It Ain't Easy Bein' (Packers) Green

A bet.

Is a bet.

On Friday, a co-worker showed up in my office looking like this:

I snapped his picture and attached this message:

Silly Cheese Head, Super Bowl is for Steelers!

Love,

Pittsburgh

We talked a little smack.

Then a handshake.

The agreement:

If the Steelers were victorious,

he would have to wear my Polamalu jersey all day Monday

and

hang my "No-Cheese" sign on his office door for the whole week.

If the Packers were victorious,

I would have to wear his Packers jersey all day Monday

and

hang the Green Bay Pennant on my office door for the whole week.

Ben, Time was ticking.

You were thinking this may be the game to help redeem yourself.

I wish you would have concentrated more on

NOT THROWING INTERCEPTIONS!

I know you tried really hard, but the rally was a bit too late and has left me WEARING GREEN this Monday.

And let me tell you,

to a girl who loves Black and Gold,

It ain't easy being green!

Did you watch the Super Bowl? What did you think of the game?

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Mom Got Blog: Year 2010

Saratoga Battlefield
Summer 2010
K.Pugliano

 
Wow. This year has most definitely flown by, hasn’t it?

One of my favorite bloggers, Scary Mommy had this idea to do write a ‘Year in Review’ post and I thought- hey, that would be fun!

After going through the year, I am amazed at all that we have been through on Mom Got Blog. We have grown quite a bit from our beginnings! We made it to a National Blogging Contest, we had our first giveaway, we had a month of building a better blog, we joined new communities, we gained some fantastic blogging friends, we began to showcase other bloggers for Blogger of the Month and we have welcomed guest posts from around the globe.

Year 2010 would not have happened if not for you! Thank you so much for your support, comments and friendship! You have helped to grow this blog and share my voice with the masses and for that I am so grateful! Thank you for a wonderful year and I can’t wait to start 2011 with you by my side!

Here are some of my favorite posts from 2010:

January: Petra Acker, The “Sweetness" Factor {really fantastic young lady!}

February: Olympic Exhaustion {Can’t believe they were a year ago!}

March: Really?! Part 5 {I love writing these posts. Add an ‘Ex’ in there, & it gets interesting!}

April: Ben, Time is Ticking {Football & dumb moves}

May: Desperately Seeking Balance {really says it all}

June: Wordless Wednesday: Julie & Julia and For The Love of Books {could not have one without the other!}

July: Blog Bucket List {Getting through it!}

August: Dream a Little Dream {One of my favorite new friends allowed me to dream}

September: I Got Lost In the Milkyway {decadence in its purest of forms}

October: Gilligan’s Island The Chicago Series: “The Movie Star”  {One B-I-T-C-H!}

November: “Trick or Tweet” Happy Halloween {This TOT still leaves a smile on my face! Yee-haw!}

December: Single Parents are Superheroes {It is true.}


Have some of your favorites made the list? Tell me about it in the comments below!

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Wordless Wednesday::My Speedskating Rides-Marchese

Coach Paul Marchese's Short Track Skate made just for me!

Learning the Ropes

This weekend my husband and I planned a family outing to the Adirondack Mountains for a little climbing-only not by way of our normal hiking trails, but rather in the trees! That’s right; we went ‘Extreme’, Adirondack style and enjoyed a day full of thrills at the ADK Extreme Adventures, located in Bolton Landing, NY.

ADK Extreme is a place nestled in the woods just off exit 24 on the Northway providing those who travel here a chance to get a “monkey” –eyed view of the forest by completing a set of obstacles tethered high in the trees by cables. They offer five different “rope” courses, each becoming progressively higher off the ground and more difficult to maneuver. It is a great place to test your will, strength and determination all in a safe and structured environment with guides constantly at the ready to either talk you through your fear, or if need be, help you back to the ground.

Reservations are strongly recommended and after showing up for our scheduled 9:00am start time, I soon began to see why. This place was hopping! It also was a major plus that their website offered two coupons; one could be used first thing in the morning and one at a twilight session. We chose the morning session saving $10.00 per person - a BIG savings. The catch with this coupon deal-it is only good for the 8:30 or 9:00am time slot. We are early risers, so that was not an issue.

Soon after we received  harnesses our group moved over to the first course so the guides could “teach us the ropes” so to speak. We learned how to safely clip ourselves to the safety cable, how to move from each obstacle to the platform surrounding the trees, learned how to set up and use our zip-line contraption and heard their strict warning policy. If you are caught not clipped correctly, you receive a warning. If caught again, they take you out of the trees and you are done for the day. If you go beyond your comfort level and need to be “rescued”, meaning helped back to the ground, well then you are done for the day as well. After this briefing, we were sent to what I thought was the practice course to try out our new skills. You are set off to the practice course but what they don’t tell you is that this is the beginning of course one.

Did I mention that I can be paralyzed in my tracks due to my fear of heights? Can you see the terror in my eyes??

