Peace Be The Journey

I have had a two topics rolling about in my brain for the last few months, and I now feel like there's enough substance behind them to share. I've been learning so much this summer about perception and fear. Honesty alert: This is me being completely transparent, so be prepared to get real for a few minutes.  Perception is a way of regarding, understanding or interpreting something; a mental impression. It is the act of careful observation, of watching and listening. We pay close attention to someone or something in order to get information. This summer I have been learning that perception can be both good and bad, but either way it has a profound effect on my life.  I'm sure you've heard the phrase, "Sports are 90% mental and 10% physical." We often let our minds dictate what we have the ability to accomplish, even if we are capable of so much more. We pay close attention to how other people view us and base our lives what they think we're capabl

I have had this video finished for over a year now and finally published it. This is a short look into what goes on behind the scenes to make our 60 second trips down the hill possible. If you read this blog regularly, you already know everything I'm about to tell you, but it still amazes me every time I think how much work we put into this sport for roughly 18 minutes of competition time each year that no one even notices until Olympic year. That's 18 minutes if you get to compete in all the races. This year I was allowed to compete in 4 races, for a total of 8 minutes of competition. I roughly estimate I spent 460 hours in the gym and 350 hours at the track this year for 8 minutes of competition. Goodness...I've never done that calculation before. It's a little painful to think about. Before we ever jump in the sled, hours are spent sitting in meetings, analyzing film, watching POV and doing mind runs. The more mentally prepared you are before you get to the

Sunday I was snuggled up under a blanket looking out the window as the rain kept coming down. The weather has turned chilly here in Texas, and it was much like any rainy day at the bobsled track. Somehow the wind can get that one rain drop down the back of your neck no matter how much you bundle up and as soon as you walk outside that cold, wet wind slaps you in the face. It's just unpleasant, and it's much easier to be thankful for the rain once I'm inside curled up on the sofa. The rainy weather had me in a reminiscent mood. My third season has officially come to an end, and I can't believe how time has flown by. It is yet again bittersweet to come back to real life. So many of my friends went to driving school in Lake Placid, and I was not there with them. New York is still deeply ensconced in winter. It's much easier for them to maintain the ice late in the season, which is why they keep the track open until the end of March. It was hard to see all the picture

I haven't been in the mood to write in weeks. I must admit I'm still not really feeling it today, but that is no excuse. I've decided it is time. I can't believe I missed the whole month of January. Crazy how time flies when you're busy living life. We are currently just a few short days from the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. Can't wait to watch! It will be so much more exciting this time around since I know so many of the competitors from around the world in several sports, not just bobsled. More on that to come, but we'll start out with this awesome video by NBC:   Are you ready for Sochi? I know I am! Now, let's backtrack to my last post about bobsled. The best, worst roadtrip ever came to an end, and I found myself back in Park City, Utah, forerunning the next set of North America's Cup races. Forerunning? Yes, you heard me right. The World Cup team was allotted the 3 NAC races held in Park City so they could build a buffer of