Am I Ready For The Ski World?

When my husband and I first met, we had a lot in common, with one exception- skiing.

He loves it. Me? Not so much.

My only experience with skiing was when I was in college and involved an instructor who constantly tried to obtain my phone number; that was until I started going down the hill backward and ran into him creating a Bugs Bunny-esque snowball that made its way down the hill. He stopped asking for my phone number and I went straight to the lodge and had myself a hot chocolate.

Since then, I have been completely content sitting in the lodge and waving hello as my husband would appear every so often down the hill of bright white.

After years and years of trying to convince me to give it one more go, I have finally given in.

We have created a family trip to Sugarbush, VT where they have just received 78" of fresh snow in the last 72 hours. Apparently, in ski terms, this is totally awesome.

The drive in was pretty tricky on route 100, but we made it. We stopped in a sandwhich shop for a quick bite near the base lodge which was very delish- I'll have more on that later.

For now, I am about to have my "first" lesson in over 18 years. We will see how it goes- but I am ready to give it another good 'ole college try!!

US Speedskating Coaches Earn An Olympic Honor

A lot is written about the time and sacrifice an athlete experiences to reach their goals.What often goes unnoticed is the constant support of an athlete's coach and for most (coaches), they like to keep it that way. What many do not realize is that these special individuals are also sacrificing personal and family time for the success and happiness of their athlete.

It is hard for an athlete to fully express the gratitude felt toward a person who has shared in their journey both the heartbreak and joy of competitive sport. A coach is the one person that "gets it" like no one else can. When an opportunity presents itself to honor the person who has helped you achieve your goal, well, most athletes will certainly take it.

After his 1500m medal ceremony, Shani Davis presented US Speedskating Long Track Coach Ryan Shimabukuro and US Speedskating National Assistant Short Track Coach Jimmy Jang  The Order of Ikkos.

                                                       Photo: Ryan Shimabukuro

Ikkos of Tarentum is the first recorded Olympic coach in ancient Greece. Ikkos won the pentathlon at the 84th Olympiad in 444 B.C. and later became known for his successful coaching ability.

Ryan has been a US Speedskating coach since 1998 where he held the position of Junior National Team  and Midwest Regional Development Coach. In 2002 he became National Sprint Team Coach and works with developing our Long Track sprinters (500, 1000 & occasionally 1500m) for international competitions such as the Olympics.

Jimmy has coached Short Track skaters for many years and has always been the very animated one in the coaches box urging his skaters to be the best they can be. He has recently joined the national team in Salt Lake City, UT and is bringing his enthusiasm to the Olympic Games.

Ryan said (on his Facebook page) of this "I am deeply honored to be presented The Order of Ikkos by Shani Davis..."

I cannot speak for Shani, but I'm sure he was privileged to be able to thank Ryan and Jimmy in this way for their help and guidance.

Congratulations to Ryan and Jimmy for this acheivement. It is an honor to have coaches revered by our speedskating "family"!

Olympic Exhaustion

I have a new name to replace Mommy. For the next 11 days, please refer to me as "Zommy". That would be Zombie and Mommy combined to form what I have become while watching the Vancouver Olympic Games.

This is Olympic snowboarder Ben Kilner of Great Britain. If a picture could capture how exhausted I feel by the end of the day I think this would be it. I have no idea if he is exhausted, but it looks like it!

I am tired for many reasons...mainly because the coverage of my said passion (speedskating) has been moved from primetime coverage to wee-hours of the morning coverage. I have many issues when it comes to the coverage of these games by NBC, but I will save that soap box moment for when I can put my thoughts down in a coherent sentence or two. Just know this viewing fans...you are not alone in your frustration.

So a quick recap of what I could see through a few blinks last night:

Men's Long Track 1000m Speedskating:

Give the USA men some props! All 4 skaters finished in the top 10! What a great night on what has been slow "worker" ice at the Richmond Oval.
10th went to my friend Trevor Marsicano, who looked great last night! I watched the replay again this morning because I missed seeing most of his race as my eyes were darting from TV screen to my laptop as I watched his splits. It did not prevent me of course from screaming and clapping my encouragement of "Come on Trevor! Go Go Go!" Very, very proud of him!
7th went to Nick Pearson who also skated an amazing race, one that he should be very proud of!
3rd went to Chad Hedrick who gritted through the 2-lap race with quite the fight.
1st went to Shani Davis for the first ever back to back gold in the 1000m! Shani knew what he needed to do and he went out there and did it. Congratulations!

Short Track Men's 1000m & Relay Semis:

Both Apolo Ohno and JR Celski moved through to the 1/4 Finals. Apolo looked very fluid and easily qualified. JR had a little more work cut out for him. After sitting in the back of the pack he made his move to the front and stopped in third. With two laps to go, JR tried to move into second, but NO! The door got closed on his opportunity. So what did JR do? He went on the outside for a brilliant pass and made it across the line to join Apolo for his place on the line for the chance to make it to 1000m Finals.

The relay lived up to utter chaos for teams to place in the Finals. Simon Cho, Travis Jayner, Apolo Ohno and JR Celski made up the USA team. After Team Italy took out Team France, Team USA and Team Korea only needed to stay upright to secure their place in the Finals.  Italy ended up with a DQ (Disqualification) and France was advanced for the Finals which will be skated against USA, Korea, China and Canada.

Women's Short Track 500m

Ok..this will be a soapbox topic. NBC, why are you not sharing the love for our USA Women Short track and long track skaters?? We want to see them too!

I watched the 500 heats on the computer this morning and watched Katherine Ruetter skate wire to wire in her race skating a 43.834, which gave her an Olympic Record to savor- for a little while at least! The USA did not make it through to the A-Finals, but skated very well!

Katherine's OR was later broken in the very next heat by Meng Wang of China (43.284).

I briefly woke to watch the Final race in the Ladies 500m and could not believe the lead that Meng Wang had over the field. She is like the Women's version of Apolo Ohno. She is fast and furious! I thought I may have been dreaming that race, so I once again viewed it on replay. I was not in dream land- Meng really did have that big of a lead on the field.

The race ended with Meng Wang (CHN)-Gold, Marianne St. Gelais (CAN)- Silver and Arianna Fontana (ITA)- Bronze.

If NBC listens to the masses, then I will be as happy as St. Gelais (below) when I can stop holding my eyelids open with toothpicks to watch some exciting racing!

For now, "Zommy" is going to take a nap and get some much needed zzzzz's.

 

"Oh, Canada!" Providing Olympic Firsts

I have been glued to my television for the past 3 days hoping to soak in as many Olympic moments as possible and have been treated to many incredible stories, especially those that have happened for the first time.

Here are some of the Highlighted "Firsts" that I have found to show the true spirit of the Games and the incredible athletes that are living the dream:

Nordic Combined: Not sure what this sport is? I wasn't quite sure either until I watched it for the first time yesterday. I was in the middle of watching online stats on the Womens 3k speedskating event (more on that later) and TV coverage of this event at the same time. I found I was cheering simutaneously for two completely different sports at almost a rabid pitch! I did a little homework this morning and found that this event is ski jumping and cross country racing combined in the same day. The athlete soars from the ski jump and earns points for style and length of jump. The total points earned will dictate the starting position in the 10k cross country ski course, which loops through a stadium and up steep hills through the woods and back to the stadium. I did not know the names of the athletes that were pushing their bodies to the VO2 max with each loop, but their struggle to climb those hills and position themselves just right for the finish line sprint completely drew me in. I was screaming at my television screen "GO GO GO GO GO GO!" The outcome? After being passed at the last moment on the finish line,  Johnny Spillane (USA) earned a Silver medal, a first in Olympic history for the USA in this discipline. Truly amazing!

Pairs Figure Skating: I enjoy seeing the fluid motions and grace of figure skating. I found myself drawn in to yet more athlete's stories last night as I watched the short program of Pairs Figure Skating. The first couple on the ice was Shen Xue & Zhao Hongbo (CHN) who set the bar so high for those that followed. With the highest score ever given in the short program of 76.66 no one came close to their near perfect performance. When you see something magical, you know it, even if you don't follow the sport on a regular basis. This will most likely be the couple's (in real life too) last Olympic Games and hopefully the first time they will acheive Gold, a color that has elluded them for 18 years.

Most of you who read this blog know that I kind of like speedskating. (Haha) There were quite a few firsts happening here in both the Men's & Women's races. What I  realized for the first time: I have a love/hate relationship with NBC and the coverage of this sport. Hate:They claim to offer coverage of speedskating and when tuned in for 5 hours, not one bit of coverage until primetime rolled around and even then it was of 1 race pair! (Hint NBC: in the women's 3k, the three American skaters were back to back of one another. You could have at least shown that much.) Love: They are offering replays of the races online, some in their entirety. Click Here to see video.