I learned quickly to focus on what was ahead of me and not to look down trying to follow that saying people say "Whatever you do, don't look down!" My son was the first to go through and he made it look easy. Then my daughter went and again, walked through the first course like a pro. Then came my turn; it took a little bit to find my footing on the moving log that was a first in a series of 8 that I needed to traverse. With my core engaged 150% trying to keep my balance, coupled with being so far off the ground (ok, I admit, I cheated and looked down) I was sweating buckets! I made it to the next platform and my husband would come up behind me and say “you are doing awesome, honey!” He could see the fear on my face.

I made it through course one.

Course two was a little more challenging. I found that my fear was turning more to focus and I began to feel a little more confident with wooden slat “bridges” that would move side to side with each step. The moving obstacles were challenging, but I felt comfortable doing them. That was until I came to what they called the “Tarzan Swing”, which was a rope that you had to swing across into a big net. For some reason, this is where my knees started to shake and I looked at my husband and said “I don’t know if I can do this.” He replied “Yes. You can.” I took a deep breath and leapt to what I was sure would be my doom. I grabbed the net and channeled my inner “Jack Black” the pirate and scaled it with ease.

I took another deep breath, this one drawn and exhaled with relief. The prize for my bravery? To clip in and ride a super long zip-line to the last obstacle of course two. This was the best (and my favorite) part of the course.

I felt a little apprehension to begin course three. At first I said no, that I was done, but after seeing my family ready to clip into another zip-line, I threw caution to the wind and yelled “wait up! I changed my mind. I’m going to do it.” With “Yay, Mom” still drifting in the air, I clipped into the zip-line and off I went. This course was higher and was full of moving logs, bridges and obstacles that sent me way out of my comfort zone. The last set of moving logs pulled something in my side and with each movement of trying to keep my balance it would send a message loud and clear “Hey! This hurts you know!” Thank goodness I was at the end and only a set of log poles to the finish.

When my feet were safely planted on the ground, I said “okay, now I’m done!” My husband and kids made their way to course four and up they went. I was so proud of them! They worked through the course with relative ease, however when finished, my daughter then said “okay, now I’m done!”

The boys decided that yes, they were going to attempt course number five, the hardest and most difficult. We wished them good luck and decided that we were going to go hit the cooler for a much needed drink and some lunch. We waited for about 45 minutes to an hour and finally heard  “Hi Guys!” We looked up and saw that my husband and son were getting ready to race on the last zip-line.

We met them in the lodge to return their harnesses. My son gave me a hug and said “I had to be rescued!” The boy who shows no fear got a big dose of it and repelled to safety after the first obstacle. My husband said that he did not know how he managed to get through the course and that we were wise to stop when we did. That was good to hear that my "Spidey Senses" were working for me to keep me on the ground and stop while I was ahead.

If you are looking for something fun and different to do with the family, I would highly recommend ADK Extreme Adventure. We all agreed that this was a blast and it was great to share encouragement and high five’s for a job well done.

We will definitely make a trip back.

Check it out!

ADK Extreme Adventure

** Plan on a full day. We started at 9:00am and pulled out of the parking lot around 2:00pm; a little under an hour for each course. Pack a lunch and sit in the great little picnic area, or on the spacious deck off the lodge. There is a small snack bar inside that sells the typical fare along with cameras if you forget yours.**

Le Tour de France, Revisited

I am going to share one of my favorite old posts. Believe it or not, this was written one year ago- to the day. It's Tour de France time again and I have been so caught up in all the crashes, that I have not had time to peel away from the tube to write about it! I have never seen so many riders "on the floor" as they say. It's crazy!

I love this time of year!

The following was written on July 9, 2009:

There is one month out of the whole year that my husband and I will agree on something to watch on TV. We enjoy a few series shows here and there, but for the most part don’t really watch the same shows. The exception comes as the calendar moves to the month of July.

The excitement in our house is palatable…an autographed water bottle from US Postal makes its way onto our mantel. An autographed Coors Light cycling team shirt drapes nearby. Outside, my garden is teeming with a variety of sunflowers ready to bloom their bright yellow heads and face the daily sun. It is time for the TV pilgrimage to France and a 3 week bike race that has us sitting on the edges of our seats and routing for our favorite riders as they race in the le Tour de France.

As I had mentioned in a previous post, I love sports. I have loved them for as long as I can remember. As a young girl I was fascinated by Ruffian and watched her tragic match race with Seattle Slew. I read everything I possibly could on how she was healing and I cried when she didn’t make it. I kept a huge poster of Secretariat, another great race horse above my bed. It was an awesome thing that looked like a headboard that went to the ceiling. This is what I looked at every night before going to bed- the muscles on this animal just amazed me.

