Begin again.
Hello from Saas Fee, Switzerland - August 16th 2021
There is something uniquely special about the feeling travel brings. The commotion of the airports, the anticipation of what’s to come, and the inevitable twinge of nostalgia at the thought of what’s being left behind. For me, flying to ski camps, specifically summer training camps, has always been accompanied with restlessness and eager optimism. And since summer camps often come after a long stint in the gym, or for me historically, a grueling exam period, they feel like a reward. Something I worked hard for and look forward to tremendously.
Yesterday’s flight to Zurich was met with similar feelings, only amplified. I was home for five weeks this summer, which might be a new record for me. But the time flew by, as our family completed another great summer of Camp Mangan, I started and finished a very rewarding summer internship, and spent early mornings and hot afternoons/evenings in our garage gym working to get bigger, faster and stronger! I’ve learned a lot over the years in terms of dryland workout programs and this summer I was able to create a hybrid program myself from all the coaches and physios I have worked with in the past. The three most important things I’ve learned and tried to follow this summer while working out were:
1. Schedule your workout-plan ahead of time and stick to it – this makes it easier to commit to and doesn’t leave room for excuses.
2. Listen to your body – while this might seem to contradict the first point, it’s important to know one’s own limits and understand what your body needs (this is more tailored to the recovery aspect of training)
3. Progress takes time – being a female athlete, I have struggled with not getting the results I want right away but I’ve learned that our bodies all have different timelines and ways of getting stronger.
Last season was unexpected and unusual for me for several reasons. But I’ve always thought that adversity teaches us the biggest lessons, and this past season I was definitely thrown some curveballs. (Disclaimer: I know that I didn’t face real adversity this season, but in the context of my ski racing career, it was more difficult than past years.) I spoke of my challenges often throughout the year with my mom, who continually encouraged me to write down what was going wrong, why, and how I could change it in the future. Thankfully, I listened to her advice, and come April the 2020/21 season ended and I was faced with a lot of decisions. I reached out to a lot of people for advice from family to friends to coaches and athletes I respected, but mostly I kept going back to my notes throughout the year and those were what held me accountable for taking action to create change.
Change can be hard because it means uncertainty and sometimes it feels like you have to bet on yourself, your knowledge, your decisions. But it is also exciting, as it offers unknown challenges, opportunities to grow, and committing to believing in yourself. Winston Churchill once said, “To improve is to change, to be perfect is to change often.” And while I think ‘perfect’ is a bit unrealistic, the quest for continued improvement is not! So, this season, I switched ski brands to HEAD, which will provide me with more World Cup Level equipment and has been dominating the speed circuit results. I joined a new team called International Ski Racing Academy (ISRA), to give me a consistent support system at the World Cups with great coaches, better access to World Cup level training (including more speed training), and provides me with a group of fast teammates! Finally, I decided to fully believe in myself, believing that I know how to make the best decisions for my ski racing career (with the help of people I trust and respect) and believing that I can commit to ski racing and give it everything I have. I am very excited for this year’s journey!
Thank you to everyone who has been a part of the ride and continues to be a member of #TeamTricia! I look forward to sending you more regular updates this season through my substack, ranging from race reflections, training breakthroughs, cultural discoveries, or just on the road musings.