Double Gold in Konigssee and World Cup

For the last Europa Cup races before World Cup competition, my teammates and I were in Konigssee, Germany, the track where I raced my first World Championships on as a pilot.  I was excited to come back there, but early in the week I found myself facing a great deal of difficulty driving.  I was frustrated all week- just having a really tough time.  I went to one of my coaches, Mike Kohn, a former bronze medal push athlete who turned pilot- just like myself.  He explained to me that what I was going through was completely normal, that all pilots have a great deal of difficulty in their second season- because you feel like it should be easy- but it's just not.  I've been told this by others before, but I didn't think it would happen to me- but it was and continues to.  Coach Kohn though said something that I brought with me into the race- he told me to "just drive."  And that's exactly what I did- I went into the races- and just drove.  I didn't think about anything else- I just drove, and the outcome took care of itself- I walked away with two gold medals with brakeman Katie Eberling and Brittany Reinbolt.

Tomorrow is the first World Cup race of the season.  This past week has been very frustrating indeed, I've been under the weather, and my driving woes continue- very frustrating training runs and I definitely haven't been winning training as far as times go.  The frustrations continue, but all I can do is go into tomorrow's race and do the best I can.  So here we go...first World Cup of my sophomore season...

Silver and Bronze

The first two FIBT races of the season for me were in Igls, Austria- two Europa Cup races.  In bobsled, there are three circuits of racing, the America's Cup, the Europa Cup, and the World Cup.  Each circuit is very competitive, but World Cup is the highest level of all the circuits.  The Europa Cup is a very competitive circuit- as many of the pilots from World Cup compete on it to gain some extra points before the season starts and to get more runs on certain tracks.  For my teammate Jazmine Fenlator and I, we were competing in Igls to do just that- get more points and get more experience, as we are both very young in our careers as pilots.  

The first day of races, I won a bronze medal and was only .03 away from the gold- .03!  Such a crazy small margin, but I was happy with the result, as I had the fastest down time and push time the second run. Day 2, I finished in silver, but it was a less satisfying day.  Although I once again had the fastest push times with Katie Eberling, I was disappointed in my runs.  Despite the outcome of a medal, I still wanted to have better runs.

That's the way it goes sometimes though as a bobsled pilot, some days you can have great runs and end up lower in the rankings, other days you have horrible runs and end up moving up in the world- crazy how that works...but I'm learning- that's bobsled!

Igls, Austria

WOW!  It has been quite some time since I blogged!  I apologize for my lack of updates- but I'll be better now.  The season has officially begun, and I am now in Igls, Austria, for my first two races- Europa Cup races- of the season.  Although I've slid at Igls before, I now have a better understanding of the track and still have a lot of things to work on.  Training has been going ok so far- not as well as I would have hoped, but I'm still learning and prepping for the races on Thursday and Saturday.

So how did I get here?  Team trials were in October, and didn't go so well for me.  The two weeks of team trials were two of the most difficult weeks of sliding for me- sled troubles, determining brakeman for those races, and trying to slide well on top of that!  Team trials didn't go as well as I would've liked- I didn't drive as well as I'd hoped, but I finished as USA 3 and made the national team.

So far this season hasn't gone as well as I would've hoped, but I'm hoping to change things around, and it starts now in Igls.  Wish me luck!  More in-depth updates later!

Push Championships Preview

Next week starts our annual push championship competition and our combine testing.  Although the bobsled track doesn't open until October 10 (my birthday!), this is our first competition of the season.  How are you competing if the bobsled track isn't open?  Well, glad you asked!

Each summer we train- sprinting and lifting- to try to improve our start times.  A start time is the first 50m of the race, where the athletes- both brakeman (aka push athletes) and pilots (aka drivers)- push the sled as fast as they can before hoping in.  The start time is the only accelerator of our sleds, so it's very important this is as fast as possible.  Although both the brakeman and driver push, the driver gets in before the brakeman, and the start time is the major responsibility of the brakeman.

As the push start is the only accelerator in the sport, it is essential to make sure you are improving your start times and getting the fastest pushes possible.  The only way to determine which brakeman is the fastest is to race them against each other.  Ideally, this would be done on ice, however, team trials are fast approaching and there is no ice available- but we must know how the brakeman rank and how fast the pilots are pushing in order to select teams.  So how do we do this?  The answer is push championships...

So the first thing that happens during push championships week is the combine.  The combine is a series of 8 athletic tests to determine your athletic ability and how successful you may be at pushing a sled.  The tests are a 15m, 30m, 45m dash, a 30m fly, a 3 rep squat max, a power clean max, broad jump, and a shot put toss.  Each test gives an athlete a certain amount of points, and then athletes are ranked against each other based on their overall combined score on all the events.  Although the combine is an indication of who the top athletes may be, nothing compares to pushing- which is why we then have the push competition.

For push championships this season, we will push in Lake Placid on a dry land push track.  Instead of ice, we push a sled on wheels down a rail system.  We measure out 50m, and take the time when the sled hits that mark.  Each athlete will push the sled by themselves to determine who is the fastest.  Most often, the difference between athletes is only a few hundredths of a second!  It's always a very close competition and a great start to the season to see where everyone is at in their training.  In the video below, you can see me pushing at the push track in Lake Placid- the same one we will use for the push championships.

For the past three seasons I have won push championships- all three years as a brakeman and also last season as a pilot as well.  This will be my first season competing only as a pilot, and I am training hard to take home another title in that division.  For pilots, push championships is the opportunity to show the brakeman that you have been training hard all summer so that they want to push with you when it comes time to select teams for team trials (a process which I'll get into later).  As you can imagine- it's quite a big week coming up, so wish me luck!

RIP Speedy Peterson

I know it has been a few weeks since the death of Jeret "Speedy" Peterson, but I wanted to wait post on this comment because I had to take the time to formulate my thoughts.  I had met Speedy first while training in Chula Vista, CA, for the 2010 Olympics in the summer of 2009.  I had gotten a chance to know a little bit about him, had a few conversations, and we both wishes each other best of luck in making the Olympic team before parting ways.  The picture above was taken during the opening ceremonies, where we met again- excited to see each other having both made the Olympic team, and in joyous celebration!  I remember we were both so elated to be there, and in awe of the moment.  The next time I would see Speedy, it would be the night of my medal ceremony.  While in the green room waiting to walk on stage and accept our medals, Erin and I watched Speedy compete and win his silver medal- such an exciting moment, which made our medal acceptance that much greater having seen another U.S. Olympian win another Olympic medal.  A night later we would meet again at a party hosted by Under Armour, where we would hug and share our medals- both of us wearing them and huge grins!  Speedy was so much in awe in what he had accomplished, and he it was electrifying to be around him.  Turns out that would be the last time I would ever see Speedy...

Speedy's life ended too soon, and so tragically.  I cannot comment about what he was going through, or the exact circumstances of his life, but his death brings many thoughts to mind.  Many people believe that just because you win an Olympic medal your life is great- that because you won a medal, no day in your life should ever be unhappy again; I sure wish it worked like that, but sadly, it doesn't.  The act of winning an Olympic medal is a moment of time in our lives; we are all athletes who compete at the highest level and are recognized in our sport as the best in the world- but that is who we are as athletes, not as people.  God has blessed each of us with a great athletic ability- to be able to perform at the highest level and to glorify Him, as well as our family, country, and friends.  Our athletic accomplishments may define us to many others, but it does not define us as people.  Winning an Olympic medal is a great moment of my life, but it is not my entire life and it does not define who I am.  As I'm not defined by my medal, the medal does not mean that nothing will ever go wrong in my life again.  Sure it was a great accomplishment, but I experience pain and sorrow and loss just like everyone else.  I also experience happiness and triumph unrelated to my medal.  The medal was a moment in my life, but it is not my life.

So why do I bring this up?  I have been asked why Speedy would take his own life if he won an Olympic medal.  To this I cannot say, but I can tell you this- the Olympic medal is a symbol of his accomplishment, but it is not who he was and it was not something that meant he would never feel anything less than glee every day.  He, and all Olympians, are human.  We all experience a variety of emotions.  Although you see us in some of the happiest moments of our lives, you miss the behind the scenes- the daily blood, sweat, and tears, that we experience as athletes- but also as people.

Unfortunately, although we may fly higher, run faster, and lift more than most people, Olympians are not super human.  We experience the same highs and lows of daily life as everyone else.  We are not invincible, we are not made of stone, we are simply human...and that is what makes our accomplishments so great.

Speedy was a great athlete, a great person, but most importantly human.  He experience much tragedy in his life, but is now forever in peace.  I'm blessed to have known him, and I have been truly touched by his life.

RIP Speedy...

In memory of "Speedy" please donate: http://thespeedyfoundation.org/

My legs are like tree trunks!

And by tree trunks I don't mean that they're covered in bark and have small animals burrowing in them- I mean they're huge and solid!  These days, I literally feel like I'm walking around on two study tree trunks!

People often ask me how training is going, and I suppose my tree trunk description is the best way to describe it.  My program has really been working on my strength, and I definitely feel stronger.  My legs feel solid from all the squats, and even my core feels rock hard.  My arms are firming up, as is my back, and all this is starting to result in some pretty cool personal bests (or PBs or PRs).  The majority of my PBs were set Olympic year, a year which I started off physically in the best shape of my life, so breaking them would not be easy.  Although I haven't maxed out in squats or power cleans yet, I've PBed in many other lifts.  For example, my Bulgarian split squats- last season my best was 52kg.  This summer, my new PB is 87kg!  Quite the increase!  Last season my highest set of bench for sets of 2 was 75kg.  This summer I warmed up one day with a set of 5 for 75kg!  Additionally, I've always had somewhat non-existent hamstrings (which is probably why I pulled it Olympic year), but this year I'm actually able to do quite a bit of weight on exercises such as RDLs, good mornings, and other hamstring exercises.  Needless to say, my strength is definitely increased.

As for my speed component of training, it's a little more difficult to measure.  We do intense sprint training at least 3 times a week, but it's often difficult to tell what types of gains you are making.  Speed is a function of force application and contact time on the ground.  Increasing strength will increase the ability to apply force, which is why we work so hard in the weight room.  We also work on plyometrics that help us work to decrease contact time.  Although time wise I'm not sure how it correlates, I feel like a stronger sprinter.

Our combine and push championships, which are the major physical tests of the year, are right around the corner.  Needless to say, I'm confident that my training program and the work I've done this summer is preparing me well.

3 more weeks...

I Smile

Ever have one of those days where you're just feeling down?  You wake up and you wish you could just stay in bed?  Well, whenever you feel like that, just give Kirk Franklin's "I Smile" a listen.  Guaranteed to make things a little bit brighter. :) 

Assembling my "A" Team

If any of you watched the ESPYs this past week, you saw many athletes get on stage after winning their awards and thank a countless number of people.  Although it can sometimes be boring to audiences, each and every one of these people are part of the athlete's team that helped them get to where they are.

Now normally when we think of team- we think of the other players on the field- the ones with them day in and day out sweating and grinding.  But any athlete, and any family member of an elite athlete, knows that there is a team behind the team that is equally if not more important than the other players on the field.

So even though the Winter Olympics are 3 years out, I have already begun the process of assembling my "A" team- the group of people that are going to help me reach my goals.  Center and foremost on my team, is of course God.  He has brought me out of the darkness and into the light so many times and without Him I am nothing.

As for my earthly team, one of the toughest decision I faced this past season was selecting who was going to be my new strength and conditioning coach.  As I mentioned in previous blogs, I loved working with Stu McMillian and Dan Pfaff and am eternally grateful to them, but I needed a change and found that change in Brad Deweese.  As for my bobsled specific coach, I'm grateful that the federation has added Todd Hays and Mike Kohn to our already great coaching staff- and now we truly have the dream team coaching staff!

So I've also started working with a new sports psychologist and a new nutritionist, and am blessed to have Dr. Josh Glass on my team as my chiro whenever I'm in Atlanta.  I'm working to finalize the remainder of my medical staff, but I'm confident that I will have a great one going into Sochi.

However, one of the most important pieces of the team is the social aspect.  I'm blessed to have a great family who supports me in whatever I do.  They are truly the people that keep me in check- that no matter what I do- whatever medals I win- I will still have to keep my room clean.  They love me regardless of what I do- but they're my biggest fans as well.  I truly am blessed with the best family in the world.

Family is only one part of the social "A" team though.  For any athlete, friends are essential.  Sounds simple right?  People unfortunately assume just because you have a lot of twitter followers or Facebook friends- you must have a lot of friends right?  Wrong!  I know a lot of people yes, but I have very few friends.  My mother said it's a lonely road to the top- and I can't think of better words to describe it.  Friends to me are those people who I can call up and say absolutely nothing about bobsled to and they could careless.  They're those people who love me and are excited for me about what I'm doing, but love me for the person I am.  They also are some of my biggest fans, but they really don't care if I never bobsled again.  They're the people who ask me what else is going on in my life- and not just about bobsled.  They're the people who push me to want more- not just out of bobsled- but out of life.  They're the people who help me figure out my future- and share my past- and love me in spite and because all of it.  These are the people I couldn't win medals without.  

The lonely road I'm on is not simply the fault of my friends by any stretch of the imagination.  I take full responsibility for losing contact with some of the greatest people I have ever met.  I've always been a little socially awkward and therefore I've had trouble making and keeping friends.  As I've gotten older, the awkwardness has subsided slightly, but I haven't been the best at maintaining my friendships.  I desperately seek to develop genuine relationships, and am working to re-establish the friendships I've been neglecting over the years, and hopefully develop new friendships.  These people are so important to what I do, they keep me sane!  And making any Olympic team and succeeding at the highest level, requires some level of sanity lol

So there you have it- my "A" team that will take me to the next level.  Without this team, Sochi won't happen...they're the people who are going to help me try to make my dream a reality

Psych Your Mind!

Any onlooker and somewhat understand the physical training we athletes undergo.  You can see us training- running sprints, lifting heavy weights.  You can see the blood and sweat that goes into the physical training to be an elite athlete, but what you can't see is where the game is really won- in between our ears. 

Once you get to elite athlete status- the physical difference between athletes is minimal.  All the athletes have reached that level because they are the finest their sport has to offer- they are the greatest their country has to offer.  All of these elite athletes are then training hard to maximize their physical ability as much as possible.  So if you have the greatest athletes in the world physically, what makes the difference?  What makes champions vs. elite athletes who never make it to the top?  

The mental side to the game is so critical!  I've had to learn this over the years- and every day I still must work on my mental approach.  The difference between winning and losing at this level is purely mental.  Who can push themselves more to the limit- through the grueling workouts?  Who can handle the pressure when the pressure is the highest- like the Olympics?  Who can handle training full time and in our case- working as much as possible- and worrying about all other sorts of life problems- and still compete at the highest level?  Who can repeatedly face failure- yet keep their confidence?  

The last one is key.  As an athlete you compete against others, but the greatest battle is you vs yourself.  In sport you will inevitably face failure.  How you recover from that failure makes all the difference.  Will you fold and give up?  Or will you fight?  The athletes that fight and learn from their failure are the ones who will succeed.  It's not easy to do- trust- but at some point in your career as an athlete you have to look at yourself in the mirror and decide what you want to do- do you want to give up and let failure defeat you- or do you want to fight?

I had a pretty tough week mentally- my physical training was grueling and I was forced to deal with the feelings when you don't live up to your own expectations.  The week could have easily crushed my spirit- but I chose to fight...and I have grown so much as a result of this week.  I am mentally stronger because of just this one week- and therefore I am a stronger athlete.

Rookie of the Year and Colorado Springs

The USBSF (United States Bobsled and Skeleton Federation) recently held their Annual team camp in Colorado Springs at the Olympic Training Center.  There, we partake in several team building events, as well as do our workouts and have our annual board meeting.  For me, it was also my first official meetings as a member of the Board of Directors, a position I am honored to hold.  Overall it gives us a chance to get together, both bobsled and skeleton, and celebrate the past and look forward to the future.  

This year it was great seeing everyone and although the schedule was packed, I did enjoy it.  I also had the great opportunity to attend the USOC Coach of the Year awards dinner, where Brian Shimer was named the USOC Coach of the Year and Grant Schaffner, received an award as well because of his technological advances in the sport of skeleton.  It was an honor to be able to see these two well deserving individuals be recognized by the USOC.  

One other thing that occurs during this week is the Annual Gala, where several awards are given.  This year, Shauna Rohbock, one of the greatest bobsled pilots in the history of the sport, received the Women's bobsled athlete of the year as well as the Athlete's Choice award.  Additionally, Shauna teamed with Valerie Fleming to receive the Team of the Year award.  These two deserve these awards as they have greatly changed the sport of women's bobsled and are two of the greatest athletes in winter sports history.

Several other athletes received awards:  Steve Langton was named Male Bobsled Athlete of the Year and received the Athlete's Choice Award, Annie O'Shea was named Female Skeleton Athlete of the Year, and Kyle Tress received Skeleton Athlete's Choice Award.  Congrats to all the award winners!

As for me, this year I was awarded with the Rookie of the Year award!  I am truly honored to receive this award.  I honestly could not have done it first and foremost without all the brakeman who slid with me- the ones who raced- Jamie Greubel, Emily Azevedo, Megan Hill, Katelyn Kelly, JennaBree Brown,  Kristi Koplin, Katie Stoever, and Hilary Werth- as well as all the countless others who were in the sled with me to help me get the trips I needed this season.  I am truly grateful for everything you all have done for me- and I can't thank you enough.  You each have contributed greatly to any success I had this season, and to that I am eternally grateful to each of you.  Thanks guys!  I am also appreciative of the coaching staff I had this season- Mike Kohn, Brian Shimer, Janis Kippurs, Janis Skrastins, and Dave Owens- very thankful for everything- even if I didn't agree all the time.  I am also thankful to all my teammates- and especially the ones who helped coach me- including Shauna and Val- I am blessed to have great teammates- both male and female- and I couldn't have gotten through the season without any of you.  Finally, I want to thank one person who has made a world of difference in my life.  My roommate and competitor, Jazmine Fenlator.  We have been through so much together in just a few years- but she has become a great friend.  She was integral to any success I had this season.  I couldn't ask for a better teammate and friend.  She literally kept me sane most of the year, and I know in the future we will both accomplish great things.

