Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Patience, Opportunities & my favorite place in Europe


The Gnomes of Lillehammer 

So far this season has not been what I expected whatsoever. It's been a slow start for me and poor results, or lack of results can do weird things to the mindset of a professional ski racer.  In the past I have always started the season strong, admittedly (sometimes) too strong. While my goal has always been to race the fastest come February during the Olympics, I'd certainly like to be turning in some confidence boosting results early on.  Person after person keeps telling me to be patient, and that maybe my slow start is a good thing. An anonymous athlete told me that their motto was a crescendo..... (Italian translation is "gradually becoming louder) to start slow and then build more and more momentum as the season progresses. 

Patience was never my strong suit and as an athlete it's tough to wait after you've worked so hard. It's easy to allow doubt to creep into your mind: did I do too much this summer, have I under-rested, should I have done more intervals in October, maybe less? 

I have learned that if you don't make a conscious decision to tame your mind that it will and can get out of control.  Instead, I am doing everything in my power to keep faith, know that I have done the hard work, and wait for it to come, hence exhibit patience.  In the meantime, I'm taking charge of things I can control - my rest, my nutrition, my ski selection and what I choose to do with my time when I'm not skiing.  

Lucky for me this week we are in Davos, my favorite stop on the World Cup.  The race venue has historically treated me well. In the skate distance races I've been 13th and 20th and I've qualified in both skate and classic sprints.  The sun is out, the sky is blue, the snow is cold and the USST is at our "home away from home," the Kulm where the team has been staying for going on 20 years.  Each year when we walk in the front door we are welcomed by Heinz, the enthusiastic host who remembers each of us by name and greets us with a big hug. 



So, despite a slower than usual start I feel like I'm still in the game and something good is yet to come. Thanks to those of you who've sent notes of encouragement when things are less than perfect. You know who you are and I am really thankful to have you in my life! 



I hope that things are great with you and yours and thanks for reading. 
Cheers, 
Holly 

Here are a couple of other pictures from the last week for good measure: 

 KR 20 Klister tubes being filled by a machine at the Swix headquarters in Lillehammer. It was really fun to get a tour of the facility and cool that wax is still made IN Norway! 

 USST Swix Female athletes with Morton, one of the Swix World Cup technicians

 Norway is all about their fish. The buffet in Lillehammer was a bit out of control with almost 20 different kinds of fish and ways to eat fish at lunch & dinner. (Many at breakfast too!) 

 Sunday post-race strength sesh at Haakon's Hall in Lillehammer. 

 One of my favorite things - skyping with my boys! 

This final shot is from tonight... this is 2/3 of the weight room in Davos. If you can't tell by the picture it is TINY. It is not very fancy either.  This afternoon we had athletes from SIX different nations crammed into one tiny spot to train.  The coolest part about it was that everyone was getting it done - helping each other out, being patient and waiting their turn. No one got hit in the head or smashed with a medicine ball. It was certainly organized chaos but the camaraderie, not to mention motivation was palpable. 

4 comments:

  1. That weight room probably has the 'highest concentration per sq. footage of elite athlete ripped muscle' it's ever had in it at one time! Inspiring! Go get em girl. :)

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  2. I think the weights actually look intimidated. That's an odd emotion for metal to display. ;-)

    Looking forward to watching you guys this weekend, Holly. Have fun taking Davos by storm!

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  3. Bên cạnh việc chuyên cung cấp dịch vụ trọn gói thiết kế và thi công nội thất , OZ luôn đưa ra những sản phẩm thiết kế nhà đẹp, biệt thự đẹp, nhà phố đẹp, căn hộ đẹp, nhà ống đẹp , Bên cạnh đó còn thực hiện ý tưởng của quý khách hàng trong thời gian nhanh nhất với chất lượng nội thất,  nội thất văn phòng,  nội thất nhà phố  tốt nhất thông qua các kiến trúc sư nhiều năm kinh nghiệm tốt nhất thông qua các kiến trúc sư nhiều năm kinh nghiệm, mẫu bếp, tủ bếp cổ điển, tủ bếp hiện đại, suon xao chua ngot, cach lam kim chi, cach nau bo kho, vit om sau, cách làm sữa ngô

    Phu tung oto huyndai
    ba đờ sốc
    Phụ tùng ô tô ford
    Phụ tùng ô tô Toyota
    Phụ tùng ô tô kia
    Phụ tùng ô tô Mitsubishi
    Phụ tùng ô tô honda
    phụ tùng ô tô
    Phụ tùng ô tô mazda
    Phụ tùng ô tô Daewoo
    Hoàng Gia là thương hiệu wedding planner và tổ chức các sự kiện đặc biệt hàng đầu tại Việt Nam, luôn sáng tạo và đi đầu với những ý tưởng phong san khau vad dịch vụ to chuc dam cuoi cưới độc đáo, ấn tượng cách làm backdrop hoa giấy, nhà bạt không gian  thiệp cưới  Địa điểm tổ chức đám cưới chụp ảnh cưới

    cách nấu chè đậu xanh, vịt om sấu , cách làm giá đỗ , cách làm rau câu dừa

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  4. Cách giảm đau dạ dày hiệu quả tại nhà . Nghiên cứu mới về bài thuốc tri viem gan b mãn , Bệnh viem amidan man tinh , Làm thế nào để chữa viêm amidan hốc mủ khỏi hẳn, Đại tràng kích thích và benh dai trang man tinh khác nhau ra sao . Kiêng ăn với đau dạ dày nên ăn gì cho hiệu quả . Tham khảo cụ thể triệu chứng bệnh dạ dày biểu hiện như thế nào. Mẹo chữa tri viem hong cấp , cách chua viem amidan o tre em nhỏ tuổi , Bệnh viêm amidan sau cắt cần kiêng ăn gì .
    thuốc đậu rồng chữa bệnh dạ dày .
    Những triệu chứng bệnh viêm xoang .
    Phương thuốc dân gian chữa bệnh dạ dày . Bệnh noi me day o tre em .

    ReplyDelete