The Privilege of a Broken Heart | Mara Abbott | TEDxBoulder

The Olympics are thrilling to watch but rarely do we hear from the athletes on what their experiences are. What is it like to train to be the best in the world and what is it like to cross the finish line just missing a metal? Mara Abbott explores the idea of being the best cyclist in the world and what it means physically and mentally to be in the race until the end. Mara Abbott was born and raised in Boulder, Colorado. She has spent the last ten years competing as a professional road cyclist. During that career she has won the women's Giro d'Italia twice and is a two time national champion. Most recently she finished fourth in the road race at the Rio Olympic Games. Off the bike she is a certified yoga instructor, a columnist for the Daily Camera and helps sort out the mushy tomatoes for Cure Organic Farm at the Boulder Farmers' Market. She is frequently to be found hauling ambitious loads around town on her commuter bike. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx