Nina Kemppel '92

What IVe learned since graduation

"TRAINING WAS ALWAYS VERY MUCH A FAMILY THING. It wasn't till about ninth grade that I realized not every family got up on Sundays and ran 20 miles."

"I USE THE DOWN TIME THAT IS BUILT INTO SPORTS TO DO SOMETHING WITH MY MIND. The very best athletes are intellectually sharp. I've come to realize the importance of a balance between the physical and the intellectual, which I was able to do quite well at Dartmouth but is harder to do now that I am ski-racing full time."

"IF YOU HAVE ONE COACH AND ONLY ONE COACH, YOU DO YOURSELF A DISSERVICE. You need to gather knowledge from as many sources as possible."

"THE PURE JOY I COT OUT OF CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING AS A CHILD is STILL WITH ME TODAY. The love of my sport is what inspired me to pursue my dreams for nearly 22 years.

"I HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME LIVING IN A CABIN ON THE TOP OF A MOUN-TAIN AND FOCUSING ONLY ON SKIING. I'm an athlete who requires intellectual stimuli to excel and train well. My coaches and I have worked on a plan that makes me a better skier and a better in- dividual. Sometimes there will be a group sent up a mountain for eight days, but I'll only stay for six."

"SUCCESS BECOMES MORE OF A JOURNEY AS YOU GET OLDER. At 16 I had a simple definition of success: whether or not you reached your goals. That still is part of my definition, but as an older athlete I have expanded it. One of my greatest successes was coming back after I came down with an unknown virus and withdrew from the 1998 Olympics. For five months I couldn't even climb a flight of stairs. When I could finally get back to the gym, I realized how hard it was to get back into shape. I couldn't even run for 30 minutes, and before I could run for hours without feeling tired. Coming back both mentally and physically was a major accomplishment."

"DOWN YEARS FORCE YOU TO LOOK INWARD TO SEE WHAT YOU'RE MADE OF, WHAT IT IS YOU LOVE, WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU. In periods of success it's very easy to enjoy the laurels and the glory. You don't have to deal with the hard questions about what makes you happy day-to-day."

"IMPATIENCE WAS A WEAKNESS OF MY CHARACTER. While traveling abroad I learned to be more patient. Now when I'm walking down the street in Anchorage, where there are many tourists, I make an effort to stop and ask someone struggling with a map if they need help. I have a lot more empathy."

"WHEN I WAS A YOUNGER ATHLETE PEOPLE TOLD ME IT'S IMPORTANT TO GIVE BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY. I'd think, 'yeah, yeah, I don't have time.' Now it's something that's very rewarding for me. Not just going into schools and talking to kids about the Olympics, but also sending a strong message that setting goals, having dreams and believing in yourself are all important."

MY GOAL HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO WIN A GOLD MEDAL I Still is. Competing in Salt Lake City will be more difficult than competing abroad because of the distractions and the media hype, but the small comforts of home will far outweigh them. The official Olympic starter for the Nordic races will be the same man who started me in all my races as a kid. That will be a fitting end to my Olympic career."

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT: Holder of U.S. record for most national Nordic skiing titles (15); three-time Olympian; strong contender to make 2002 Olympic team AGE: 31 COLLEGE MAJOR: Economics PERSONAL: Single; family includes sister Denali '96. Lives in Anchorage, Alaska