I say all these things like I'm retiring or something!  I'm extremely grateful for everything everyone has done for me and how they have all helped me!  But you're only as good as you're last time on the ice- and I got beat by the Russians in the last race- so we've got some work to do!

Back to the grind! 

A Few Thoughts On Love

If your my friend on Facebook, by now you've realized that a good majority of my statuses refer to my love life.  Most of my statuses are meant to be funny, but some are truly emotional commentary on my thoughts about love.  I'm not artistic, and I'm definitely no song-writer or poet, so often my statuses are the only way to express my emotions; and if you know me, then you know that most of the time I react to situations with humor, even when it's inappropriate!  Sometimes, however, I do express my sorrow or frustration with this thing called love, but we'll get to that in a moment.

My love life has been quite storied.  For someone who didn't even start really dating until late high school- my first kiss wasn't until I was 20 (no lie)- my love life has been quite interesting.  I've dated many different types of men- my social-ability and love of meeting new people lends itself to that- and I've dated men with a lot of different stories.  I've learned quite a bit from the different men I've dated though, most importantly what I look for in a mate.  It's not my intention to review every single story here, but I will eventually write a book of these stories- and trust me- it will be hilarious.

So what have I learned about love?  A lot and nothing at all!  Love is the most difficult emotion. It often has no rhyme and reason, it comes without warning and when you least expect it.  It's such a strong emotion- that it can bring you to cloud 9 and also cause you to feel as though you've entered the gates of hell.  It's an emotion that is unpredictable and uncontrollable and wonderfully amazing all at the same time.  Losing love can bring your to your knees, while finding love can bring you to the highest mountain; but that's just the thing about love- you don't find love, it finds you.

Now I don't know whether there is only one great love for everyone- that there is only one person in the world you will ever truly love romantically.  I hope that we can have more than one great love, because I have been in love, and I have been out of love- more frequently out of love than in.   I have also had one great love- a love so great I still wonder if I'll ever find anything better- but that love also left me with the greatest heartbreak of my life, a heartbreak that still pains me to this day.

I have had so many ups and downs with love that despite my attempts at humor at the situation, it could be looked at as quite discouraging.  I could easily be bitter and turn cold.  But I choose otherwise.  For every love I have lost, every moment in love has made it worth the heartbreak.  I cherish every time I have been in love and would rather have loved and lost, than to never have loved at all.  These loving moments have enriched my life more than any heartbreak could ever defeat me.

I'm an optimist.  I believe in the goodness of love and I believe that everyone will find love- or love will find them.  I believe that love is worth sacrificing for, and that no single cause is greater to fight for.  I believe in the power of love, and that there is love for everyone.

I'm sure my dating life will continue to be hilarious and that I'll have many more adventures- that's just who I am- and it makes life interesting.  And who knows, I may experience more love and heartbreaks, more ups and downs in this thing called love, but I know I'll cherish every moment.  And although I'm not actively looking for love, I know it will find me- and I can't wait to see what happens when it does.

I love love.

My Life As A Pro: Experiences in Pro Softball

The 2011 season of the National Pro Fastpitch league (NPF) started this afternoon  and was kicked off by a game that aired on ESPN2.  In honor of the start of the season, I wanted to take the time to talk about my experience as a professional softball player.

I had a successful career in college individually, I set many school records and won many awards, and really grew as a softball player an as an athlete.  It was always my dream to play professional softball, but despite my athletic success, I went undrafted.  In order to reach my dream, I tried out for a team located in Philadelphia- the Philadelphia Force.  I was invited to training camp with the possibility of making the team.  I trained and traveled with the team, and even played in an exhibition game against the team located in Washington DC and had my first at-bat which resulted in a walk.  I was technically living my dream and playing professional softball, however, I had not yet been named to the official team roster when other teams started calling.  I had several offers- with financial incentives greater than what I would receive as a rookie in the NPF- from teams in Italy and in Europe, but I wanted to play in the U.S.- in what I consider the best league in the world.  It was then that I received another call from a coach of the Mid-Michigan Ice- a professional team located in Midland, Michigan.  The team was not officially in the NPF- however, they played a complete NPF schedule against all the major teams, paid their athletes, and were looking to enter the league officially the next season.  The manager offered me a starting position at 3rd base.  Knowing I wasn't yet on the official roster for the Force, I went to the general manager and asked him what my prospects of making the full roster were and what my future looked like.  When he wasn't able to give me an exact answer, I packed up my car and left training camp and drove straight to Michigan.  

I arrived the next day and drove straight to the field, where everyone was receiving their uniforms.  I met everyone, and took the field with the team for the first time.  Despite not knowing anyone or what was going to happen, I was at ease because I felt I was living my dream.

What happened over the remainder of the season was anything but what I could have imagined.  I started at 3rd base and played against some of the top athletes in the world.  I had success but also tasted defeat and learned hard what it was like to play softball at the highest level.  I was truly a rookie, and was now facing athletes that had played the sport at the highest level.  I started the season off hot- hitting well and excelling, but when I hit a slump- which is quite normal for a rookie in the pro league- it was up to myself to try to pull myself out of it.  I had the toughest time pulling myself out and continued to struggle.  Additionally, my coach didn't help my situation, and my confidence continued to sink- making the slump even worse.  

As if my on-the-field problems weren't bad enough, in the middle of the season our owner filed for bankruptcy and quit, and our coach quit with him.  Did I mention we were on a road trip in Lowell, Massachusetts, when all this happened?  Not knowing how we would get home, we still had our series to finish out.  We finished out the series not knowing what would happened, and made the long trip back to Michigan.  

Luckily, the NPF decided we were still of value.  The league "adopted" our time and paid our salaries for the remainder of the season and all of the other expenses related to a professional softball team.  A new coach was put in place and we continued to play.  Unfortunately, the new coach and I completely clashed heads, so my personal performance continued to slump.  

I still believed in myself as a professional softball player.  I had had success, including hitting a homerun against one of the top pitchers in the league (pretty big deal for me- as I was not a homerun hitter- I only had 7 in 5 years of college softball and 2 of them were in the park!) and made some pretty good defensive plays in the field.  I also ended the season on a good note- a pretty good series against none other than the Philadelphia Force, where the general manager actually complimented me on my performance and said they had viewed me as a threat; followed by a road series in Akron where I performed well.  Although this boosted my confidence, it was too little too late and I ended the season discouraged and completely burned out of softball.  

The season ended and I packed my bags to return home and start grad school and my position as a graduate assistant.  Although I felt burned out from softball, I felt like I had so much more unfulfilled athletic potential- which led me to bobsled, and the rest is history....

Although I did not have the experience I hoped for athletically playing professional softball, I did meet many great people and have the opportunity to play against some of the top athletes in the world.  I am truly blessed to have had this opportunity, and I'm grateful for it.  My feeling of being burned out from softball caused me to withdraw and lose touch with many of the friends I made during that time, but I still cherish those moments.  I met so many great people and had some truly memorable experiences that will last a lifetime.

I often get asked if I'll ever play softball again.  I love the game- it was after all my first love- and you never forget your first love.  I believe I never reached my full potential in the game, and strongly believe I can pick the game back up and be better than I ever was before- I'm a much better athlete at this point of my life than I was 4 years ago.  Although I haven't been playing the last few years- I've stayed in the game as much as possible by coaching and giving hitting and pitching lessons.  I've had offers to play internationally, which have come with some pretty good financial incentives as well.  However, at this point of my life, softball seems to conflict with my bobsled goals.  I would love to find a way to play both, but for now my focus is on Sochi 2014 and my current relationship with bobsled.  Maybe one day I'll be able to return to my first love of softball, but for now, I'm perfectly happy as a bobsledder.

Getting Back in Shape

After the season finished this year, I was mentally and physically spent.  From October to April I was on the ice, sliding and pushing hard and trying to learn how to drive.  Not only was I on the ice for a long time this season, I also started training for the past season in May and barely took any time off.  Additionally, I was traveling and trying to make the most of winning an Olympic medal- which meant quite a few appearances and special events.  Needless to say I was exhausted.  I went home after the season and did a few appearances but mostly tried to rest (although I had quite a bit of unexpected physical labor waiting for me thanks to my parents lol).  I relaxed as much as possible and also finished up my graduate degree.  In total- I took about a total of 5 weeks off.

After those much needed 5 weeks were over, I returned back up here to Lake Placid to start training again. I was out of shape and had put on quite a bit of weight (I naturally weigh more than my in-season competition weight).  Now- out of shape is relative though.  Was I still in pretty good shape for your average person?   Yes, but was I in shape to push a 400lb bobsled down an icy track to one of the fastest push times in the world and then undergo 7-8 Gs of pressure down the track?  No way!  So now I have begun the journey of getting back in shape.

Believe it or not- getting back in shape is one of the most humbling things.  The workouts at the beginning of a training program are difficult.  After the first day, it gets harder and harder to do things like walk up stairs, lift your arms to brush your teeth, and even get out of bed!  You shuffle around so you can minimize the need to lift your feet because it hurts so bad!  Workouts make you want to throw up and you find yourself tired all the time.  It's quite a humbling experience.  Despite the fact that you've achieved one of the highest accomplishments in your sport, you can still be brought to your knees by the pre-season training.

I think this time is necessary for every elite athlete.  Not just the getting in shape part, but the mental part that comes with getting back in shape.  You have to push yourself beyond your limits.  Acknowledge the existence of pain, and then overcome it.  And then wake up again the next day and put your sore and tired body through even more workouts!  It forces you to bear down mentally and challenge yourself, because you know at the end of the day it's these workouts that result in gold medals.  At the end of the day, the mantra to get you through the pre-season training is always the same, "It's not where you start, it's where you finish."  I strongly believe what I put in today will result in a season I can be proud of.  So for now, I'll push past the nauseousness, the soreness, and the pain.  Happy training!

Changing coaches

As my summer training begins, I have begun working with a new strength and conditioning coach.  I previously worked with Dan Pfaff and Stu McMillan, two great coaches who greatly attributed to my success the last two seasons- including winning my Olympic medal- a feat which I couldn't have done without them.  I greatly appreciated the time spent with these two coaches and can't say enough great things about them.

So why switch?  Unfortunately for me, Dan Pfaff was hired as a coach for the Great Britain National team for track and field team in preparation for London, and took Stu McMillan with him.  Last season I was able to continue working with Stu, however, it was difficult not being able to see a coach on a regular basis.  My form for many exercises, including running and lifting, is not very good and needs constant monitoring.  Without a coach by my side, my form breaks down which results in less power, speed, and strength at the end of the day.  Despite my best efforts, this season was difficult without having that coach available.  So, it is with great sadness that I had to discontinue working with Stu.

Although I knew I needed a change, I was unsure of what to do.  At the Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, they had just hired Brad DeWeese, and I needed to make a decision of where I was going to train.  After just a week of speaking with Brad and working with him, I was hooked and decided I was going to commit to train with him this summer.  Brad DeWeese is extremely knowledgeable and has a very scientific approach to every aspect of training.  He breaks down every aspect of training and also works to train athletes not only to be better on the field, but also smarter- to be able to understand why they train the way they do.

I have switched coaches more than anyone possibly in the history of athletics.  Every season for summer travel softball growing up I played for a different team.  My high school basketball team had 3 different coaches in 4 years, softball had 2 different coaches, and track also had two different coaches.  My college softball team had 4 coaches in my 5 years of playing (why I had 5 years is because one of those coaches) and even my professional softball team had 2 coaches in one season!  I've already had a few coaches with bobsled, and with the recent job posting for a women's bobsled coach- it appears that I'll have one more!  Every time you get a new coach its a process to learn what the coach is like, what they coach like, and how it will affect performance and everything else.  It's a learning process on both sides.  Coaches are supposed to be people that you can trust to lead you in the right direction, to motivate you to do better- to be greater.  And all of this requires a mutual trust, but it's very difficult to trust when coaches constantly move in and out of your life...

