Finding My Second Wind: A Year of Gratitude, Grit, and Growth
This year has stretched me, tested me, and strengthened me in ways I never could have predicted. When I decided last August to chase my lifelong dream of competing in the ILCA 6 at the 2028 Olympics, I imagined long training days, national regattas, and rebuilding my racing instincts. I didn’t imagine doing it all with an undiagnosed hernia — or that the season would end with a major abdominal reconstruction.
But here we are. And somehow, it feels exactly right.
What started as a simple hernia and diastasis recti repair turned into a full abdominal rebuild. I’m six weeks post-op now, healing slowly and doing the work to get strong again. And if I learned anything from this year, it’s this: I’m a lot tougher than I realized.
Because the truth? I sailed an entire season — and earned a Top 10 Female ranking in the 2025 ILCA-NA Grand Prix Standings — essentially without functioning abs. I didn’t know the full extent at the time; I just knew something hurt, something felt off, and I kept showing up anyway.
In hindsight, not the greatest strategy. In reality, one of the most defining chapters of my life.
As we step into Thanksgiving, here’s what I’m grateful for:
🙏 My Support Crew
My husband, my kids, my family, and my friends who held me together — literally and figuratively — through travel, regattas, exhaustion, and now recovery. Their belief in me never wavered, even when my body did.
⛵ The Racing Community
To the coaches, sailors, volunteers, and friends who shared advice on the dock, checked in after tough races, laughed with me between heats, and welcomed me back after so many years away — thank you. You made this season unforgettable.
💪 The Lessons
This was not the year I expected, but it was the year I needed. I learned to race smarter. To trust my instincts. To pace myself. To push through discomfort — and also to listen when my body whispered that something wasn’t right.
🏅 Highlights I’m Proud Of
Qualifying for the ILCA Masters World Championship and finishing strong in an international fleet
A bold port-tack start at Worlds that will live rent-free in my head forever
Returning to a full ILCA 6 season after 19 years
And, yes — earning a Top 10 Female ranking without a functioning core
❤️ What’s Next
Right now, I’m focusing on healing. I can’t lift much, I can’t sail yet, and it’ll be a few more weeks before I can even attempt a real sit-up. But I’m confident. I’m committed. And I keep thinking:
If I could finish Top 10 in North America without abs… just imagine what next season will look like when everything is finally put back together.
Thank you for being part of this incredible journey — through the highs, the setbacks, and everything in between. I’m grateful for every bit of wind you’ve added to my sails.
Happy Thanksgiving, from the bottom of my (healing) core.
— Lauren x Second Wind Racing
