East to West

Apparently Snorel and I both decided today would be a good day for some reflection.

I am sitting in the Detroit Airport on my layover to Truckee, CA. Shoutout to A-Katz and Maddy for getting up at 4:45am to drive me to the airport, those two are pretty awesome teammates! I don't write blog posts, I never have, this will be my first because I promised some of my teammates that I would, and because I am avoiding writing an actual paper due next week. What better time to reflect than on a long layover, pre-championship week, with Starbucks in hand. That's why I chose now to grace the Bates Nordic Blog with my thoughts.

Inspiration is a funny thing, we look to other people to find it, yet when we need to draw upon it, we must find it within ourselves. This seems most relevant now in the post-season when we are tired, school work is piling up, skiing is winding down for teammates, and suddenly a definitive end is in sight. Now is the time to quickly look back over the season, find your mistakes- correct them, find what you have done well- and do it even better. But there is a bigger piece to post-season success, a piece of the puzzle that will allow you to push a little harder over the top of hills, find that extra gear into the finish, and go to that “bad place” one final time. I've been thinking a lot about where I find my inspiration, hoping to somehow pin it down so that when I need it next week it is easily accessible. I found that my inspiration stems from just about everybody I surround myself with. But I will share a few examples that I keep coming back to, and what will hopefully give me that extra push when I need it.

1. Teammates:
   

The only people in the world who know what you put yourself through everyday to be the best that you can. We push each other everyday whether it's bounding up Lost Valley, running up Saddleback, double poling the roads of Lewiston, or skating the hills of Pineland. I find inspiration in every single one of my teammates, we each bring unqiue strengths to the team, and push each other to improve upon our weaknesses.

T-Hump, Snorel, Halie, Emma, and A-Katz

2. Role Models:
   

This is an easy one for me. My greatest role model in life, my biggest supporter, and largest source of inspiration is my grandmother. Someone who always provides perspective, and never fails to make me smile.

91 years old and still skiing! If that's not inspiring then I don't know what is...

3. Coaches, family, and friends.
   

It becomes easier to believe in yourself when others show they believe in you. They provide extra motivation, and support when we need it most. What this group of people gives so that we can do well on race day is truly amazing.


Like I said, inspiration seems funny to me. I just identified three categories where I find my inspiration, but ultimately, it has to come from within. I have recently found that when it's not so easy to do yourself, there are those people who fall in the categories above to be my inspiration, and remind me how to find it within myself. So really, inspiration is always inside us, sometimes it just takes others to remind us what it looks like, or how to find it.


Yesterday, I asked James for some sprinting advice, he said “Stay on your feet.” I laughed- it seemed so obvious. But really all you can control is staying on your feet, you don't have much control beyond that. So my plan for next week: have those sources of inspiration ready if I need help finding it, and stay on my feet.


I hope Hallie finds her inspiration for NCAA's. Tara, Amy, and Laurel are finding their inspiration for #marathonseason. Everybody else is remaining active, and #crushing at the gym, wall, Lost Valley, and generally just enjoying great snow! Enjoy some pics from our beautiful ski this past weekend at Pineland.

D-Thombs soaking up the sun

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Time to get my tan on,

Halie Lange