I am very lucky to report that I celebrated not one, but three Thanksgivings this past week. One with all the US Ski Team groups in Copper (I think there were four different teams here), one with the Dartmouth Ski Team, and one with our women’s speed team. So there was definitely a lot of reflecting on “what are you grateful for?”
The truth is I’m grateful for so, so many things, but I think the one thing I feel the most grateful and lucky to have these days is the community supporting me and my ski racing dreams.
I know I’ve said a million time that the biggest silver lining to racing as an independent athlete was the community I found along the way, but I honestly cannot stress how much this means to me.
The backbone of this community is, of course, my family (immediate and extended:)). Their relentless and unbounded support has been a source of enduring strength for me for literally my entire life (although I don’t think I fully appreciated it until much more recently). I know not everyone is blessed with a loving and supportive family, so I am extra grateful to have such a large and amazing family!
But my community also extends far beyond family ties. It includes every one of you who is reading this blog post. Some of you know me a lot, some a little, and many, not at all. Yet, you have all invested time, thoughts, encouragement, and sometimes finances, towards supporting me in my mission.
So I wanted to take today’s blog as an opportunity to say thank you and to share the most important things I’ve learned from my community.
The very first lesson I learned from my community (and the one I’m still learning every day), is the power of being vulnerable and asking others for help. It was quite challenging for me initially to open up about my ski racing journey, my hopes and ambitions, my fears and failures, and ask for help along the way. And to be completely honest, I still struggle a lot with admitting and showing weakness - just today I cried on the hill when I told my coach that I was too tired from throwing up all night to ski downhill.
But the more I do let my guard down, and the more I do ask others for help, the more I realize that not only is it imperative in order to form any meaningful sense of connection with someone, but it also ultimately makes me a lot stronger. Not to mention I would have failed a long long time ago without the help and support of so many people. After all, any great achievement would be impossible to do alone.
I was only able to discover this because of the truly unconditional support and encouragement of my community.
The other major lesson in this journey ties closely to the above. I’ve talked a bit before about how choosing to race independently forced me to take a step back and re-evaluate why I wanted to continue to ski race. I think this intense self reflection went hand in hand with embracing vulnerability and ultimately has enabled me to communicate my aspirations and the whole-hearted passion and commitment driving them in ways that have resonated with so many of you.
Finally, and perhaps the most important thing I’ve learned from my community, is that every obstacle, every victory, every journey is SO much more enjoyable if you’re able to conquer it with others. Skiing can be a profoundly lonely and challenging sport (this is something I’ve struggled with a lot in the past), but being able to share every step of the path with all of you has made it SO much more enjoyable, motivating and rewarding.
So. Here we are, one week from the start of the World Cup season and I just want to say thank you all so much for your amazing support.
Here’s to celebrating lots of triumphs this season, but also learning from the hardships and growing closer and more resilient through the defeats!
P.S. Here is the full Women’s World Cup Circuit (I will be racing in all the SG and DH’s this season).
Tricia, from one who has journaled for the last 27 years, I believe that when you read these “journal entries” 30 years from now you’ll more fully realize just how much a part of your future “success” is based on the lessons you learn these days.
Uncle Jack
Ps: I also know the feeling you get after you post an entry. “Check that box”, now onto another task....