I watched the Steelers or Cowboys play every Sunday. I watched Billy Jean King on the tennis courts. I even watched a little bit of the Indy 500. But my favorite time in front of the TV, barring Sunday night with Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom and then the Wonderful World of Disney (I’m really dating myself here) was ABC Wide World of Sports. I loved whatever they were covering- it didn’t matter- skiing, tennis, track, boxing, weightlifting- all of it. Maybe it was hearing Howard Cosell’s voice or possibly the way Jim McKay always made you feel like he was sharing the athlete’s story with just you. I couldn’t get enough. Then one Sunday as a special broadcast, they covered the Tour de France. It was 3-weeks of the entire race combined into one hour of coverage. Basically, the highlights of the tour; however, it was still exciting to watch these guys flying on their bicycles through the little towns in France. I was hooked.

Then cable arrived. Coverage of the racing started to encompass more than just a day. If you were lucky to find an obscure channel, you might have been able to catch a week’s worth of racing. But then came OLN, or now called Versus. They not only cover every stage of the race, but they cover the entire stage with commentary! That is a good 2-3 hours of bike racing! And if you missed something, they repeat the coverage 2-3 times over the course of the day! We will be able to see great feats of athleticism like that of Secretariat or Ruffian and learn a new story of a cyclist that will break away from the group and race until their legs feel like rocks and their lungs feel as though they will burn out of their body at any moment.

So, I welcome July with the anticipation of watching greatness unfold on the roads in France, in the Pyrenees and Alps and ending in Paris. I will sit with butterflies in my stomach wondering how do they go through the throngs of crazy roadside spectators and will scream “will you get out of the way already?!” at the Viking helmet clad moron that is trying to run with the cyclist-OK, maybe living in a Winnebago on the side of a mountain for 3 days with nothing else to do but drink enables one to wear the helmet, but cheer standing still!

Wordless Wednesday

After reading so many blogs in the Ultimate Blog Party, I noticed many that did something called "Wordless Wednesday". They would post a picture and maybe a caption and that would be it. I think this is something that I am going to give a try on MGB. Let me know what you think!

Here goes....


What a way to bring in the First Day of Baseball.......HAIL!!

Ben, Time is Ticking

 "Big Ben"

When most say that, they probably think of this:

However, I'm talking about this one:

If you are not a football follower, Ben Roethlisberger is the quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He has just been suspended for 6 games for his actions. It will be all over the news, so I am sure you will see, read or hear about it and I do not need to go into details here. My beef is with Ben:

Dude, grow up.

You play for a team where the city lives and breathes their sports teams. I don't think I have ever seen more black and gold than I have in Pittsburgh. You cannot go anywhere without seeing something with a beloved team (Steelers, Pirates or Penguins) on it, whether you are driving and see it on a city building, eating in a restaurant, shopping in a mall, heck, passing an athlete as you are walking down a city street. Pittsburgher's LOVE their teams and those who play on them.

But I have to say Ben, that when you cross a line, your biggest fans from the city that loves you will shun you. They will still love you deep down, but they will also want to teach you a lesson that they were hoping you would learn on your own...

Kind of like the Michael Jackson song:

"Ben, you're always running here and there

You feel you're not wanted anywhere

If you ever look behind

And don't like what you find

There's one thing you should know

You've got a place to go

(you've got a place to go)"

Pittsburgh wants you to realize that they want you to stay, but they will let you walk if they have to.

You have a good thing going...don't blow it.

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.

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!

Time for a Cool Change In Lake Placid

"The Train" Lake Placid, NY, Jan. 2010

Photo:K.Pugliano

"If there's one thing in my life that's missing
It's the time I spend alone
Sailing on the cool and bright clear waters

There's lots of those friendly people
Showin me ways to go
And I never want to lose your inspiration

Time for
a cool change..
I know that it's time
for a cool change

Now that my life
is so pre-arranged
I know that it's time
for a cool change"
-Little River Band

This skating season has really slipped by me and I have felt it. I have not practiced with either of the two clubs that I usually skate with in over 3 months and I miss them. I have been able to steal moments in the morning at a local rink to keep the skating juices flowing, but it is often lonely in those sessions because it is just me, myself and I.

I have come to a point in time where my kids are active in their own interests, which I am sad to say, does not include speedskating. This has conflicted with my usual practice time and/or competition schedule. Do not take this the wrong way, it has been great to go and support all their activities and I could not be more proud...I am just missing my time on the ice and the folks that make up my skating "family".

Last weekend, I was able to sneak away to Lake Placid for the Saturday morning session and share a much needed day on the ice with friends. It was exactly what I needed.

The night before, I made my check list of items to bring. I have had a pair of long track skates sitting in my closet for almost a year.  These were given to me by a friend to try out in the hopes that I would purchase them. In the bag they went. I also packed my old short track Bont ZX-2 boots which have awesome Comet clap blades attached-these are actually the boots I used to skate Long Track Nationals a few years ago. Long track laps should not be skated in short track boots. This I have learned from the blisters left on my ankles. Ouch. And last but not least, just in case, I did pack my Marchese short tracks. It was a comfort thing. I made my way down the check list for all the layering pieces, hats, gloves, face guard, toe warmers, etc.. You never know what you will encounter in the north country, so I always seem to over-prepare and bring way more than I need to. I went to bed early and fell asleep with visions of skates dancing in my head.

I woke up early, before my alarm, excited to start my trek. I was picking up my friend Amy on the way and looked forward to great conversation and cinnamon rolls (freshly made by Amy's husband). As I was walking out to my car, I dropped something and when I bent over to pick it up, something was spilling on the ground. I could not figure out what it could possibly be, since I didn't have anything open in my hands....until I felt hot liquid burning my wrist and sleeve. The top to the thermos I was holding in the crick of my elbow was leaking...I apparently thought that I pushed the button to close it, when I actually opened it and coffee was leaking through the cap. I thought, please do not let this be a precursor to how my day would be.

I was a half hour late picking up Amy and felt bad that I made her wait so long. She was a trooper and still offered to share homemade rolls! We settled into great conversation and before we knew it, we were ready to take our exit.

Anyone taking exit 30 off the NYS Thruway (Northway to the locals) knows from this point, or at least from the spot to the left where the hot dog vendor truck sits from spring til mid fall, the town of Lake Placid is about another 30 minutes. Route 73 is the road in and also the road out and it brings you through some of the high peaks of the Adirondack Mountains. I have been on this road so many times, that every once in a while, it is so second nature that I forget to take in the breathtaking surroundings outside the car window. This time of year, there are a few winter hikers, but it is always a thrill to try and spot the ice-climbers above Chapel Pond. You expect to find climbers to be of normal dimension, however as you slow down and scan the ice-face, you start to spot bright yellow and red spots. You don't realize how high these rock faces really are until you see those specks so high up!

The drive continues as you climb the mountains and decend into the valleys with the streams covered in snow and ice and hidden waterfalls are frozen in time. The Noon Mark Diner is the next landmark that many a hiker or outdoor adventurer has been into at least once and most likely has left with a delicious homemade pie. More climbs and then one hits what's known as "The Notch". I hate driving through here. It is a narrow two lane road that has a wall of rock on one side and a pond on the other. It is always windy and if there is fresh snow, it is blowing around so much that it can make the road icy, even on a sunny day. I always white-knuckle it through here and even more so when drivers unfamiliar with this roadway tailgate so close. It's not a long stretch, but I would rather drive 25-30 mph to get through than end up smashed against a boulder (which I have seen) or end up in the pond.

After this stretch, the road widens to two lanes and you make a steady climb up and pass the Mt. Van Hoevenberg complex which has the sled (Bobsled, luge & skeleton) tracks and cross-country skiing facility. Next you pass the Ski Jumps. These athletes must be the bravest on the planet; at least in the mind of this height-fearing mortal. Have you ever gone to the top of a ski jump? I've been to the top of the taller jump-(sight-seeing with friends) and the sight that I saw made my knees knock together and threw my stomach into knots. You could not pay me enough money to ever, ever do that sport! 

Next are the Horse Show grounds. In the back is the the Olympic Torch from 1980. It is smaller than one would imagine, but still majestic in it's simplicity and it has Whiteface Mountain as it's backdrop.

A few winding turns snakes you to the traffic light that turns left on to Main Street. On the left sits the Olympic Oval, the jewel of Lake Placid and where American speedskater, Eric Heiden accomplished his "Miracle on Ice" by decorating his gold skinsuit with 5 gold medals. A mere car ride places me (or anyone at all) on the very venue that this feat was acheived! How amazing is that??!

Amy and I arrived at the oval 15 minutes before the session started. I sat in the waming hut lacing up my skates as Amy took to the road outside for a quick run to warm up. I know I should have gone with her, but I was so ready to get out on the ice that I decided just to go and skate. A lot of familiar faces were there and hello's and how've you been's made their way through the crowd. The zamboni was finally finished and out the door I went, skates clap-clapping the whole way.

I stepped out into the most brillant day that I have seen at the oval. There was not a cloud in the deep blue sky, nor was there any wind, which is most rare here. After a friend was so kind to offer a shoulder to lean on while removing my skate guards, I was off.

I am a short track skater. I'm used to tight, fast turns and not the wide expansive turns on the long track oval. When I make my way through a turn, I seem to alternate my cross over with a straight-a-way stroke. I put too much pressure in my crossover and I am forver sending myself into the center instead of gliding my way around with multiple crossover steps. I have tried to teach myself this techinque for years now and even with extra help from other patient skaters I still haven't mastered it! I know I am not good at it, but it has not deterred me from continuing to try.

And to let you in on a little secret? I'm okay with it! Long track for me is something that brings pure joy. I love to skate outside. I love that I can take advantage of the long straight a ways. Here I can really feel the push and glide and the slow roll to the edge of my skates. This is something I don't have on the short track because in two strokes I'm into the next turn! Of course, technically I do have this on the short track, but it is so quick. Long track lets me savor and appreciate the rock and the roll of the glide. It's like a dance. Short track would be the Tango, Long track the Waltz.

For two solid hours, I skated outside in the warm (29 degrees!), sunny morning. Well, actually I should omit 10 minutes from that skate time. I did go in to change into my Bonts. I skated the first hour in the borrowed set-up and decided that I found the boots to be very comfortable, but the blades not so much. I suffered through the last hour in my old boots, however, skating on the Comet blades was well worth it. As soon as I got back outside, I could feel the "grip" right away. This actually helped my turns and by the end of the last hour, I was so happy to have done three crossover steps...IN A ROW!  To me the session ended in success!

Our friend Lisa made it for the last hour of the session and afterward, we decided to go to our favorite soup and sandwhich deli and we filled up on warm cozy goodness and tales from Lisa's recent trip to London.

Amy and I were soon on our way home. It was nice to wind down with a cup of hot cider and coffee and more fantastic conversation. Travels always seem to pass quickly when good stories are at hand!

I enjoyed an absolutely stellar day. Sometimes the soul just needs a cool change to slow down from the over-scheduled hectic life and allow one to rock and roll and dance in the moment of pure joy.

  

Dear Ice, I'll Love Ya Tomorrow

My view before heading out to the rink.

I missed my morning workout yesterday because I had not one, but two sniffling, coughing, "my throat hurts" kids home sick. I completely empathized with them, for not too long ago, I was inflicted with the same exact thing. So, I gladly catered to tea making, Gatorade pouring and any- food- you- feel- like- eating- making.

Today, one sucked it up (they have a game later- and they don't want to sit out) and went to school, the other remained home, sounding a little better, but still having that glassy-eyed look. After getting "sicky" settled, I decided to head to the rink to make up for yesterday's absence, even though I really didn't feel like going.

I showed up an hour into the two hour session. Better late than never. I laced up my skates and walked through the doors into the cool rink and thought, I do not want to be here. But, I continued to walk toward the ice, through the hockey box and opened the heavy door. I stepped onto the ice, carefully took my blade guards off, closed the door and pushed off to glide to my warm up laps. As soon as I finished my warm up, I knew how the rest of this hour would go. Today was going to feel like a "maintenance" day. Get the laps in and get out.  I really hate days like these. I mean this is the sport I love, it should never feel like a chore.

But, you know what? Sometimes, it just does. I'm ok with that because I've learned that no two days on the ice are ever the same.

Tomorrow will be a new day to work through laps and I will love every single minute of it!

"Thrill of Victory or The Agony of Defeat"

We are less than a month away from the 2010 Olympic Games! Before we know it, the world will be experiencing the opening ceremonies and we will prepare to witness true greatness unfold before our eyes, whether that be on the ice, slopes or in the snow.

As an athlete, I find that I play hard, do my very best in competition and wait for results to be posted to see how I did. With almost any competition I have ever competed in, results are posted either immediately or at the very least the next day in the newspaper (or online). Waiting longer than that, well, would be torture.

Well, the last few weeks I have been struggling. Struggling with how to get results to you, my friends, family (and supporters that I have not met) that voted for me in the Microsoft Office Winter Contest. The announcement of who will be blogging from Vancouver has been postponed, again, until next week. I wish I could tell you why, but unfortunately, I do not even understand the logic behind it. I have had the song "I'm Tired" from the movie "Blazing Saddles" sung by Madeline Kahn looping in my head this past week, especially this part:

"I'm tired.
Tired of playing the game.
Ain't it a crying shame.
I'm so tired."

 I wish I could award all of you a gold medal for patience!

I went through YouTube and found something that will tickle the heartstrings of any sports fan. This is how most of us growing up in the late 60's and through the 80's experienced sports. It caught one's attention and held it for the length of the program. This classic opening started my love affair with sports.

I have experienced the very tag line which made this clip famous.

Victory or Defeat, I will pick myself up, dust myself off and return to the start line. That's what every true athlete does, right?

Petra Acker, "The Sweetness" Factor

L to R: Sam Marsicano, Kelly Pugliano, Petra Acker & Josh Cummings

This photo feels like ages ago, but it is only a few years old. Sam, who used to be our much loved babysitter is now in college and a breath-taking beauty. Josh is now taller than me and is one of, well, most likely, the nicest young man I have ever met and should be on the watch list of up and coming skaters. Rounding out this photo with me is Petra Acker, a true talent in both discipline's (short and long track) of speedskating.

When I first started speedskating 8 years ago, I would go to a local rink and practice almost every day. Skating and offering advice was the world-known speedskater, Howard Ganong. Hanging out in the middle of the ice, looking bored and sitting on a big white bucket was Howard's granddaughter, Petra. She was very shy, but always said hello before going back to playing on her bucket. Who knew in a few short years she would be globe-trotting to Poland and China as a Junior World Team member!

