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Making the Most of Chronic Illness in Sport with Mandy Marquardt

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Learning to live with a chronic illness can be a challenge, but for USA Cycling National Team member, 18-time U.S. National Champion, and 2020 Olympic hopeful Mandy Marquardt, receiving the diagnosis of type 1 diabetes was a challenge that has since made every moment of success that much sweeter.

professional headshot of Mandy MarquardtMarquardt, who won two USA Cycling Junior National Road Champions in her first year on the competitive cycling scene at the age of 10, told TrueSport, “Type 1 diabetes has impacted my life in a positive way because from such a young age, it’s made me a better person – more accountable and disciplined. I don’t know what my life would be like if I didn’t have type 1 diabetes. I’m not looking back and saying I wish that it was different. This is who I am and I’m hoping to impact more people while I’m reaching my dreams to hopefully be in the Olympics next year.”

When Marquardt was diagnosed, she was 16 years old and living abroad in Germany with her father. The doctor told her that she would never be able to race at a high level again. But that didn’t stop her from trying.

“After I was diagnosed, I was overwhelmed because I was only 16 and I thought that was the end of my career. But I competed at nationals [in Germany] later that same year and won bronze while managing my diabetes. I still knew I had so much more work to do, but it was cool to prove to myself that I was able to do it,” said Marquardt.

Finding that strength and confidence did not come to Marquardt overnight.

“In Germany, at the time, I didn’t feel like I was accepted. I felt like I was different. A lot of coaches didn’t talk about it, or ask me about it,” said Marquardt.

After her bronze win at nationals in Germany, Marquardt headed back to the U.S. to finish her senior year in high school and spend time with her mother.

“She was there to help me through that turning point to get me back on my feet in racing,” explained Marquardt. “There were times I was motivated, and there were times I wasn’t. So [my mom and dad] were a big part of helping me.”

“It brought my dad and I closer together. He knew my potential and sometimes I would get lazy. So, he would push me a lot,” added Marquardt.

In addition to the support from her parents, Marquardt discovered a whole community of strength when she joined Team Novo Nordisk.

mandy marquardt racing on her track bike“I found Team Type 1, which is now Team Novo Nordisk, the all type 1 diabetes cycling team that I race with. It’s the world’s first all type 1 diabetes professional cycling team. It’s an amazing community. We’re so supportive of each other and always give each other tips and encouragement.”

Marquardt has been with the team for 10 years now and attributes her courage and confidence to the growing community of support that she’s found in them. She continues to be an engaged member of their mission to “inspire, empower, and educate people affected by diabetes, whiled doing what [they] love, and showing what’s possible with type 1 diabetes.”

Marquardt is not only an engaged competitor for Team Novo Nordisk, but she is also a mentor for a young cyclist, McKenna McKee.

“She’s 16 years old and she’s racing at the top level nationally. She has big goals to join Team Novo Nordisk someday and that’s inspiring. I feel like there’s a sense of purpose to why I have [diabetes], even just to communicate my diabetes and educate people and have those conversations has opened up opportunities to reaching my goals. And impacting other people is that much more fulfilling for me.”

When all is said and done, Marquardt wants young athletes who face adversity to “get out of your comfort zone, because it will make you a better person – whether that be in sport, or in school, or in your career someday.”

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Goal-Setting Lesson Video Transcript

Hi. I’m Trevon, Trey, Jennifer. Team USA wheelchair basketball player, paralympian, and true sport athlete. Today, I want to talk to you about goal setting. And there are three things that I would like you to know. First, successful athletes set goals and a planned roadmap. Second, goals should be written down, assessed over time, and changed if necessary. And third, goals need to be challenging in order to be worthwhile. As a freshmen at Edinboro University, I was a part of a team that made the national championship game. And at that time I recognized I was the low man on the totem pole, but I felt in my heart that I knew my dreams were so much bigger than winning a national title. I wanted to make Team USA. I knew what achieving my lofty goal was not going to be easy and that I would need to work hard every day.

So, as a reminder, I created a pyramid of goals that I kept right above my bed. This pyramid reminded me of the accomplishments that I was working towards and visually represented my need to create a solid foundation underneath me before reaching the top. In the bottom roll of my pyramid of goals I listed goals such as obtaining my bachelor’s degree, becoming a scholar athlete award recipient, and becoming an All-American. The middle row listed winning a national title and playing for a professional team. And at the top row, the most challenging of them all, I listed becoming a gold medalist for Team USA.

By understanding that there are smaller stepping stones to achieving my ultimate goal of being on Team USA, I was able to stay motivated and to stay focused on completing the smaller stepping stones fully before moving onto the next one. Now I’ll be the first to admit that not every goal that I listed on my pyramid was accomplished, but seeing my goals every day when I went to bed, I was able to push through the days that I felt like doing nothing in hopes of achieving the bigger picture. Remember, create a clear goal roadmap, assess your goals often, and continue to challenge yourself. I hope that you never stopped dreaming big or reaching for the stars. And I look forward to seeing where your roadmap takes you.

Body Image Lesson Video Transcript

Hi, I’m Kara Winger, Olympic javelin thrower, and true sport athlete. Today I want to talk to you about body image and I have three things I’d like you to know. First, healthy thoughts often lead to healthier bodies. Second, there are varying body types and no one’s body is exactly like another. And third, true beauty goes deeper than the skin. As a multi-time Olympian, I’ve experienced a lot of variation and progression in my training. My coaches and I adapt to my training frequently, all with the goal of supporting my long-term success and health in the sport of javelin. I’m talking to you about body image today because sometimes even with the best of intentions and a common goal in mind, the changes you make to your training habits can prove to be detrimental if made for the wrong reasons. In the lead up to the 2012 Olympic trials, I was told in order to improve my performance on the field, I should try to become a leaner, skinnier version of myself.

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I’ve learned what a properly balanced meal for my body looks like and I recognize food as the fuel that keeps me throwing. I hydrate and allow myself time to recover. And I listen to and communicate with my body so that I can be the best version of myself. In the end, you are in control of how you see, treat, and respond to your body. We only get one and it’s amazing to discover how many things our bodies can do. Be a true sport athlete. Love who you are in this moment and get excited for all the places your body will take you.

A Good Sport Lesson Video Transcript

Hi, I’m Izy Isaksen, Team USA, Modern Pentathlon, Olympian, US Army Sergeant, and True Sport Ambassador. Today, I want to talk to you about being a good sport. There are three things I’d like you to know. First, real winners act the same toward their opponent, whether they win or lose. Second, follow the rules and be a gracious winner and respectful loser. And third, sportsmanship reveals your true character.

I started competing in Modern Pentathlon eight years after my older sister and three-time Olympian, Margaux Isaksen, began competing. I soon realized that people often compared the two of us. I would overhear spectators and teammates asking, “Who’s the better athlete,” and “Who’s going to beat the other.” Instead of letting outside pressures create a negative experience for us, I chose to practice winning and losing with grace and respect. I know that it would have been easy to let our hyper competitive mindset affect our relationship, but instead we decided to support and cheer for each other, regardless of our own performance. My experience of competing against and being compared to my older sister, taught me to focus on how to perform at my best, rather than putting wasted energy into wishing for others to fail.

I believe that sportsmanship reveals true character. So, no matter what situation I encounter during competition, I know it’s important to always treat people with respect and be a good sport. Remember, be a fierce competitor, find grace in all your victories and losses. And I hope to see you out there.

What Kind of Coach Do You Want to Be? Video Transcript

Edwin Moses: You’re a coach. Maybe what you want is very simple, for everyone to just run in the right direction, score for their own team, to try and try again and again. Maybe you want your athletes to become all stars. You want them to earn trophies, medals, win titles. You want them to reach the highest height their sport allows. And wanting all of that, of course, that’s good. But as every great coach discovers, developing a great athlete means nurturing, nurturing the even greater person within. Truth is, you have even more influence than you know.

You have the ability to affect even deeper change, to take what’s in your hands and do something even more extraordinary. You can be both the coach who provides the skills needed to win the game and the coach who helps them learn and succeed beyond the sport, to become all stars wherever they land in the future, and to enjoy their lives more now, because the confidence and courage they find working with you will stay with them when they need it the most. There are games to be won, lives to change. Coaches have the power to do both.

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THE SIMPLE TRUTH: DECODING THE SUPPLEMENT INDUSTRY VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

At first glance, dietary supplements look the same. They seem safe and healthy, but just because the label says a product is a dietary supplement, that doesn’t mean it’s safe. Unfortunately, you can’t tell whether a product is safe or not just by looking at the label. Most vitamins, minerals, fish oil, and other supplements containing nutrients are probably just fine, but supplements are not evaluated or approved by FDA before they are sold. Although it is rare for vitamins or minerals to be contaminated with drugs, there has been at least one case of a vitamin containing an anabolic steroid.

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When you pick up a supplement, especially one that promises performance enhancement, you don’t know if it belongs in the “Mostly O.K.” pile or in the “Dangerous” pile. After all, two products might look the same, but one might contain just amino acids and other legitimate ingredients, while the other also contains anabolic steroids. Because of this, FDA has issued a warning about certain categories of supplements: body building products, weight loss products, and sexual enhancement products. Be extremely careful when considering a supplement in one of these categories. We strongly recommend that you avoid products in these categories.

Even when FDA tests supplements and finds dangerous ingredients, companies sometimes refuse to recall them. Sometimes, they simply repackage their product and continue selling it under a new name. Just because a product is on a store shelf doesn’t mean it is safe. You need to do your research and be an informed consumer. The dietary supplement industry is enormous. Supplements that appear to be safe could actually be dangerous products in disguise. If you use dietary supplements without doing your research, you may be taking serious risks with your health and your career. Please visit USADA’s Supplement 411 for more information about dietary supplements.