topic Re: Think Like a Champion: Kat & Nicole, Ready to Answer your Grand Prix Questions! in Inspire | Buzz

Think Like a Champion: Kat & Nicole, Ready to Answer your Grand Prix Questions!

NicoleJohnson — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 16:57:22 GMT

Hello Alteryx Community!!

We are @kat and @NicoleJohnson! Back in 2018, we took the Grand Prix by storm and made it the year for women solvers, taking the Grand Prix Champion title home at both Inspire Europe and Inspire North America!! We are excited to answer any questions you have today around our Grand Prix experiences: how we prepared for the race, what the competition was like, our favorite tools to use, best songs on our playlists that got us pumped up... whatever you want to know!!

And if you’re interested in competing in the Alteryx Grand Prix (you should!!), check out this blog post about registering for Grand Prix 2021!

We’ll be online for the next hour (10-11am PST) to answer alllll your questions - just leave a comment below! Ready... Set... Go!

Cheers!

Kat & Nicole

PHOTO: Kat & Nicole after Kat's Grand Prix victory in London (along with pit crew extraordinaire, Dan Hare!)

Re: Think Like a Champion: Kat & Nicole, Ready to Answer your Grand Prix Questions!

kat — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 17:02:17 GMT

That picture brings back some great memories! 🙂

Taking part in the Grand Prix was such an incredible experience, not one I'd want to have missed.

Re: Think Like a Champion: Kat & Nicole, Ready to Answer your Grand Prix Questions!

WillM — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 17:08:28 GMT

I love this! If you could give someone that's on the fence about competing one piece of advice to push them over the edge, what would it be?

Re: Think Like a Champion: Kat & Nicole, Ready to Answer your Grand Prix Questions!

CailinS — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 17:08:40 GMT

@NicoleJohnson what would you say to someone who's scared to participate because they're worried they will mess up or under perform?

Re: Think Like a Champion: Kat & Nicole, Ready to Answer your Grand Prix Questions!

CailinS — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 17:10:05 GMT

@kat with Prelims being next week...can you think back and give anyone advice how to make the most out of the 60 minutes?

Re: Think Like a Champion: Kat & Nicole, Ready to Answer your Grand Prix Questions!

LaurenU — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 17:11:03 GMT

@NicoleJohnson and @kat , I also have a similar question to @CailinS . What was your motive to register as a participant? Why did you decide to do it?

Re: Think Like a Champion: Kat & Nicole, Ready to Answer your Grand Prix Questions!

NicoleJohnson — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 17:11:26 GMT

@WillM - "If you could give someone that's on the fence about competing one piece of advice to push them over the edge, what would it be?"

My advice would be that there is NEVER any harm in trying - especially this year, with everything being virtual!! I am still not entirely sure how I won haha, and there are SO MANY talented people out there who are true Alteryx wizards... but if you don't try, then you definitely won't win, so why not give it a go?? If anything, it's fun to do Alteryx in a "new" way - really really fast, with a lot of cheering fans!! Certainly not something you get every day at work 🙂

Re: Think Like a Champion: Kat & Nicole, Ready to Answer your Grand Prix Questions!

kat — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 17:11:58 GMT

Great question @WillM 🙂

Better to try than to miss out on such an experience!

It's an amazing experience and not one that I would want to have missed out on. Yes, it's nerveracking. But it doesn't compare to the feeling of having given it a shot 🙂

Re: Think Like a Champion: Kat & Nicole, Ready to Answer your Grand Prix Questions!

NicoleJohnson — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 17:14:19 GMT

@CailinS & @LaurenU - "what would you say to someone who's scared to participate because they're worried they will mess up or under perform?"

Well first, for anyone who watched me in Anaheim in Grand Prix, take a look at Round 2 - classic example of under-performance haha... did. not. even. finish. HOWEVER... what really got me through that was realizing not that I was embarrassed that I had made a mistake... no, I was just plain mad!! And that adrenaline, that feeling that I had to prove I could do it and to fix that mistake, I honestly believe THAT is what pushed me over the finish line. I simply refused to let that happen again... and it worked!! You have to believe that you can learn from your experiences, and that it really doesn't matter what anyone else thinks... do it for YOU.

Re: Think Like a Champion: Kat & Nicole, Ready to Answer your Grand Prix Questions!

kat — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 17:16:59 GMT

I think I was actually more nervous before the prelims than before the actual competition.

I had NO idea what to expect during the prelims. Actually doing them was fun though - it was like doing loads of Weekly Challenges as quick as you can.

