I’m slow.” And:

“It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.” It’s good to be scrappy. (side note: Jessie Diggins was described by one of her early coaches as having "scrappy technique." Love that! Will take scrappy over meticulous any day.)

Good news, Boston has a Women’s Elite Rugby (WER) team, the Banshees.

Bad news, so many members of my old club, Beantown RFC, were picked up by the Banshees, the club is struggling to exist, and is in the midst of re-inventing itself. Beantown 2.0. It’s like the old saying: Video killed the radio star. Beantown got stretched too far, trying to be too much of everything to too many people, from players aspiring to play for the national team, to recreational players, women who played in college and wanted to keep playing post-graduation, to walk-ons with no/limited experience, joining for the camaraderie and the pure love of the game.

Beantown is currently hiring a coach for sevens this summer and 15s for the fall.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DWsIoKzjSB9/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Currently recruiting players, all skill levels welcome.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DXSA2aEDMNb/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

All of this comes just as Beantown is about to celebrate its 50^th anniversary:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DVvrtHgjf-H/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

For a pretty complete history of women’s rugby in the US, check out Kerri Heffernan’s book, No Advantage Given: The Incomplete History of U.S. Women’s Rugby 1972 – 2026.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DWXbAypDfU1/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

The best place to order it from is the publisher:

https://www.stillwaterbooksri.com/no-advantage-given-incomplete-history-womens-rugby-1972-2026

https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?params=H5CEjLsCLxp0QjPdNOPvntbgUAZdvqWRZoms9HXVnCO

Bringing this full circle –

I always said, the best thing, or at least one thing, I learned from rugby, was how to fall, and get back up - over and over again.

I would, if I could, pull out my old jersey and cleats and get back on the field and play for them again. Some days, I feel like I could. But, seriously, folks, more likely, I’d fall – and not be able to get back up, just like in the commercials. I’m retired, and ready to reinvent myself.

We’ll pick up on that thread next time…

Song of the Day:

Falling Forward, by Julia Fordham

https://youtu.be/xNH_TWmJ_6w?si=CcXQYKPjlcfkgc_c

Upcoming:

April 25 – Happy Independent Bookstore Day! Support your local bookstore! Some of my fav’s: Belmont Books (where Stacey introduced us to A Rosie Life in Italy); Hummingbird Books (now celebrating 4 years in business, where Wendy Dodson has hosted a local author fair for the past several years, thanks for having me!); White Birch Books in North Conway, NH; BOOKLINK Booksellers in Northampton, MA; Booklovers’ Gourmet, Webster, MA; Gibson’s Bookstore, Concord, NH; Concord Bookstore (MA), Buttonwood Books and Toys, and Cohasset, MA.

April 30– Boston Fleet Women’s Hockey Team - Game 1 of the Walter Cup Playoffs (PWHL) at 7 PM Eastern, at Tsongas Arena in Lowell, MA. Opponent TBD.

Games are being streamed on YouTube and the PWHL website.

https://www.thepwhl.com/en/news/2026/april/24/2026-pwhl-walter-cup-playoffs-to-begin-april-30-in-boston-may-2-in-montreal

May 2 – Writing Salon 10 AM to 12 noon at the Hull Public Library – Join us for an opportunity to share and listen to the works of other writers in the area.

Join Paula Nesoff for a gathering of writers sharing pieces of their creative journey. The work can be poetry, to excerpts from a book of nonfiction, fiction, memoir, magazine article and none need to have been published. The time is for reading, no critique or feedback - just appreciation of the person sharing. People can come to listen and maybe be inspired to write!

https://hullpubliclibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/writers-reading-salon/

May 2– Boston Fleet Women’s Hockey Team - Game 2 of the Walter Cup Playoffs (PWHL) at Tsongas Arena in Lowell, MA. Time and opponent TBD. But it better be between noon and five!

May 3 – Hull Pride 5K Run (run, walk, or dance; all paces welcome!) – Registration is now open. Begins at 9:00. Race starts and ends at Hull High School. https://www.hullpride.net/events/over-the-rainbow-5k-run

May 3 – Boston Legacy Women’s Football Club (i.e., Soccer) – Host the Denver Summit FC at 3 PM at Gillette Stadium. Celebrating Pride! Will also be televised on CBS & Paramount Plus.

https://www.universe.com/events/boston-banshees-vs-new-york-exiles-tickets-7WRV5J?ref=share-widget-buffer

Footnote: At the Boston Legacy soccer game on March 28^th, at Gillette, the winners of the girls’ soccer state championships were all present and recognized:

Division 1 – Natick; 2 – Duxbury; 3 – Medfield; 4 – Sutton; 5 – Hull. Congrats all!

Books:

If anyone wants copies of my books, they’re both on Amazon, but for the rugby book, just reach out in a comment, and I’ll send you a copy. It will be simpler.

The Happy Clam can be ordered directly through the printer/distributor (IngramSparks), cutting out all the middle-people:

https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?params=H5CEjLsCLxp0QjPdNOPvntbgUAZdvqWRZoms9HXVnCO

The book is also available anywhere fine books are sold, as well as Bookshop.org.

https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-happy-clam-rosemary-a-schmidt/baa4885a79b7f90d?ean=9780970852823&next=t

SubStack – Also, thanks and welcome to all the new followers on SubStack! A simple and convenient way to get each new post delivered directly to your in box.

https://substack.com/@rosemaryschmidt

References:

Tuesday, March 24, 2026

A Moment or a Movement?

Boston Legacy FC next home game is Saturday March 28th!

Women's Sports is having its moment, finally, at last! Olympics, winter sports, professional basketball, hockey, soccer, rugby... And fans coming out to appreciate it.

Or is it a movement? The aggregation of a series of moments. Like the flurry of snowflakes, a blizzard makes. (see prior post on Lake Placid cross-country skiing!)

Speaking of blizzards - the start of the 10km race last Friday

I don’t know what's gotten into us. It really is like the movie, Field of Dreams. One weekend we're in Foxborough for the Legacy soccer team’s first game, the next up to Lake Placid for World Cup cross-country ski race finals.

Did you ever wonder, at the end of the movie, all those cars lined up going to the field - what was the conversation happening in those cars? Where are we going? A field. Why? I just feel drawn.

They have built it.

We will come.

We’ve been building the groundwork for decades leading up to this.

Now is as good a time as any to pull out this review for my rugby book:

The lessons of sport, be it rugby or tennis, are the lessons that guide a successful and productive life - as long as you look for them, listen and learn. Schmidt has done all of this for us.

Donna A. Lopiano
PhD, CEO, Women's Sports Foundation

Replace rugby or tennis with cross country skiing, soccer, soft ball...

Before I played rugby, and before I played tennis, I was a spindly-legged kid playing summer softball, slow pitch, in maybe 6^th, 7^th, and 8th grades, looking to find some friends and belonging. Sunset Auto Parts. I played in right field of course. And we were actually ahead, bottom of the 9th, against the best team in our league, La Raza. There were runners on base, two outs, and one of their best hitters comes up to bat, and hits a fly ball into right field, and it hangs up there, against the blue sky. Time slows down as it just hangs there. There's a collective intake of breath, and everything balances on that moment. Do or not do. I’m tracking it. The slap of the ball in my glove cracks the silence. We did it! Cheers, Pizza Hut, and pitchers of Pepsi.

Sports offer opportunities to take risks, fall down, fail. And get back up and try again. Girls are historically taught to behave. We miss those chances to take risks, possibly fail. Moments that are scary, but build grit.

At a book panel discussion, I shared the wildly unpopular idea that maybe we just need to be more like men, just as when a pitcher bounces a ball over the plate, to just shake it off. But don’t shy away from the chance to throw those pitches.

This Saturday, the Boston chapter of WISE (Women in Sports & Events) is hosting a special pre-game event recognizing Women in Sports. The email says:

This is a matchday that goes beyond the excitement on the pitch. It's dedicated to honoring the athletes, leaders and trailblazers who continue to grow the game and inspire the next generation.

What to Expect:

Special ticketed event: Pre-game Women in Sports panel discussion and private athlete meet & greet in collaboration with WISE.

Get your ticket HERE.

EXCLUSIVE professional athlete meet & greet in FanFest featuring Boston Banshees players, Olympic and paralympic athletes and medalists, and more!

Engage with the Connecticut Sun, Boston Banshees, and Boston Fleet, as well as local girls sports oriented community groups!

Plus, an EPIC halftime performance by the mega-viral, world-renowned bagpipe sensation, Ally the Piper!

Whether you grew up playing, are raising the next generation of athletes, or just love the game, this day is for you.

The pre-game event starts at 10:00 AM. Discounted tickets are available through WISE, and give you access to both the pre-game event and the game. The link above directs you to the gofevo webpage. After purchase, tickets can be accessed through Ticketmaster. Discounted tickets are in sections 102, 103, 105, and 106 and are $34 to $48 each. More info will be coming out later this week.

Let’s support each other, lift each other up!

A rising tide lifts all ships.

BOOK REVIEW

A Rosie Life in Italy 7, by Rosie Meleady, just came out.

I just finished #5 in the series, and it really is the best one so far. This is the one where things get real, and raw, and it made me both laugh out loud, and cry to myself. The griefs this life will bring, and yet we muster on.

But you have to start with A Rosie Life in Italy 1. Basically, Rosie moves her family from Ireland to Italy, and find a quaint, spacious, Italian villa in disrepair, and decide to take on the challenge to make it their new home. It will make you laugh, and will put your home repair projects that have gone awry in perspective.

Belmont Books has #1 on their shelves now.

Also worth following Rosie on Substack, especially her recent post about Matriarchy. Is it too much to hope for?

https://rosiemeleady.substack.com/p/is-matriarchy-a-pipe-dream

Upcoming:

More cross-country skiing: The 20km Coop FIS Cross-Country World Cup race run on Sunday March 22, 2026 in Lake Placid will be aired Sunday 3/29 at 1PM on NBC!

Racers lined up for the start of the 20km women's cross-country ski race held on Sunday March 22, 2026, marking Jessie Diggins' last career race.

Jessie Diggins in the yellow bib

Books:

If anyone wants copies of my books, they’re both on Amazon, but for the rugby book, just reach out in a comment, and I’ll send you a copy. It will be simpler.

The Happy Clam is available to bookstores via Ingram, and online also via Bookshop.org.

https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-happy-clam-rosemary-a-schmidt/baa4885a79b7f90d?ean=9780970852823&next=t

References:

Photos of the 20km race are just quick ones taken of the screen while watching the livestream on Outside TV.