we love the olympics!
Coach Alison:
Cross Country Skiing
I love watching cross country skiing. Mostly I love the finish line, usually littered with athletes collapsed and gasping for breath. I think all triathletes can relate to that – the feeling of giving everything, of crossing the finish line and having absolutely nothing left. I admire the ability of these cross country athletes to dig that deep, and none more so than Jessie Diggins.
Jessie came onto my radar during the 2022 Olympics with an incredible come-from-behind relay-event win that had me absolutely screaming at the television while I watched it (for the third time). I was so excited to see her race again in 2026, and she did not disappoint. After a spill during her first race that left her with bruised ribs, Jessie absolutely turned herself inside out to secure the Bronze in the 10k freestyle race. I was once again screaming as she lay collapsed just across the finish line, gasping for air and clenching her ribs, having given everything.
And then I had the luck to turn on coverage at just the right moment and got to see the US men pull off a Jessie Diggins in their relay event. Ben Ogen skied out of his mind on lap three to put the Americans in medal position going into the final lap. I think Gus Schumacher knew he couldn’t let that effort go to waste, and he rose to the occasion and secured Silver – the second 2026 US Men’s medal in cross country skiing, and the second medal since 1976.
Men’s and Women’s Hockey
I love a good sports movie, and I love the Olympics, so it should come as no surprise that I love the movie “Miracle.” (If you haven’t seen it, that’s now required watching in the next 30 days.) And while 2026 may not have had the same drama in the context of the hockey tournaments (men’s AND women’s) it certainly did not disappoint in the drama of the tournaments themselves.
The gold medal games were both riveting. Both were US-Canada match-ups. Both were high-intensity, low-scoring games. Both were sent into overtime late in the third period. BOTH were won by the US in overtime – with “golden goals.” For the men, this was their first gold medal win since that incredible run in 1980, and 46 years ago to the day since the Miracle on Ice. And for both teams – even the men’s team of 25 NHL players, three of whom have earned Stanley cups – this was just as exciting as the famous gold medal win back in 1980.
Coach Julie:
Lindsey Vonn | The Calculus of the Comeback
When everything is on the line, what are you willing to risk?
Watching Lindsey Vonn chase one more Olympic start has sparked the usual noise. Critics. Opinions. “Why now?” “Hasn’t she proven enough?”
But here’s what I see: I see an athlete who fully understands the cost—physically, emotionally, and reputationally—and chooses to go all-in anyway.
Ski racing isn’t a sport for the cautious. It’s a game of edges and milliseconds played at 80+ mph. There is no “safe” way down the mountain; there is only commitment. When an Olympic berth is on the line, that calculus gets even sharper.
Risk vs. reward isn’t abstract at this level. It’s real. It’s knees, surgeries, and the very public possibility that it won’t end the way you want.
What I admire most? She’s doing it with her eyes wide open.
She isn’t chasing relevance or performing for approval. She is choosing the arena again. There is something deeply powerful in that—especially for women 40+ in sport.
In endurance culture, we’re told to “listen to our bodies.” Usually, people think that means backing down. But sometimes, listening to your body means recognizing that the fire is still there. Elite sport isn’t tidy or logical. But it’s alive.
As coaches and NYX athletes, we navigate this daily:
* Do we push for the aggressive split?
* Do we trust the fitness or play it safe?
* Do we step up to the start line when others are questioning why we’re there?
I tell my athletes all the time: You rarely regret the races where you went all-in. You almost always regret the ones where you held back.
Olympic dreams require conviction, not recklessness.
Whether Lindsey stands on that start line or not, the willingness to try is the very soul of sport. That’s courage.
SkiMo | Why Triathletes Should Be Obsessed
There’s a new kid on the Olympic block: Ski Mountaineering (SkiMo). If you’re a triathlete, you’re going to recognize this “new” sport immediately.
What is it?
Think of it as the ultimate winter multisport. It combines threshold uphill skinning, technical “boot packs” (carrying skis on your back), explosive transitions, and high-speed descents.
Why it’s basically Triathlon on Snow:
The physiology of SkiMo is fascinating. You aren’t cruising in a steady Zone 2. You are surging—repeatedly.
* VO2 Max Pushes: Steep climbs that pin your heart rate.
* Rapid Transitions: Skins on, skins off. Skis on, skis off. It’s the “fourth discipline” all over again.
* Technical Mastery: Executing a descent while your brain is foggy from a threshold climb.
It’s a cross between a mountain time trial and a cyclocross race. Just like in triathlon, efficiency in the “in-between” moments and technical execution under fatigue are what win races.
The Anaerobic Edge
Unlike the steady-state grind of an Ironman, SkiMo rewards the athlete who can surge, recover, and repeat. It’s actually closer to the physiology of an Olympic-distance draft-legal race. It’s raw, it’s evolving, and it’s wildly fun to watch because a single fumble in transition costs you the lead.
The NYX Takeaway
We often get comfortable in our “steady state” bubbles. SkiMo is a reminder that:
* Power changes win races.
* Skills under fatigue are non-negotiable.
* Transitions are free speed.
It feels like the early days of triathlon—unfiltered and gritty. As it hits the Olympic stage, it’s a celebration of athletes who can move fast in the mountains and think clearly at redline.
I’m here for it. It’s a reminder that endurance sport never stops evolving—and neither should we.