It seems around this time the three of us-Josh, Petra and I were introduced to a well known coach in the speedskating community; Casey Wager. He had retired from the sport for many years but started to show up at the rink to lace up his skates just to "get some laps in". After a few months, Howard had talked to Casey to see if he would mind showing Petra a few exercises to do on the ice so that she didn't seem so bored. Casey obliged and realized he had a diamond in the rough; Josh and Petra have always been two peas in a pod-the best of friends-so when Casey helped Petra, Josh was learning as well. Now Casey had two diamonds and out of retirement he came.

I was like the "Auntie" of the group. Helping them along, and offering advice or support whenever they needed it. In turn, they helped me out by making me chase. The kids and I would do the technical items that were given to practice and the laps that Casey would dish out. It only took a couple of seasons for both Josh & Petra to outskate me. I remember the first time I realized it.  We were doing passing drills and I could tell they were holding back. "Keep going, Kelly." Josh would say in an encouraging voice. "Yes, come on, Kelly." Petra would echo as I tried to make my way to the front. "Don't go slow on my account!" I would say. So this day they both turned on the gas a little and started to put some distance between us. All I can remember saying is "You little stink-pots!"

My first season as a competitive speedskater I skated in the Novice class. There is a great story here, but I will save for another day. I came to the last meet of the season and decided that I wanted to skate in my age class, so that is what I signed up for. I thought "I've been skating all season-I can do this no problem". Did I get humbled, real quick. I had never skated a 1500m before and I maybe skated a 1000m once during that year. I remember thinking "Oh, my. How am I going to finish this." but worse; I was mortified that I was lapped, not once, but many times. Funny, thinking about this now because the 1000m and 1500m are my favorite and best distances to skate!

The following year, Casey had us skating this meet and I remember that it was the first time Petra had competed. She was a nervous wreck and I thought she was going to literally get sick from the butterfies in her stomach. Her mom and dad tried calming her down, but it wasn't working. Sometimes, to talk to a speedskater, you have to be a speedskater. Petra's mom asked if I could talk to her. I remember her expression and I shared with her the story I just shared with you. I assured her that she would most definitely be spared the mortification of being lapped because she was good enough NOT to get lapped. Then we came up with a handshake and a mantra for her to focus on. We gave eachother a sliding horizontal "five" and I said "It's all Sweetness. No matter what, have F-U-N! Now give me some sweetness!" We did this before every race that day.  It seemed to work in both of our favors-neither one of us were lapped and we both medaled!

Last season, Petra earned a spot on the Jr.World Long Track team and traveled to Poland. Before she left, I wished her well and held out my hand and said "Give me some Sweetness!" Her face lit up and she exclaimed "Oh, Kelly! Yes! I forgot about that! Yes, Sweetness!" and she placed her hand on top of mine as we gave eachother a horizontal-five and then a big hug.

Petra has matured into a beautiful young lady. Poised and confident to take on the world. I am so lucky to know her and I could not be more proud.

Petra returned yesterday from Taipei City, China after competing on the Junior Short Track World Team. After checking the results, I say she did awesome. Click here for article on US Speedskating and to see full results. I'm sure that the road to an Olympic Games will be very near in her future. A long way from the center of the ice and a big white bucket.

Rest assured, not only does Petra have the "It" factor, she has the "Sweetness" factor.

U.S. Long Track Olympic Team Set For Vancouver

Visit usspeedskating.org to purchase this pin!

Can you believe that the Winter Olympic Games are only 43 days away?! I am so excited to see the games this year as I have a vested interest! I have friends that have literally gone through blood, sweat and tears to make this dream a reality and experiencing the Olympics this February will have special meaning.

As I mentioned a couple days ago, the second half of Olympic Trials were taking place in Salt Lake City, UT.  The final team spots were fought for with great fervor.  All the years of training and sacrifice came down to a single moment in time of make or break and skaters left it all out there.

This photo was taken by Jerry Search in which he called this "witnessing 110%"

Rebekah Bradford had one shot left to make her dream come true. During her 1000m race, she fell coming up to the finish line. One thing about this sport of speedskating, it can bring you down to the lowest of lows and then just as quickly to the highest of highs. The Low: you try to come to grips with "ok, this is it. My shot for this year is done." You cry for the loss of all the months of training and sacrifice and the pain you put your body through for just this moment. You cry because you feel like you let your family and friends down, which of course is not the case, but as an athlete you feel that way when you don't perform up to your own expectations.  The High: you are extended a reskate. You try to come to grips with "ok, this is it. My last shot for this year." You wipe your tears and refocus with an intensity that you yourself didn't know you had. "Bekah" skated and earned her spot on the Olympic Team with a 1.16.36 (which is FAST), breaking her own personal record by .3 seconds. The opposite happened to Kelly Gunther, who skated a 1.17.12, which before Rebekah's reskate, had her as an Olympian.  The High: I made the team! The Low: watching your spot pass you by for your teammate.