So how do you trust someone you don't know...well- there is no simple answer to that.  For me, I don't have to trust a coach because I trust God- and that's enough.  I use that trust I have in God to help me through the transition in coaching- the constant transitioning as it seems.  Other than that, trusting a new coach is difficult- but at some point you have to believe they have your best interest.  Coaches don't receive all of your trust instantly, but once they show that they are really truly invested in the best interest of the team or yourself as an individual athlete, at some point you must take a leap of faith and trust them.  No one said it was easy though...

I have chosen to trust Brad DeWeese with my strength and conditioning.  I know that he will prepare me as best he is able for the upcoming season- and really that's all I can ask from any coach.  I've been working with him for less than a week now, but I know things are moving in the right direction.

Graduation!

After 5 long years of studying, I have finally graduated from the George Washington University with a Master's in Tourism Administration, with a concentration in sports management.  I started working on my graduate degree in January of 2006, right after I graduated from GW as an undergrad.  I was still on scholarship playing softball, and started working on a master's in clinical exercise physiology.  I loved studying exercise physiology, but at that time I really wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life (I'm still not- other than bobsled! lol).  I completed a year of studies and decided it wasn't for me, and then transfered into the GW School of Business to pursue the MTA.  I took one semester of courses and decided that too wasn't for me, and finished the semester and went on to focus on playing professional softball that summer.

Well- summer came and went and I was feeling burned out from softball so decided to start pursuing my dream of going to med school.  I enrolled at Georgia State University to complete a Master's in Exercise Science and also prepare for med school.  I had a graduate assistant position, and things were going well, but then I got the itch to compete again- which is exactly when I went up to Lake Placid for my first bobsled tryout.  Needless to say, I didn't stay at Georgia State.

After my first half of bobsled, I decided I needed a business background for my athletic career.  GW had a sports management concentration in the MTA program, so I decided to transfer back to the program and continue my studies online.  Ever since then, I have been working hard at completing this degree.

It's been a long road and I feel like I've been in school forever!  (Well- my whole life really!)  I feel a sense of relief that I am finally done, but I don't really feel like I even have it.  Maybe it will feel different when I get the sheet of paper that states my degree, maybe not.  All I know is that I have finally completed my goal of getting my master's degree.  What this means for the future?  Who knows, but I think I have some time to figure it out.  For now, I'm going to read because I want to- and not read a textbook!

I'll never stop learning, but I can't say I'm sad to take a break from taking tests and writing essays lol

To all my fellow 2011 grads- Congrats!  We did it!

Off Season Craziness

So my off-season runs a total of about 5 weeks- from the last race in April until the middle of May.  I have been home for the entire off-season, and so far it's been crazy!  I feel like I've been running around like a chicken with my head cut off- not too much down time.  I haven't been making as many appearances as normal, but I've been trying to do more volunteer activities.  I've had the great fortune to increase my work with Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, a great organization operated by some great folks.  I've volunteered at the hospital to create Easter decorations with the children, as well as become more involved with Transplant services.  I will work more with Transplant services in the future, and I'm very excited about the opportunity.  I will also be running the Fiesta 5k (que) race this weekend at Centennial Olympic Park, which is beyond my athletic ability (I have no cardio), but I'm still excited about it anyway.  Join me and register online here: http://www.choa.org/Support-Childrens/Events/Fiesta-Atlanta-5-Que   

Other than increasing my volunteer activities, I've had the opportunity to try some different activities myself.  I learned how to rock climb at Atlanta Rocks- I learned how to belay and tie knots and everything, and even support other climbers.  Rock climbing is very physically demanding- and a great workout and a lot of fun!  

I also have tried kickboxing, another great workout and a lot of fun!  The workout was quite physically demanding- and I was over the cardio side of it, but I enjoyed kicking and punching the bag.  I definitely could see myself doing more of this post-bobsled.  If you haven't tried it- I highly recommend it.  

I also dusted off my basketball shoes and hit the court again.  I try to shoot every once in a while, and forgot how relaxing it is.  My shot came back- which only made me want to shoot even more.  

What else have I done?  Taken advantage of this opportunity to spend as much time with my sisters and family as possible!  I truly love them and I don't get to spend much time with them, so I've tried to do as much with them as possible.  We've been to a Georgia Force game (courtesy of Sam Crenshaw- thank you!), Old School Saturday, and other events- it's been great!

So I've got a week and a half left of the off-season...can't wait to see what happens!

Dancing

God did not bless me with the ability to dance!  I like to think I have some rhythm, but all my life I've been told I'm stiff- I need to loosen up.  I even competed in a dance group when I was younger, but it took me the longest to learn all the dance steps and I was always positioned behind the better dancers, and I'm pretty sure I still made a complete fool of myself.  Despite the fact that I will never be on So You Think You Can Dance, I love dancing!  Funny statement for someone to make right?  I'm awful yet I enjoy it tremendously.  When I was younger I was super self-conscious about my dancing.  I dreaded school dances and I didn't want to dance with any of the boys for fear of making a complete fool of myself.  It's one of the few areas of my life that I have completely no confidence.  I still get self-conscious sometimes about dancing and I get anxious when too many people get around me on the dance floor, which makes my already horrible moves worse.  Yet, I still dance!  Why?  Because dancing for me isn't about being the best, it's about overcoming my anxiety and yes- my awkwardness (although if you know me, you know that I will always be awkward- it's unavoidable).  Dancing for me is about stepping outside my comfort zone, and having a good time despite not being the best.  Hard lesson for athletes and competitive people to learn- you don't always have to be the best.  Especially hard for me to learn- and I'm super competitive and all of my friends are great dancers (my great friend and bobsled teammate Jazmine even tried out for Broadway!)- and these are the people I'm surrounded by on the dance floor!