Men's Speedskating: In the Men's 5k race there were a few firsts. My friend Trevor Marsicano skated his first Olympic race. We were screaming at the TV "GO TREVOR!" and jumping up and down. My son dryly said to me afterward "Mom, he can't hear you." My reply was "Yes he can!" A very proud moment indeed.
 
But I must say, hats off to Sven Kramer (NED), for skating a gutsy and fantastic race to his first Gold medal. Sven threw it down and skated a 6:14.60, a new 5k Olympic Record! To see him clear the barriers and leap into the sea of orange-clad Dutch fans and embrace his family was amazing. However, once again, NBC and their reporter missed the mark by showing their lack of speedskating knowledge by asking Sven this question after returning from his family: "Can you tell us who you are and what you just won?" Truly a first.
 
Women's Speedskating: In the Women's 3k, Jilleanne Rookard took to the ice in her very first Olympics. I could only watch the online splits (as indicated above) as Jill skated a great race. What I didn't realize, until seeing the replay of her race was that she slipped in her final lap and somehow saved herself from crashing, finishing 12th overall! Amazing!
 
However, the 3k Gold medal went to Martina Sablikova (CZE) in an outstanding time of 4:02.53. Her technique sent her to the record books by awarding her country the first medal ever in the sport of speedskating. Her joy was so overwhelming that the fans in the Richmond Oval joined in her celebration cheering her on as she skipped with her country flag draped on her shoulders. 
 
Men's Short Track Speedskating:  Apolo Anton Ohno (USA) secured silver in the 1500m final after two Korean teammates took eachother out in the last corner before the finish. The Bronze went to J.R. Celeski (USA) who competed in his first major competiton since sustaining a severe injury to his leg in September. What a way to begin your first Olympic Games!
 
Men's Freestyle Moguls: This post could not go without this acknowledgement. Canada has made no bones about stating that they want to "Own the Podium" at these Winter Games. Canada has hosted the Summer Olympics in Montreal, and Winter Olympics in Calgary and has not won a single gold medal on home turf.  Last night, Alexandre Bilodeau (CAN), ended that 34 year old quest for home soil gold in 23.17 seconds. The only word I could say was "WOW!" I am not a skier, but I could even tell that this guy was smoking down the mountain as he pounded his knees into each mogul and soared through the air with flips and turns.
 
If these first few days are any indication of what is to come, I will be a hoarse, happy, heaping mess by closing ceremonies.

Olympic Games Filled With Emotion of Human Spirit

The Olympic Games embody emotions that all humans share. Feelings are the thread that weaves the world together for a short two week period and allows the average person to share the elation or sadness that is witnessed in something so pure-the game of sport.

Photo: Gulfnews.com

I watched the Opening Ceremomies and cried tears of complete pride, joy and sadness. To see friends among the parade of athletes, their faces showing true joy made my nose sting and my eyes well with tears of pride. To feel complete amazement with the boy flying over wheat fields, orcas swimming through the floor of the arena and hearing K.D. Lang sing "Hallelujah" in her hauntingly beautiful voice surrounded in twinkling star-like lights brought tears of awe. To watch the lighting of the the Olympic Cauldron evoked the feelings of both happiness and sadness and tears ran freely.

I felt happiness to have the games officially opened and looked forward to watching the world come together to play in the sports they love, we love for that matter.

I felt sadness for the Georgian luger, Nodar Kumaritashvili, who only hours earlier, lost his life to the sport he loved.

The Olympic Games creates this unique place in all of us that lets us dream. Dream of possibilities. John Furlong, Chief Event Organizer addressed the athletes regarding the 21 year old luger and asked them  “May you carry his Olympic dream on your shoulders and compete with his spirit in your hearts.”

photo:english.pravada.ru

I believe the entire world will do just that.

Speedskating Goes Back to School

Yesterday I had the extreme pleasure of going back to the second grade and sharing my own version of Speedskating Show and Tell. 

Kids at this age are so eager to learn. They are full of wonder and soak everything in like little sponges. Knowledge is still exciting.

I was asked to come to this class to share information on speedskating and the Olympics and I have to admit, I was a little nervous going in. Second graders are eager to learn, but they are also a tough audience. If you don't know what you are talking about, they will smell the fear and eat you alive with questions.

I started by placing photos of a long track team pursuit (featuring the Italian Team) and a short track race (featuring Apolo Ohno).  We made our way through what differences they could see between the two pictures. When we finished with the comparisons, I pointed to Apolo and asked the class "Do you know who this is?" In unison "Nooooooooo." I had my work cut out for me.

I thought it would be a great idea to bring my gear with me so the kids could have something tangible to go with what they saw in the pictures and were hearing with my words. I passed around both a long track skinsuit, pointing out the hood and then a short track skin pulling half the suit inside out so they could see the cut proof material sewn in. They liked knocking on my helmet and ooh-ed over the pirate sticker that is stuck to the front. I then passed around my Marchese short track boots with "Whoa's!"  and then the long track boots where they enjoyed clapping the blade with giggles. I shared different medals that I have earned and started asking them questions about the Olympics.

We talked about Lake Placid (host to two Winter Olympic Games, 1932 and 1980) and tied in local talent Trevor Marsicano. We played a few YouTube videos of Trevor skating long track and Apolo skating short track. The buzz grew in the classroom to a fever pitch and it was great! One student came up to me and in a whisper said "I am Soooooooo glad you are here!"

In wrapping up I asked the kids to send their "Good Luck" message to Team USA and of course they obliged! The only problem with this was me being technologically challenged. I had my phone video set to the wrong setting, leaving the file too large to pass along to Trevor. So, it is saved for when he returns from Vancouver and I will play it for him.

The room was preparing to go to gym and the greatest thing happened; the entire class suddenly dropped into a squat and low walked their way down the hall!

Olympic fans are definitely evident in second grade and who knows, maybe a seed of inspiration was planted and a future speedskater will be making their way to the ice.

Trevor Marsicano, "My Hero"

Trevor & I ham it up for the camera- October 2009

World Cup/Olympic Trials, Milwaukee

Hero is a term that carries a lot of weight. The first time that I said this to Trevor was during a meet in Rochester, NY after doing something for me that was so heroic, I found "thank you" could not quite capture how grateful I felt, so "Trevor, you are my hero!" came out.

What was this deed of great proportion? He cracked my back.

After years of bike riding (being hunched over) and speedskating (being hunched over) and long car rides to meets or vacation spots (semi-hunched over) my husband and I have suffered through back issues and have mastered crackin' to a science. It looks like we are about to give eachother a big hug only our arms are to the side as if someone said "stick 'em up".  A nice squeeze and we can sound like a zipper! When my back is in such a knot, it makes my whole shoulder/neck area tighten up so bad that I am in pain. To have this "hug" does not hurt (although it may sound like it does), but brings instant relief with an "ahhhhhhhhh" and a smile.   

My husband was not at this particular short track meet and I was in so much pain from a long car ride that I could not relax before my first race.  I could feel the tightness taking hold. Trevor and his dad were walking out of the rink area as I was walking in. I stopped him and asked "Can you please do me a huge favor?" He replied "Sure!" I explained "This will look like a hug, but can you help me crack my back?!" Both Trevor and his father raised their eyebrows, but after sharing the process with him, Trevor grabbed his hand around my back, squeezed between the shoulder blades and "Poppopopopoppop" went my spine.  Ahhhhhh. Smile. My hero.

Trevor and I both found the sport of speedskating around the same time, yet skated for different clubs. We would not meet until my 2nd season, when my coach Paul Marchese suggested I start skating & training with the Saratoga Winter Club.  Here, I got to know this shy kid who would smile and laugh at jokes on the ice, but you could tell he was still finding his way and how he would fit into this group of skaters. He did not have to search for long. The most amazing qualities of speedskaters are acceptance and camaraderie shared with one another and Trevor was quickly embraced by this supportive group.

What became very apparent to us floating around the middle of the ice between sets is that we were witnessing the growth of an Olympian. Trevor had the drive and focus to keep getting better. At our club, we have different level groups that will go out on the track in sets based on time. The main group is the "blue" group and depending on how many skaters are at practice can be sub-divided into A, B or C or 1, 2 or 3- A being the fastest group, B the next fastest and so on. In a short amount of time, Trevor was starting to break free of the 'A' group and created the 'Trevor' group. 

Then the skater nightmare happened. Trevor had a horrible crash at a Jr. National Short Track meet in Michigan which left a wound from another's blade so deep into his right thigh that he could see his femur and caused him to lose half the blood in his body. He spent the holidays in a hospital. A few weeks into January, Trevor made his way on crutches into the rink and stood in the coaches' box to watch his team practice. I remember asking his sister Sam, who was skating with us at the time, if being here bothered him. Her reply surprised me a little, but also showed me his determination. "Nope. He couldn't wait to get here!"

His recovery was a long one, but Trevor once more proved his mettle as he continued on the road to big things. Summer training (called dryland) was brutal; conditioning and heat wise. That was also the summer that Trevor started using a weight vest for some of the exercises. I can remember being in so much pain during a set that I would want to stop. Then I would look over at Trevor still working hard -with weight on his back- and I would think to myself: If he can do it, you can do it. Quit whining and finish this set. Even during these training sessions, he was setting himself apart from the rest of the group. Paul would always save the "dessert" for us...a long low walk would be served up after a two hour practice. Put yourself in a squat position. Good. Now, get lower. Start walking in this balled up position (if done correctly, your knees should scrape the ground with each step) for one minute. Not as easy as it sounds. By the end of summer we worked our way up to a 15 minute low walk. Trevor had more.  He would have one or two others that would be able to hang with him, but the rest of us would finish our set and cheer him on to the finish.

Shortly after this, Trevor went to the 2006 US Short Track Olympic Trials. It was so exciting for us to watch him on Live Feed as he toed the line with Apolo Ohno, Shani Davis and many others. He did not make the team that year, but he did start a buzz.

 

       (L-R) Trevor Marsicano, Misi Toth, Ryan Bedford, Shani Davis

       Photo by: Jerry Search- 2006 US Short Track Olympic Trials

Then the most exciting short track race I have ever seen, took place in our very own home rink. Saratoga was hosting the American Cup Series and Trevor was back in great form. I had skated the Eastern States Championship being held in conjunction with the AmCup. My family was there to watch and cheer me on. I finished my day and had time to watch the rest of the day's racing. Trevor's sister Sam was also our babysitter for a couple of summers and my kids were anxious to go see her and visit a little bit in the stands, so we made our way over to where Sam and the rest of the Marsicano's were sitting. We were chatting away and realized that Trevor's 3000m race was coming up. The 3000m is 27 laps. It takes a while to get through the distance and is usually a yawner until about 7-5 laps to go. Not this time. After the start, you could see Trevor building (going faster) and we were saying to ourselves, 'What is he doing?', 'It's too fast'. He knew exactly what he was doing. He pulled a "flyer". He broke out and lapped the field by the third go around. That threw the crowd into a roar. What happened next threw us into a complete frenzy: he did it again! It was so loud in the rink, you couldn't hear yourself think! We were screaming so much that I lost my voice and I think everyone else did too. When Trevor crossed the finish line the place was cheering like I have never heard before or since. Amazing! People started saying "Who is this kid?" You see, we knew he was under most of the radar and that great things were coming, the rest of the world just needed to catch up.

Trevor began the switch to long track and eventually he settled in Milwaukee to train. We all knew this progression would happen and were so happy when last year, Trevor was the first person to beat the 1:07 World Record in the 1000m distance. The other amazing feat? Trevor returned from the World Single Distance Championships as the first American skater with four medals; Gold-1000m, Silver-1500m, Bronze-5000m, Bronze- Team Pursuit! 


                                  Video of Trevor breaking the World Record!
   
We trained together for a few short months this past summer as he prepared to make his Olympic dream a reality. It was fun having him back in the group again, still laughing and cracking jokes, only now, not so shy.

In October, I traveled to Milwaukee to help support Trevor and other skaters that were beginning their journey to Vancouver. This meet was the World Cup Team qualifier (and the first of two Olympic Trials). It was the first time I had seen him since the summer. It was also the first time I have ever gone to watch a long track event. I've skated in them, but I have never sat in the "fan" seat. I was keeping stats and a close watch to the inner and outer clock (which gives the time splits for the pair skating)  to see how things would unfold and who would fill the open spots.

  

Over those three days I rode that emotional roller coaster ride that seems to go with speedskating. Trevor was struggling. When leaving the rink the night before the rest day, I watched Trevor sitting on the bench after his race concluded. It was not what he was expecting. You could see it in his face and also in his body language. As a skater, I knew exactly what he was feeling and I also knew there were no words that you could say to make it better. The best I could do was to send him a text that said "you are still my hero!"

Sometimes a Rest Day Equals a Good Day and gets you back on track. Trevor came back and skated a gutsy race that secured his spot on the World Cup team. He said "It wasn't pretty, but it worked!"

I find myself sometimes sitting in the audience of parents and friends who have gathered to watch a school band concert or sporting event trying to hold back tears. When I see my children doing what they love to do I feel a sense of pride so intense that I can become pretty emotional. When in Milwaukee, I felt that same sense of pride for my friend Trevor as he made the World Cup team and then again when I heard the offical announcement he made the US Olympic Team.  

                        The Richmond Oval                   

                        Photo Courtesy of Ryan Shimabukuro

Through all these years, I have watched the growth of an amazing athlete both inside and out. Through all the challenges he has faced, he has made his dream a reality. My son often says "It is so cool that I know an Olympian!" When Trevor steps to the line on Saturday for his first race, I know it will be a moment of pure happiness and pride for me as well as his family and friends who have all supported his journey.

"A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles."

-Christopher Reeve

The world will soon ask "Who is this kid?"

My answer will be:  he's my hero.

American Cup III, One For the Record Books

This photo is courtesy of : weblogs.marylandweather.com/forecasts/

Little did I know that the post I had scheduled for yesterday would turn out to be one for the record books.

Short track skaters from around the country made their way to Dale City, VA through THE largest winter snow storm on record for that area. Terms like "Snowpocalypse" and "Snowmageddon" were flying through the air like the heavy, wet flakes that piled inch after inch on every surface, including the Prince William Ice Center's roof.

I finished my post and within an hour, started seeing reports on Facebook that the skaters were sent home...too much snow....bent beams. Then my friend Hans, who was a starter for this meet, called me from his hotel and asked if I heard what happened. I said I had and I posted his account on the blog. He was glad everyone got out ok and as a true upstate New Yorker, was headed out into the snow to find something to eat! (A side note here: we have had zero, nada, zip snow fall this year. Yeah, a few inches here and there, but all the "big one's" have just missed us and have stayed to the south. Maybe mother nature is giving us a little reprieve after freezing us out last year with a killer ice storm, but we are missing the snow! Who would think we would have to travel SOUTH to get snow!) :) I was glad to hear that Hans was ok and wished him safe travels home. Little did we know that as we talked on the phone, the roof was actually collapsing at the rink in which he just came.

Mike Looby's daughter Liz was skating at this meet and he has written a great post on the happenings as they unfolded yesterday. Check out his post on It's Not Too Late to Skate.

I am so glad that all got out safely and averted what really would have been a disaster.

Some of us have had this very conversation while waiting in the heat box."What would we do if we had to get out of here right away?"  I remember a meet where the heat box was set set up just outside the door we used to enter the ice. I was sitting on a bench that flanked a cement wall and could hear something that sounded like a sporadic "sizzle". You know when you hear something and you just can't place where it is coming from? I heard the bell (last lap indicator) and stood up to prepare entering for my race, placing my coat and sneakers in the bucket for the runners and forgot all about the noise. When I came back for my next scheduled race, I once again heard the sound, only this time I could place it, because the sound also had visual! In the middle of the cement wall was an electrical outlet box that was sparking bright white flashes and now emitting small trickles of smoke with each sizzle. The scary thing was you couldn't smell it. All of us sitting on the bench seemed to notice this at the same time and jumped off the bench (electricity and metal blades do not make a good combination) and all at once yelled at the heatbox attendant while pointing at the plug. Luckily, they were able to turn the power off that fed that outlet without disrupting the rest of the rink. That particular bench remained empty for the rest of the meet.

The last thing you think about when you are at a competition is being faced with a circumstance that would make you exit quickly while wearing your skates. I'm glad that the skaters that were laced up and ready to start racing were able to remove their gear and exit the facility safely with fellow competitors, family, friends and volunteers. There is a saying (among many) that one hears every now and then with this sport. "Never a dull moment in Short Track."

This story is definitely one that these skaters will tell for a long, long time. "Remember when we went to Virginia for the AmCup race and..."

Short Track Speedskating American Cup III, Long Track Masters Sprint Games & Vancouver

Photo by Jerry Search

Get ready for some fast skating this weekend on both the Short Track and Long Track ice!

Short Track:

If folks can make their way through the winter snow storm happening in Dale City, VA, they will be treated to the American Cup III racing series! Most of the competitors arrived yesterday, some just making the last flights in before mother nature blanketed the area in wintery white. Practice ice was held last night and skaters will be sharp and ready to begin their racing card today and tomorrow. A "good luck" goes out to all the skaters, especially to those from my club: Katy Ralston and Josh Cummings. I will keep an eye on results and post when available.

***Update as of 2:30pm EST***
American Cup III has been officially canceled.  After warm-ups were completed this morning, skaters were getting ready to begin races and starters were taking their places. At this time a loud "Bang" could be heard from above and when eyes looked over-head, it was noticed that one of the support beams holding the rink's roof had bent and collapsed. The rink's occupants were safely evacuated. Upon inspection, it was found that the heavy, wet snow that has crippled the area had now claimed the integrity of the roof. For the safety of all involved, officials have closed the rink. Never a dull moment in Short Track!!

Safe travels to all!!

Long Track:

The 2nd Masters Sprint Games are being held in Milwaukee, WI at the Pettit National Ice Arena. Organizer Andrew Love has put together another top notch event that has attracted the fastest Masters Long Track skaters from around the world. The USA team is choc-full of talented skaters and will show that you can still skate fast, no matter what age you are. Good luck to Martin Haire and Masahiko Yanigahara.

Vancouver News:

Team USA Short Track and Long Track skaters have arrived in Vancouver! The Long Track Team has been practicing at the Richmond Oval and have stated that the ice is F-A-S-T and they look forward to racing! The Short Track team arrived yesterday and will have practice this morning. Both teams have been getting settled in their new "home away from home" and are very impressed with accomodations. Each team has gone through the "outfitting" of apparel that will be worn for opening, medal and closing ceremonies. The clothes have been provided by Ralph Lauren and Nike and these threads are sweet! The excitement is exuding from both first time and returning Olympians as they share these special moments. All are looking forward to meeting fellow athletes from around the world as they begin to arrive.

The world awaits to witness Vancouver's magic as Opening Ceremonies are only 6 days away!

Women "Go Red" to Raise Awareness

Today is Friday, February 5th and it is a day marked to celebrate awareness for heart disease! I have a few causes that I support Whole-heartedly (no pun intended) and to help show my support by wearing a certain color, well, how can I pass that up? Especially since I can easily include my nail polish obsession in such a fabulous color, say "California Rasberry" or "The Right Thing" or maybe "Ready to Wear Red"?

The "Go Red" campaign has family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, etc. donning red to support the women in their lives and the fight against heart disease.

Share the love and today, "Go Red"! 

US Speedskating Names New Featured Bloggers

  

I received an email yesterday from US Speedskating's social media rep. She shared the news that Mom Got Blog was added to the "Featured Blogger's" tab on their Facebook page! Many thanks go out for this recognition!

Looking at the list of other bloggers, I am honored to be in such great & talented company. Here is the current list of the featured Blog Roll:

This Might Hurt Our Reputation: Lisa, Camille & Dorothy share a wonderfully written blog that takes you on the journey of three friends that share a passion for fun and skating. They have a way of pulling you into their world with stories and photos that makes you want to come back for more. A really great blog.

Ice & Times of Short Track Speedskating: Michelle has brought together all the latest news on Short Track Speedskating and shares on her blog. Expect to see great photos, videos and interviews with current and up and coming talent on the ice. Blog is an extension of The Rocker Fund, a grass-roots fan site focused on obtaining funding for US Olympic hopefuls. I am so glad to have found this site and you will be just as thrilled! Be sure to check it out.

Zen and the Art of Speedskating: If you are a speedskater, then you have already been reading this for years. If you haven't, well you should. Competitive speedskater, husband, father and all-round nice guy, Andrew Love has created the ultimate go-to site for speedskating. He shares his journey on training, competing and balancing family and work life with his passion. Andrew brings you along for the ride (literally) with his videos, shares his talents with photography and brilliant writing, making you feel like you yourself are training with those on and off the ice.

Lake Placid Skater: Christie has ceated a blog on figure skating and speedskating showcasing her talent not only as a competitive athlete, but also a writer! She covers a lot of happenings in Lake Placid, NY writing for a number of websites and blogs.

No Fact Zone: A fan blog that covers everything Stephen Colbert. "The Nation" stepped up to help sponsor the US Speedskating team, so to stop by and read the latest is a way to say Thank you!

Sara's Countdown to Vancouver: Sara takes each day and shares Olympic news. I can't wait to see what she covers for Opening Ceremonies!

This is the current list of the talent pool! Like I said, I am in great company and again I thank US Speedskating for including Mom Got Blog!

Looking for the latest updates, stories or results? If so, be sure to become a fan of US Speedskating on Facebook. You can also follow on Twitter @usspeedskating.

The Olympics are only 9 days away! GO TEAM USA!! 

A Speedskater's Take on "The Perfect Race"

I was grabbing a t-shirt out of my drawer to go run. When I realized which one I was ready to place on my back, I decided to snap a picture and share.

If you click on the photo, you will get the whole picture.

This is a shirt that I bought while I was in Milwaukee competing in the Short Track National Championship in 2005. I always try to buy something from a meet so I can support the club that is hosting and it is usually a t-shirt. It was my second Nationals competition and my first time at the Pettit National Ice Center. I never really paid much attention to the list of names. Whenever I wear this to practice, I tend to find skaters following me around. I get that feeling, like someone is looking over your shoulder and when I turn around I hear " Oh, sorry...just reading your shirt!" I've always said to myself I should check it out, but I forget and it gets shoved in the bag after practice, goes through the laundry and back in the drawer until next time.

The year before, in Cleveland, I was a nervous wreck. It was my very first National competition and I had never skated a 3000m, that is 27 grueling laps. I had butterflies for days leading up to it and thought I was going to get sick while sitting in the heatbox.  I lined up at the start and off I went. I remember skating cat and mouse with another skater; I'd pass her and she would pass me, I would pass her and so on. Our skinsuits looked similar and our helmet numbers were very close. We were lapped a few times by three other skaters, so as a lap counter, it was probably hard to keep track of who was who and how we would finish. As a skater, there comes a point in this race that you stop counting the laps because you are focused on just get me to the finish. When you are in the "pain cave" (a term very aptly coined by Andrew Love) you focus on who is going to end your suffering; you find your counter, search for the outstretched hand showing how many laps of pain you have left and make eye contact to make sure they are talking to you.

The lap counter was calling out our helmet numbers...you have 3 laps to go.....helmet number....you have 3 laps to go.....could I be ahead??? When I came to the last lap, the bell rang as I passed. Then it rang again behind me. We finished and I was immediately given a hug from my teammate (winner of this race) and fellow competitor who was waiting in the center of the ice. I remember her whispering in my ear-"I am so proud of you! You did it! You rock!"
 
I eagerly awaited the results and when they were posted, I stood there in complete shock. Next to my name was a big DNF (Did Not Finish). My teammate told me to go to our coach and tell him to protest. When the heat card was presented, there were a lot of erased pencil marks...you could tell that the counters were confused. You could literally SEE it. Shoulders were shrugged and that was that. I was devastated. My competitor was gloating on her 4th place medal. I learned something about myself that day-missing out on a medal was not what bothered me. Having a DNF next to my name, knowing full well that I suffered through that race and DID FINISH bothered me much more. My coach and friends tried to make me feel better by telling me their stories of losing overall National Championships on calls just like this. It was just part of the game.

When it came time for Nationals in Milwaukee, I was focused. I was focused on one race and one race alone. I had trained all year for this 3k. There was going to be no doubt what-so-ever that I crossed that finish line. In a recent Olympic commercial spot, Apolo Anton Ohno speaks of a perfect race. He describes being so focused that time seems to slow down. This was my perfect race. I could hear nothing but my coach as I came into the turn telling me either go "deeper" into the turn or "good". I could hear breathing behind me. I lead my competitor for 25 laps. With two to go, my coach kept saying "pick it up- now, now!" With one lap to go, she passed me and I could not answer it. My legs were wood. I could barely walk off the ice to sit on the bench. She came up to me, still breathing hard and said "Wow! You trained hard this year-that pace was fast- I did all I could do to hold on!"  I did not win that race, but I consider that one of my perfect races. I improved my time from the previous year by almost 2 minutes and there could be no denying that I finished. I committed to skating a better race than the year before and I accomplished that. The slight nod and raised, impressed eyebrow from my coach, spoke volumes and that is when I felt as if I did win.

So, what does this have to do with my t-shirt? Well, I finally looked at all the skaters. If you look close at those listed, you will see many names that are competing in Vancouver, including Apolo who is only 15 competitor's away from mine. Some have remained in Short Track and some have moved on to Long Track. They have made an Olympic team! After years of hard work and many, many competitons, I hope that their journey this February will allow them (medal or not) to experience their own "perfect race".