So many of these high's and low's took place at the oval that it gives everyone cause to deal with the conflicting feelings of elation and heartbreak.

Vancouver will welcome the following US Long Track Olympic Team members:

Shani Davis 500, 1000, 1500, 5000, 10,000
Chad Hedrick 1000, 1500, 5000, Team Pursuit
Trevor Marsicano 1000, 1500, 5000, Team Pursuit
Nick Pearson 500, 1000
Brian Hansen 1500, Team Pursuit
Tucker Fredricks 500
Mitchell Whitmore 500
Ryan Bedford 10,000
Jonathan Kuck Team Pursuit


Jilleanne Rookard 1500, 3000, 5000, Team Pursuit
Jen Rodriguez 500, 1000, 1500, Team Pursuit
Heather Richardson 500, 1000, 1500
Elli Ochowicz 500, 1000
Catherine Raney Norman 3000, Team Pursuit
Nancy Swider-Peltz, Jr. 3000, Team Pursuit
Lauren Cholewinski 500
Rebekah Bradford 1000
Maria Lamb 5000

I have had the honor of meeting many of these skaters, some from short track meets a long time ago and some from the World Cup meet in October. The USA will be well represented in Vancouver, that's for sure!
 
I have been helping with a blog for my friend Trevor Marsicano. If you have a chance, check it out sometime to see what he is up to on his journey to the Olympic Games.
 
If you are on Facebook, then become a fan of US Speedskating to get the latest updates and stories of your USA athletes! US Speedskating is also on Twitter! Follow them @usspeedskating .
 
Congratulations to everyone!

Long Track Olympic Trials

This weekend, speedskaters are pouring their hearts and souls into last ditch efforts to make the Olympic Team and to represent the USA in Vancouver come February.

I know I said I was taking a few days off from blogging, but I just got news via Twitter and phone call that my friend and fellow speedskater, Trevor Marsicano has just added another distance to his Olympic skating card! Just a few moments ago, he won his 5000m distance, earning him a spot on the team! I just had to share this great, great news! I am so proud of him.

I will be back in the next day or two and will be sure to let you know how Trevor and the rest of your USA team did this weekend in Salt Lake City!

US Long Track National Championships/Olympic Trials

Do you have Olympic fever yet?

Well, get ready! It is almost here! Only 51 days to go until athletes from around the world come together to compete in Vancouver at the Olympic Games.

After a grueling travel schedule for the World Cup circuit, US Long Track speedskaters are back in Salt Lake City, UT and will have one more shot at earning their place on the 2010 Olympic Team. Over 70 skaters will be competing for the final open spots. You can be sure that athletes will be focused and will provide all-out efforts in chasing their dream.

US Long Track National Championships are being held December 26-29 at the Utah Olympic Oval. Be sure to catch the latest updates on US Speedskating or follow on Twitter @usspeedskating. Another great site for results is http://www.speedskatingresults.com/ .

Skaters have started their trek to Utah and will be training through the Christmas holiday. I have a feeling that many of the athletes have the same Christmas wish this year: Let me be the fastest across the line.

Good Day Sunshine

My morning run yesterday was gorgeous. I started just before the orange-pink sun made its way over the horizon. There is something extremely peaceful the dawn after a snowfall. All  is covered in fluffy white, creating a softness to everything and as the sun peaks, it makes the snow shine that special sparkle. The road traveled was icy and made my pace slow and deliberate.

Probably not the best time to take a picture. I just held it in front and snapped, making it a little blurry. Better blurry than falling!

What a great way to start a day!

Long Track American Cup II, Day 2

Long Track American Cup II continues Sunday, December 6, in Roseville, MN. Be sure to check out some great skating via live feed today from 9am-2pm (CST). Click here.

To see the latest results, go to http://www.speedskatingresults.com/ and click on American Cup II Roseville (USA). This will give you all the latest updates on how your favorite skaters are doing! A quick shout out to Matt Rittenhouse for skating a 4.52.35 in his 3000m yesterday earning him a 14th place position and Season Best (SB) and Personal Record (PR)! Another goes to Andrew Hodor for skating a 4.34.44 in his 3000m and placing in the top 10 (6th place)! Mary Kate Hodor is also skating well with a 28th place finish in her 1500m and 29th place in her 500m.

World Cup 4 is also taking place this weekend in Calgary, Canada. The USA team is skating well! Trevor Marsicano earned a 7th place finish in his 1500m with a Season Best (SB) time of 1.43.92. In the same distance, Chad Hedrick earned a Gold Medal with a Season Best (SB) and Personal Record (PR) of 1.42.14. Shani Davis was a close second earning the Silver Medal with a Season Best (SB) of 1.42.19. Denny Morrison (Canada) earned the Bronze Medal with a Season Best (SB) of 1.42.74.

Results for the World Cup in Calgary can also be found on http://www.speedskatingresults.com/ .

Good luck to all the skaters competing this weekend!