Another part of dancing for me is overcoming my fear of looking foolish.  Often in life we are put in situations where doing the right thing seems foolish.  When faced with these choices, it's this fear that can prevent us from doing the right thing.  Facing this fear though, often reaps more reward than ever imaginable.  For me, dancing provides me with the opportunity to face the fear of looking foolish every time I step on the dance floor.  I won't lie, there are times were I am completely petrified to step on the floor, knowing there are great dancers and that some of them will inevitably judge me and my lack of dancing ability.  However, I step out on the floor anyways.  If I can face my fear of looking foolish on the dance floor, then I can face my fear of looking foolish in other areas of my life.  Most of the time, when I face this fear I have more fun dancing with my friends that I could have ever imagined- which sure beats sitting on the sideline looking cute!

I may never win a dance contest or be on Broadway, but that won't keep me from dancing!  Facing the fear makes the reward so much sweeter, and for that- I'll just keep on dancing!

So on that note, take a look at the dance Jazmine and I are going to attempt to learn this summer (she'll probably have it down pact, and I'll probably dance behind her lol):

I'll be sure to post videos after we learn it!  Happy Dancing!

2nd Place

Here's what Versus has to say about second place, and I agree!  Striving every day for the GOLD!

Spirit of Panama

The nation of Panama is in the process of creating a bobsled team.  My family comes from the city of Colón, Panama, so I was super excited to meet these gentlemen in Lake Placid.  They are dedicated and determined to bring bobsledding to their home nation and to make 2014.  For me, it's exciting to see the sport expand and even more so to the country of my family.  Cheer them on as the go for Sochi 2014!

Season Wrap-Up

So the season has officially ended and it was quite the interesting season!  Driving is so much fun and I am so happy that I made the switch!  Although I am still a new driver and it is early, I'm hoping the switch is permanent and I never again have to return to the back of the sled.  The season was full of some successes, some struggles, and a lot of lessons.  One of the best things about driving is that now I'm the captain of my team- each brakeman I've slid with is now a part of Team Meyers!  With the creation of Team Meyers comes the added pressure for good results and added expenses for purchasing equipment, but I'm more than willing to deal with those issues in order to drive a bobsled.  The feeling of controlling a sled while going 70-85mph down an icy hill is amazing and I'm in love with it!

This season really made me appreciate brakeman.  I have raced with many brakeman, and I greatly appreciate all the brakeman I have raced with.  Thank you to Katie Stoever, Katelyn Kelly, JennaBree Brown, Kristi Koplin, Emily Azevedo, Jamie Greubel, and Hillary Werth- it was a pleasure to race with you!  Also, thank you to all the other brakeman who took trips with me, so that I may be able to hone my driving skills and become a better pilot; so thank you Brittany Reinbolt, Tara Stephenson, Valerie Smith, Kelli Ehardt, Meighan Stevens, Lauren Spiers, Sineaid Corely, Jack Malleo, Jackie Higgins, Shea Robinson, Ketty Cornemann, Jessica Penta, Emily Weinberg, and Maggie Decell.  I look forward to sliding with those who return to bobsled, and wish those who are not the best of luck.

The season was a whirlwind- I went back and forth to Europe three times!  I learned so much about the sport and had a great time meeting new people and getting closer to people I've known for years.  I'm saddened about the retirement of Erin Pac, Shauna Rohbock, and Valerie Fleming, but I'm hopeful for the future and the team we will re-build with their departure- although they will be difficult to replace!

The season was highlighted by our 9th place finish in World Championships- a huge accomplishment to finish in the top 10 in my first World Championships as a pilot, especially on a new German track.  It was made greater after I had crashed the first run of my training, and the fact that I was beat some great pilots and even some Olympians.  Other highlights including a SILVER medal at the Jr. World Championships- a close race that was deservedly won by Paula Walker of Great Britain, racing 3 World Cup races and finishing top 12 in all of them- including a 6th place finish in Lake Placid, finishing 2nd overall in the America's Cup circuit with GOLD at the Calgary America's Cup and SILVER at the Lake Placid America's Cup, and finishing the season with a world ranking of #13!  Like I said, it's been quite a year!

I'm happy to have the opportunity to return home and take some time off, but I can't afford to take much!  Next season will be very competitive to even make the US squad- we've got 4 great pilots returning- and the competition is always fierce!  Internationally, everyone is prepping for Sochi 2014, so each year will get more and more competitive so it will be a great challenge to increase my world ranking.  We host World Championships in 2012 in Lake Placid- so the goal will be to medal there, and with a great brakeman and if I continue to improve my driving skills- I know it's possible!

In the meantime, we're always looking for new brakeman- both men and women and will be holding recruitment camps throughout the year.  If you're interested, please visit http://www.bobsled.teamusa.org/recruitment for more information and http://www.bobsled.teamusa.org/events for all the camp listings.

Thanks to everyone who made this season amazing!  Each and everyone of you- fans, friends, family, medical staff, coaches, staff, etc made this season great.  I am blessed to be surrounded by great people- and you are truly what makes going for an Olympic dream worth all the sacrifices.  I love you all.

Here's to the 2010-2011 season!  Onto the next one!

One Year Anniversary

I know I haven't been the greatest in updating my blog this season, but now that the season has slowed down tremendously, I have time to reflect.  I will post about everything that happened this season as a pilot, but for now I want to take a moment and remember the past.  Exactly one year ago today Erin and I celebrated as we crossed the finish line at the 2010 Winter Olympics.  Over two days and four runs, Erin piloted us to an Olympic bronze medal, an amazing accomplishment as we weren't even the top ranked US team!  No one expected us to medal, except ourselves, and that's what made the accomplishment even more amazing.

Now I hate to say I'm a profit, but with all the hype going around about USA 1 going into the Olympics, one day I decided that there's no reason why we couldn't win an Olympic medal.  On that day, I typed into my twitter window "I'm going to the Olympics, and I'm coming home with some hardware."  I received some very interesting responses to that tweet, but on that day I learned that if you don't believe in yourself, no one else will, and on that day, I decided to choose to believe that Erin and I could win a medal.  I'm not sure if anyone else at that time believed it, but I honestly did.

