A biography for Gretchen Bleilerhasn’t been written yet.
“It took me a long time to figure out how to deal with pressure.”
“There will always be another email to get through; something to clean up, file, and organize; more errands to do. Which is why balance is so important. Life is a marathon, not a sprint.”
“Mt. Hood is still one of my favorites for its sun, warmth, and slushy, forgiving conditions.”
“I think everyone in snowboarding is close. We've become a big family. It's not a cutthroat sport. I'm competing against one of my best friends, and I think it's cool to be at the top of the half pipe, dropping in with your competitor but your best friend, too.”
“I like eating small meals frequently throughout the day, it helps me keep up my metabolism and get more out of my training.”
“It takes energy to get energy.”
“Meditation isn't necessarily this magical experience where we don't ever have thoughts.”
“I remember being glued to the TV as I watched the Olympics as a kid. There was something so magical, almost otherworldly, about the Olympics. My favorite part was that moment right before it all started. The moment where the athlete would stand up ready to face whatever lay ahead.”
“It's okay to feel nervous before a competition because it means you care about doing well.”
“Jumping on the trampoline for even a half an hour is a really good workout. You get really tired. The next day, you're feeling it. And you really have to use your core. If you don't, your lower back hurts the next day.”
“I've had cumulative concussions and realized that's something you carry with you.”
“I care about the way I look, and I want to look my best. My regime isn't crazy. For my face, it's just sunscreen because foundations and tinted moisturizers rub against my neck warmer. But I do like eyeliner, mascara, and a little color on my lids.”
“I'm a two-time Olympian, but ever since I was a little girl, the Olympic dream has influenced me.”
“With the new year comes a refueled motivation to improve on the past one.”
“When I first started snowboarding, there weren't a lot of girl riders on the hill.”
“I have at least one goal that I work toward each day. It's all about taking hold of the day rather than letting the day run you.”
“When you operate from a nothing-left-to-lose mentality, it's essentially the same thing as the 'Law of Least Resistance.' You have a goal in mind, but you're not emotionally attached to the outcome. You're focusing on all of the little steps inbetween.”
“I've gotten to work with some amazing brands that, in many cases, market to female consumers.”
“The programs I do with my trainer are amazing for overall strength and have a major focus on building my core. We do a lot of unique exercises that shake up the nervous system, which builds my balance and propreception. That's really important for my sport.”
“For me, vision is just about the most important thing. So goggles play a huge role in my sport. I come to the competition with a bunch of different goggles and tons of different lenses in multiple tints. The weather can always be changing, and you have to have the right thing to make sure you can see perfectly.”