Long Track Speedskating American Cup II, Roseville, MN

No, this is not Roseville, MN.  This is the FIRST SNOW OF THE SEASON hitting my deck! It always takes that first sight of the fluffy white stuff to get me into the holiday spirit. As the light fades into evening, the twinkling of lights outlining houseframes and bushes will shine through the neighborhood as they have for the last few nights. However, tonight there will be a special "magic" in the air because the snow (which is now about an inch and no longer a dusting as in the photo) will give a special background and feeling that the holiday will soon be here!

The first snow also makes me giddy at the realization that the speedskating oval in Lake Placid will be open soon! I am really looking forward to being outside and skating lap upon lap until I feel the need to step into the warming hut to warm up the skates and legs and such. For those that have skated at this venue, you know it is cold and has a wind that always blows against your face down the backstretch. I'm not talking just a breeze either. The force can be so strong, that at times will slap you like a sucker-punch when you come out of the turn and stand you straight up, no matter how hard to try to fight or "skate through" it. I will go until I have had a good two hour work out trying to master those corners or until I am just tired of the elements beating me up! The next best thing of being in Lake Placid  is going through the quaint little town and getting a coffee or homemade soup with friends.

Some of the good folks I skate with are in Roseville, MN this weekend competing in the American Cup II series long track races. What is great about these races is they are being carried by live feed and you can watch from the comfort of your computer if you are, like me, nowhere near Roseville! Click here! to watch some great skating.

Good luck to everyone in Roseville!

Now it's time for a cozy cup of hot chocolate and to sharpen my long track blades....

The Sharpening "Jig"

This my friends (not in the speedskating world) is called a jig. It is one tool that EVERY speedskater owns (or borrows). It is a contraption that holds our skates upside down and by turning the clamp will keep the millimeter thick blades into place. Unlike the hockey and figure skating blades which can be sharpened by machine, the speedskating blade has to be sharpened by good old elbow grease. That is one commonality that both the Olympic caliber and novice skaters share; the art of maintaining your own equipment.

My jig is an old relic (paid $35.00) compared to new sporty models (hundreds of dollars), but for me it gets the job done and is actually made for the brand of blades I have (Pennington). I am now close to purchasing a new set of blades and I'm afraid when I do that, a new jig will have to follow. Ca-ching. That price tag will probably run close to $500.00 for both. Now you know why I actually did dance a jig when I gladly paid a friend $35.00 for my jig 8 years ago.

Another item or two that you may see in this photo is a  Diamond sharpening stone and a bottle of baby oil. Sharpening stones are all a matter of personal preference. If using a true stone, then oil is required to provide a slight film to help the gliding surface over the metal blade. The Diamond stone has two sides and (depending on the color dot in the corner-which measures the grit factor) only requires a little bit of water.  I have two stones- the Diamond to sharpen and a smooth polishing stone which I use the baby oil. I've tried the "skater oil" and it smells. My family would always complain; "ugh! That STINKS! Can't you do that somewhere else?" So, for the sake of my family I switched to a much more pleasant smell of baby oil. It works just as good and I will have to admit, it's better to smell like a baby than a gas station- you see, I also learned that keeping sharpening stuff in the same bag as skinsuits and clothes is not a great idea because the smell permeates everything!

At any competition you will be able to see skaters hunched over this apparatus going back and forth, back and forth- arms extended out in front, then retracted close. Some do this motion quickly, others more deliberately. We can be in the stands, lined up against a wall (great by the way especially when your back hurts!) or in the locker room. Depending on the ice conditions, this ritual may occur after every distance skated. There is usually very sporadic conversation between skaters when doing this. Why you ask? Because we are counting. It's hard to talk and count at the same time. For me, depending on how bad the blades are, I like to use a 15-20 count in 3 directions. When my arms are extended, that would be a "one-count". This is repeated until you feel a "burr" (the small amount of metal that is pushed over the blade edge) which you can test by "plucking" the edge- kind of like a guitar string. Then with another piece of metal you slide it down your blade and cut the burr off.  There are other processes that go into sharpening, polishing and de-burring, but this is the gist of it.

Since our blades are so thin and long (15-17 inches) and the fact that speeds can reach close to 28mph, it is very important to have sharp blades. Skaters have to not only propel themselves around the track but also balance their entire weight on the left outside edge of the blade. If this is not sharp, it will not "grip" the ice and you will see the skater fall. During racing if a skater seems to give up or all of a sudden, seems to just run out of gas, or stands straight up,  watch their feet. They may pick up their foot and look at it. Most likely they have just "stripped an edge". They probably hit a piece of dirt or even a piece of ice frozen on top of the ice. You can feel when that happens because your foot begins to slip and you are no longer in control. It's better to finish last on one skate than risk serious injury.

This photo was taken this morning before starting my 20 minute ritual; now I am off to the rink to get lost in the rhythm of short track dance with solid footing, even on ice.