Erin and I at our first World Championships together- Altenberg 2008

What made that day even more special is all that Erin and I had overcome.  The year prior to the Olympics, we had quite a blow up at World Championships and weren't on speaking terms.  I believe because of our shared faith, we were able to overcome our differences and continue to compete together.  Although it took time, eventually our faith and our shared belief that all things are possible through Christ, would allow us to do something even greater.  Not only did Erin and I compete at the Olympics together- we had a blast doing it!

Something changes when you win an Olympic medal with someone.  Although Erin and I had overcome so much to become friends, Erin will forever be special to me.  Every time I think of winning the bronze, I can't but help remember how great it was to win it with Erin.  I'm not sure if the experience would have been as great with anyone else.  After all we had overcome, I was honored to win a medal with Erin.  I guess that's what made winning the medal so great- it wasn't just winning another race, it was everything that had occurred the past three years, our journey together as brakeman and pilot.  Erin was my pilot for my first World Cup race, and as of now, she will be the last pilot I ever raced with.

It's funny- I think of the past season- my first as a pilot, and it's remarkable how much Erin has influenced my pilot career.  We have pretty differing personalities at the line- she was always super pumped up, and I was always so calm.  However, there are so many things I do like her on the line as a pilot.  My cadence (what my brakeman says to signal its time to leave) is the same and my routine is the same as hers.  Little things like that- it was a routine so long for me as a brakeman- I couldn't help but convert it to my piloting career!

I thought of Erin quite a bit this past season, about what she had to have gone through trying to win an Olympic medal in just four years of driving- all the struggles and all the triumphs- learning new tracks, racing with different brakeman, and just trying to figure out where you fit on the USA team.  She had a difficult four years but she persevered and for that she is truly a champion.

I can't believe it has already been a year since winning the bronze.  So much has happened and this year has been such a whirlwind.  I had no idea everything that would occur as a result of that medal, but today I remember what happened that night.  I remember the nervousness I felt on the line followed by the calmness I received looking at Erin and knowing what was about to happen.  I remember crossing the line and hearing Erin scream wondering what just happened, and finally seeing the scoreboard to realize we won a medal.  I remember chaos at the bottom dock- and not remembering exactly everything that happened.  I remember hugging my teammates at the bottom dock, and my coaches, and everyone celebrating and happy.  I remember finally seeing my family and how excited they were.  I remember sharing this moment with one of my best friends, Shelley-Ann Brown.  I remember so much, yet so little- so much of that moment I was truly living and just feeling.  That day was truly the best day of my life.

World Cup Season Has Ended

No, the official FIBT World Cup season still has stops in St. Moritz, Switzerland, and Cesana, Italy, but my World Cup season has officially ended, but for good reason.  I will skip the races in St. Moritz and Cesana in order to compete in the Jr World Championships in Park City, UT, where I currently am right now.

I know it's been a while since I've blogged, so I'll rehash what has happened on the World Cups I was able to compete in.

First, the team traveled to Igls, Austria, a new track for me.  The track is a starter's track- usually the fastest starting teams win.  The week started with some unfortunate events, as USA 2 driver Bree Schaaf was taken to the hospital and had to have her appendix removed, and was forced to withdraw from competition.      Thankfully, she is now back with the team in St. Moritz and set to compete this weekend.  Anyway, for Igls I then had the privilege of racing the World Cup race with Emily Azevedo, Bree's normal brakeman, and also race the Team Event race with Kristi Koplin, an up-and-coming star.  Our pushes were plenty fast enough, however, I struggled with this track.  This track is not a difficult track to make it down, it is difficult however to be fast and I struggled with the finesse side of driving.  I was disappointed in my runs, but we were able to finish 11th in the race, and have the 7th fastest run in the team competition for women's bobsled.

Curve 2 in Igls, Austria

In Winterberg, Germany, I was happy to be back at a track I had driven before.  I struggled however, with my own health problems.  I woke up one morning and could not move!  My hip locked up and would not loosen.  After our medical staff went to work, I was able to loosen it up enough so I could slide, but was eventually forced to miss a day of training because of it, which you can hardly afford as a new driver.  I learned a lot this week, and had amazing pushes thanks to JennaBree Tollestrup-Brown, but once again I was disappointed in my runs, but we finished 9th- a top 10 finish, but still room for plenty of improvement.

JennaBree and I blasting off the start in Winterberg

So now here I am in Park City preparing for the upcoming Jr. World Championships.  I will be racing with JennaBree and the winner will win an automatic bid to World Championships in Konigssee, Germany.  I am hoping to earn my bid through winning this race, as if I do not whether or not I race World Championships will be the decision of a selection committee.  I never want to leave anything up to a decision- so it's time to go to work!

BTW- I ended my World Cup stint as the #13 ranked pilot in the world!  My ranking will drop as a result of missing the races in St. Moritz and Cesana, but it's pretty cool to end on that note!

Happy Sliding!

World Cup Lake Placid

Jamie and I on the podium after our 6th place finish

I apologize for such a delayed post!  In December, I had the privilege of racing in the World Cup race in Lake Placid!  Upon Erin's retirement, I was named USA 3 and qualified for World Cup by racing with Megan Hill in Winterberg (see previous post).  After a quick week in Winterberg, we headed back stateside and I raced in my first World Cup race as a pilot with development pilot and former national team brakeman Jamie Greubel.  Although my runs were not the prettiest, we finished 6th- a great finish for someone who has only been driving for 4 months!  After this finish, I retained my status as USA 3 and will be headed to Igls, Austria, after the New Year to compete in World Cup Race #5.  After that, I will then head to Winterberg, Germany, for another World Cup race, before returning stateside to compete in Jr. World Championships.  The ultimate goal for this season is to compete in World Championships, and I can make that goal a reality by winning Jr World Championships.  Even if I'm unable to win Jr. Worlds, I can still race World Championships- but then it goes to a committee decision, and that decision can go any way.  The goal is to qualify myself, and not leave anything up to decision.  I'm so thankful for the opportunity to race World Cup my first season as a pilot, and so honored to represent my country at the highest level of bobsled.

Jamie and I getting ready to push off