Hi!
Davos Recap
I just finished racing in Davos, Switzerland for the final weekend of Period 1 World Cup. Davos had big mountains, snow covered trees, clear skies with lots of sun in the day and stars at night, and it smelled like cows.
Davos was a good opportunity to practice the crucial skill of forgetting about a bad race, not letting it define me, and focusing on the next one. I went into Lillehammer (the weekend before) with low confidence, because I knew I “only got the starts because someone else declined.” It was a negative viewpoint that was unnecessary, but it was an underlying feeling nonetheless.
I had a good week of preparation in Davos for the sprint, and built back some good feelings. The race went okay, but I felt like I raced “carefully” instead of with a fire and drive to compete. I left a little unsatisfied, and more motivated than ever for future races.
Takeaways from Period 1
The biggest challenge for me in World Cup racing is feeling like I belong there, which is a challenge I couldn’t fully identify until I left the environment and reflected on it. I never thought I’d be competing at this level, and as a young skier I even remember stating it as fact that I’d never be on the World Cup. I’m glad I was wrong, but it’s taking some time to believe it and live into it now that it’s happening. It is really hard to have a good race with a doubtful mind, and it takes practice to counteract doubts.
I just spent 4 weeks in new environments - navigating travel, new race venues/courses, and changing living environments. I’m very thankful to come out of it with a better understanding of how I respond to pressure and change, with more exposure to world class ski racing, and with a lot of fun moments with teammates that make it all worthwhile.
Thanks for checking in this Tuesday. I’m home in Minnesota for Christmas, which is the best. Have a great day, and remember that you are capable of more than you think.
Love, Renae
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