I'd recommend focusing on what you can do first. Take a few minutes to scan through the questions and start with something you're comfortable with. There are plenty of questions to answer, so answer what you can first. I also tried to at least attempt each question - there are always a few low-hanging fruit to be found. (Looking at you - predictive tools 👀)

Lastly, I'd also recommend not to dwell on a question. Rather move on quickly and attempt the next question.

Re: Think Like a Champion: Kat & Nicole, Ready to Answer your Grand Prix Questions!

NicoleJohnson — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 17:17:01 GMT

@LaurenU - "What was your motivation to register?"

I think I had run out of Weekly Challenges and needed something else fun to do 🙂 Really though, I had done prelims a few times before, just for kicks, and I never expected to actually make it to the big stage - I was just doing the prelims for fun because it was entertaining to try to solve the challenges in a time crunch! Also, fun fact, I technically *didn't* make it past the prelims for 2018... but because one of the top 3 wasn't able to attend, I ended up coming in as a backup... so I guess that just goes to show that it ain't over till it's over! And even if you aren't on stage, it's still super fun to challenge yourself to see how fast you can go.

Re: Think Like a Champion: Kat & Nicole, Ready to Answer your Grand Prix Questions!

LaurenU — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 17:18:33 GMT

@NicoleJohnson both of your performances were inspirational!

Re: Think Like a Champion: Kat & Nicole, Ready to Answer your Grand Prix Questions!

kat — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 17:20:45 GMT

I didn't plan to take part in the Grand Prix until just before. I was doing all the weekly challenges and loving them. At some point I realised that I was in the Top 10. I kept going and finished them all.

So at some point I decided to just give the Grand Prix a shot. To be honest I figured I'd just see what the prelims are like - never figured I'd get through them. Passing them gave me the confidence to take part.

Still remember that moment @CailinS called me at work to tell me I was in... 🤩

Re: Think Like a Champion: Kat & Nicole, Ready to Answer your Grand Prix Questions!

NicoleJohnson — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 17:23:21 GMT

@kat - I'm curious if there was a moment when you thought you weren't going to make it... and/or was there a moment when you knew you were going to win?? 🙂

I think I mostly remember being surprised I had finished the third round - it was like I was on auto-pilot at the end there, the focus was so intense!

Re: Think Like a Champion: Kat & Nicole, Ready to Answer your Grand Prix Questions!

kat — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 17:27:05 GMT

@NicoleJohnson I remember getting the first question and thinking, OK, I can do this. Just motored through and ignored everything else.

Then in the second (and final round) it got a bit tricky. I remember seeing my answer and thinking it was totally wrong. That's when @ShaanM waved the flag and I was all like 'Whaaaaat?!'

Basically, everything after that was a blur. It took a good couple of minutes to register that I'd won where I was just giving all kinds of answers 😂

How about you?

Re: Think Like a Champion: Kat & Nicole, Ready to Answer your Grand Prix Questions!

NataliaV — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 17:27:38 GMT

@kat @NicoleJohnson Will either of you return to the stage to go for the championship one more time? Or come back to the stage as a pit crew?

Re: Think Like a Champion: Kat & Nicole, Ready to Answer your Grand Prix Questions!

mceleavey — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 17:27:57 GMT

@NicoleJohnson and @kat ,

as a partner I'm not allowed to compete (that's the only reason. Honest.) Do you think we should be allowed to compete or would you keep it just for customers?

How about a separate partner event?

Re: Think Like a Champion: Kat & Nicole, Ready to Answer your Grand Prix Questions!

kat — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 17:28:44 GMT

I'd gladly be a pit crew (if anyone's recruiting, give me a shout 😁), but I think for now that's where it ends 🙂

Re: Think Like a Champion: Kat & Nicole, Ready to Answer your Grand Prix Questions!

MaddieJ — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 17:30:18 GMT

Hey @NicoleJohnson and @kat!

Very important question: How incredible did you feel the morning after you won? Maybe you ordered a room service mimosa and started the day off with a dance party? Maybe you were too excited to even sleep?

Would love to hear some behind the scenes details!

Re: Think Like a Champion: Kat & Nicole, Ready to Answer your Grand Prix Questions!

NicoleJohnson — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 17:31:05 GMT

@kat - my experience was so similar! I felt like I crushed the first round - solved it in like 6 minutes or something - and then alllll went down hill during Round 2 haha. Round 3 I was so mad that I didn't finish Round 2, I just hunkered down, renewed my focus, and tuned out EVERYTHING else. When I finally got it, I had a split second to be surprised... just long enough to notice Matt next to me had his flag waving at the same time!! Nothing like a photo finish and having to go back stage for instant replay to keep your heart racing for a few minutes 🙂

Let's be honest, I'm still not entirely sure what happened... I agree, it's all a blur!