Holiday reflections

a Sisyphean approach and new perspectives

Hello and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Today I am writing from the remarkable St Anton, Austria. This is one of my absolute favorite spots on tour and it’s expansiveness and beauty truly always blow me away!

A lot has happened since my last blog in Beaver Creek!

I finished 25th in the Super G in St Moritz, the second of which was cancelled due to wind (see photos below from an incredible week in Switzerland). I flew home for a week for Christmas. Then flew back on December 30th for our San Pellegrino training block last week (see photos below for the most amazing mountain sunrises), and perhaps most importantly, I feel like my mindset has shifted in a very positive direction!

Holiday Reflection

I’m not the biggest fan of taking a break in the middle of the season because it takes me out of the intensity and focused mindset of race season, and it can take some time and a lot of energy to get back into it after the break.

But Christmas at home is always so special and I am incredibly grateful that our family is able to all be together and enjoy the holiday spirit just like when we were kids. Although the excitement around presents has gradually been replaced by the appreciation for amazing home cooked meals, lots of sauna and relaxation courtesy of Peak Heat Saunas, and great sibling bonded fueled by exercise, passionate board games, and heated debates on everything from current events to whose resting glucose is lowest, to who gets control of the living room speakers.

Another favorite part of the Christmas break is being able to go back to Holimont, where I grew up racing, and getting to spend some time with all the young racers.

For those who have never heard of Holimont, it is a small hill (800 vertical ft!) one hour south of Buffalo and it is an incredibly special community; as is the entire town of Ellicottville (where Holimont and our neighboring hill (rivals :)) Holiday Valley is also located).

The older I get the more I appreciate just how special it is to be a part of such a supportive, kind and close community.

If you’ve been reading my blogs for a while, you know that I can sometimes (often) be hard on myself when it comes to my ski racing results and the bar I set for myself. This is something I am always thinking about and working on. I think there is a fine line between holding yourself to a high bar in order to continue to progress and push your limits, and creating an environment and mindset where you are always shooting for more, more, more, and never taking a moment to stop and appreciate the progress you’ve made.

I once had a friend told me that my greatest strength and weakness is that I am insatiable with my own aspirations, which is a pretty good way to put this.

I’ve gotten this feedback a lot, and so reflect on it often. I think this sometimes sounds or looks like more of a negative thing than it really is though. Working hard towards a goal is what makes me feel the most fulfilled and happy. But I’m starting to realize that the very, very important (crucial!) way for this to not become a Sisyphean approach to life, is for me to also take the time to stop and reflect and appreciate the progress I have made.

Truthfully, I don’t do this very often in the season, which is why returning to Holimont always feels so special. It is an immediate and palpable reminder of just how far I’ve come, and how lucky I am to still be a ski racer.

Another one of my absolute favorite feelings in the world is racing! Which is why, I am so excited for the next three weeks of back to back to back speed races. This weekend in St. Anton, next weekend in Cortina, Italy, and then Garmisch, Germany! Wish me luck :)

Photo update!

every year the women’s speed team has a legendary white elephant gift exchange which is always a highlight of the last race before Christmas

Very very happy to have my brother Connor in St. Moritz!

start gate of St. Moritz super g - I was also bib 44 when I scored my first sg points last year! Which i didn’t realize until after the race :) Must be the lucky number 4

lots and lots of waiting for our second race that ultimately got cancelled :(

Connor took this photo but I love it because its so quintessential Switzerland. Peaceful, calm, clean and on time!

view of the race course from the bottom - pure sunshine for our first race!

My brother Andrew prepping the bar for our annual Mangan family Christmas party in Ellicottville…

while the rest of the fam helps with the clean up and food prep!

Enjoyed a few runs with ALL the siblings - cant remember the last time this happened. And hopefully the only time pete decides to wear jeans skiing :0

another one of my favorite parts of going home! My moms amazing baked goodies. Unfortunately she did get us all continuous glucose monitors for Christmas so we also were able to watch in real time what these do to your glucose! however, the best time to eat them is 100% post workout - so I treated myself to a post workout cookie often while home :)

I launched my own Team Tricia Merch! Which i am so excited about. Check it out at the link below if you’d like!

https://www.triciamangan.org/swag

then it was back to Europe where we arrived to an amazing (and very jet lagged) NYE dinner. Europeans absolutely love New Years so it was fun to partake in some of their excitement (even though we had training at 7:30 am the next morning!)

sunrise on the legendary dolomites at Passo San Pelligrino - how amazing!

cant get over how beautiful these mountains are!

and!!! I got to watch one of the stages of the Tour de Ski and cheered on our cross country team including Julia Kern, my Dartmouth college roomate who had her best distance result ever finishing 7th!!!!

garage functions as tuning room and gym in Europe hotels :)

Speed Team (plus honorary tech team attendees Mary and Elizabeth) Photo!

team pizza dinner on our last night in Italy (for a week - lol)

probably one of the best pizzas i’ve ever had! Spicy salami burrata, arugula, Parmesan, bresola, and balsamic vinegar !

and then we made it to St Anton! This place is truly incredible

very sunny for our first training run! Our second one was cancelled today, but we’re hoping for hard snow and sunshine for tomorrow!