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 Although the excitement around presents has gradually been replaced by the appreciation for amazing home cooked meals, lots of sauna and relaxation courtesy of Peak Heat Saunas, and great sibling bonded fueled by exercise,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!






https://www.triciamangan.org/swag


Great insights as always. It took many years after my "unsuccessful" stint on the USST (I didn't win any WC races) before I appreciated how fucking amazingly good of a skier I had been, because I was always trying so hard to be better. So yeah, recognize it, feel good about how far you've come, encourage yourself that you're close to the top, and go get em! Slow progress and even regression can be followed by a great leap. There's a positive feedback loop in climbing the start list - better course conditions, better equipment, better equipment prep, more confidence, more better skiing. But you know all this.
I must get back to the Alps one of these days! I love everything about them.