So it's been a over a month since World Championships, but I'm finally having a chance to unwind and reflect on what happened. I keep thinking about it, replaying it in my head, and the athlete in me can only see where I made mistakes. It's pretty hard to sit and actually think about what happened- I'm a second year driver and Katie was a first year brakeman- and we won a world championship medal. My mind can't help but think how I could've done better. I went into the race knowing that I did everything possible to prepare for that race- and I still believe it's true, I just know that if I had a little more driving experience, things might have been different. Not to discredit my competition at all- I was going up against some great accomplished drivers, just personally I can't help but think about my mistakes that cost me the championship. I still have a lot to learn driving- and maybe it's unrealistic to expect perfection in just two years- but I'd be lying if I said I didn't strive for it anyway.
This year was quite difficult. I thought as a second year driver, things would be easy- I had driven some of the tracks in Europe before- I had a great brakeman- piece of cake right? Wrong! I started off the season with a rough team trials including two crashes and spent every where thereafter struggling, posting the slowest times in training of the whole group of international sleds. I spent week after week crying my eyes out, struggling daily and almost crashing, trying to figure things out. Each weekend, however, the races kept going well. Then I'd hit another training week- more horrendous runs- and another pretty good race. The season continued that way in dramatic fashion- more tears- more smiles during the weekend. The last race before World Championships in St. Moritz, Switzerland, was the one exception. I trained great during the week- and the result was my worst race of the season on a track that will host next season's World Championships. I went back to Lake Placid World Championships not knowing what to expect after a long season, but wanting to do well. Training went as it had all season, I was sliding at the bottom of the pack in training. The first day of the race I had no idea what to expect, I prayed as I walked to the line, slapped hands with Katie, and went for it...
So I walked away from the World Championships very happy with a bronze medal- it was definitely unexpected from everyone but perhaps Katie and I- but wanting more. People have told me how exciting it was and how remarkable it was to see me on the podium, but for Katie and I we were just doing what we know how to do- the best we each could do and trying to have some fun at the same time. Watching the runs, all I could think about was the things I can do better- which pushed me to stay in Placid as long as possible and continue to slide. I still have so much more to work on and so much more to learn, but as medals are hard to come by regardless of how many years you've been driving, I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the moment. Sometimes bronze shines just as bright as gold...
This year was quite difficult. I thought as a second year driver, things would be easy- I had driven some of the tracks in Europe before- I had a great brakeman- piece of cake right? Wrong! I started off the season with a rough team trials including two crashes and spent every where thereafter struggling, posting the slowest times in training of the whole group of international sleds. I spent week after week crying my eyes out, struggling daily and almost crashing, trying to figure things out. Each weekend, however, the races kept going well. Then I'd hit another training week- more horrendous runs- and another pretty good race. The season continued that way in dramatic fashion- more tears- more smiles during the weekend. The last race before World Championships in St. Moritz, Switzerland, was the one exception. I trained great during the week- and the result was my worst race of the season on a track that will host next season's World Championships. I went back to Lake Placid World Championships not knowing what to expect after a long season, but wanting to do well. Training went as it had all season, I was sliding at the bottom of the pack in training. The first day of the race I had no idea what to expect, I prayed as I walked to the line, slapped hands with Katie, and went for it...
So I walked away from the World Championships very happy with a bronze medal- it was definitely unexpected from everyone but perhaps Katie and I- but wanting more. People have told me how exciting it was and how remarkable it was to see me on the podium, but for Katie and I we were just doing what we know how to do- the best we each could do and trying to have some fun at the same time. Watching the runs, all I could think about was the things I can do better- which pushed me to stay in Placid as long as possible and continue to slide. I still have so much more to work on and so much more to learn, but as medals are hard to come by regardless of how many years you've been driving, I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the moment. Sometimes bronze shines just as bright as gold...
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