I haven't posted in a good while... Its been a solid 6 months of constant change.  I decided to move back to Tulsa the end of October in order to figure out where my heart was and what I truly wanted to do (school, sports, work).  Into my parents house I went.. moving all my stuff back.  I was sad to leave Dallas because I felt as if I was just getting situated... making new friends and such, but I knew it was for the best.  See, a part of me had been missing.  Kind of like feeling heart broken.  You just feel something is not right.  For a good while I had pushed that feeling aside.  Saying, "just move on... just do this or that... ignore the feelings"  The feeling I am talking about it my desire to continue vaulting.  When I finished up college track my senior year I was ready for a break and I needed it really bad.  I was running through at practice and just lost my mojo... plus my senior year did not go as I had hoped.  But after a year and a half of exploring other sports and trying to find a new passion, I knew where my heart really was. On the track.  So moving back kind of had a hidden purpose that allowed me to not feel so bad about moving back... I knew I could go back and vault.  My second week back in Tulsa I vaulted for the first time.  I had no idea what to expect.  If i could plant the pole, if I would run through, what my technique would look like. .. but to my surprise it all came back pretty easily. Thank God! Now my only problem was the weight I had gained over the past year and a half... some body fat and some muscle from the bobsled training... I got going back at DSD (dynamic sports dev.) because I knew they would push me and log everything and plus I got to train with other athletes continuing their athletic careers.  I am a month and a week into training and I feel great! I have lost 7lbs and dropped 2% body fat so its a work in progress.. Still working on getting back great form for pole vault... and we have a meet dec. 17 so that will be a good starting place for me.

New Adventures in Dallas!

I have decided to venture into the world of fitness competitions! Why? I have no idea! lol..  No I guess it is just the inner competitor in me that is always striving to be the best I can be and take on new adventures.  It is almost not even about where I am going, but the experiences I gain along the way.  I have no idea where doing fitness comps are going to get me, but I have learned so much from everything else I have done that I figure I will learn something valuable from this. haha.. or at least lets hope so.  I am currently 13 weeks out of my first comp., which is Heart of Texas Sept. 10.  I am pretty excited and have the most amazing trainer ever!! He has already coached one pro figure female so I am hoping to be his second! well see... anyways.. I am currently living in Dallas and loving it! The entertainment and nightlife is phenomenal! yes I said phenomenal. that is my word! But it is hard because I cant go out and drink much less really like to but it can be hard with my diet.  I never mind going out and socializing though :)  I am working at Gold's Gym Uptown and looking to adventure into getting my personal training cert... well see... I am really looking for something big to happen in my life.  I know it is coming... not here yet.. but rumbling under the surface... I think God is testing my patience and seeing if I can put all my trust in Him.  He has put everything in front of me and in a specific sequence so it is up to me to follow it and trust in Him that it will all work out.  I cant wait to see what it to come.  Big things tho!!!

Wrapping Up First Half

After Calgary I returned to Park City, Utah for several weeks of sliding.  Of course getting to Park City was an adventure in itself.. I drove back with a couple of my teammates, but because we left a day later then what we should have left we ran into what was supposedly "the worst snow storm" in a long time.. something like that.. We stopped for dinner in Helena, Montana at Buffalo Wild Wings but heard the weather was supposed to be pretty bad south of where we were so we decided to stay in Helena for the night.  We got hooked up with a suite at a Marriott so it wasn't so bad!  The second we got to the hotel I hit up the hot tub because it was huge! Definitely a relaxing way to unwind after a long car ride from Calgary. The next day we were planning on heading out, but got word that the roads in Idaho were closed, so we made the best of it and found a gym down the street to work out at.  At least we were able to be productive!  The best part of having to stay another day was the hotel had taco night! This meant free dinner AND we got free beer.  Man Marriott knows how to treat their guests right! haha.. The next day we were able to make a run for it and finally made it to Park City.

The next day was Thanksgiving.  This was the first Thanksgiving I had spent away from home and the family. Fortunately there were about 9 of us on the team in Park City so we decorated and made a lot of yummy food for Thanksgiving dinner. It was pretty darn good too! Bobsledders love food so when we dont have to worry about making weight on race day its feast time. lol.

The next week I slid with Jazmine and we took about 4 runs a day so we got a good amount of sliding in thats for sure! This past week the World Cup teams came to Park City to train before the World Cup races this past weekend.  I had the chance to forerun at some of the practices and at the 4man race.  A forerunner is a sled that goes down before/in between heats/after the race to make sure timing eyes are working correctly and the track is ready to go.  It was a really great experience to be around all the World Cup teams and see what athletes who have been in this sport for several years look like, how they train, and how they compete.

My favorite day was yesterday at the 4man race...  I had the opportunity to forerun with Jamie.  There were a lot of people that had come out to watch the race so people were lined up along both sides of the starting stretch of the track.  When they see a US sled get ready to go everyone gets fired up and the little kids chant "U.S.A., U.S.A"  and people ring the cow bells.  I couldn't imagine what it would be like at the Olympics!  All the support definitely fuels adrenaline throughout your body.  Our runs were pretty good.. Especially the first one where Jamie did a personal best time for getting down the track and our start time was the fastest I had pushed on that track.  Overall a great experience that will stick me over the next few weeks of training hard to get ready for the second half of season.

The beginning is officially underway…

 

On Friday I competed in my first official America’s Cup bobsled race.  I was the brakeman for Jamie Greubel.  Our race was in Calgary, Alberta, Canada at the Canadian Olympic Park.  After a long 14-hour drive to Calgary, I settled into a house that belonged to a friend of Jamie.  We had 2 runs Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday to get acquainted to the track.  Wednesday was a rough day because we crashed both runs.  Crashes are crazy because one second you are sitting upright and another second you’re upside down being dragged down the track.  I was a little more worried this time because I knew where I was in the track and knew it was going to be a long upside down ride down the track since we crashed in curve 7… There are 14 curves in the Calgary track.  Fortunately we stopped in curve 10 so it wasn’t the worst-case scenario.  I was a little nervous waiting in the start house for our second run though.  I tried my best to not think about it and let Jamie see me upset, but for some reason my emotions had their coffee that morning and were quite alert.  Bummer.  After our second crash that night Jamie and I were both beat… literally. Bruised and banged up.  Thursday night after practice we got the sled all ready for the race.  This means washing and waxing the sled, and sanding runners.  Sanding runners took up about 4 hours, and your hands are typically black from sandpaper dustings afterwards. 

Friday was race day!  Races were at 6pm.  When we warm up for practice and races we do it in the parking lot by the top of the track.  This parking lot is covered in packed snow so you typically have to wear ice walkers so you don’t slip.  Oh and its below zero Fahrenheit.  The snot in your nose freezes it’s so cold.  Once you get warmed up its not too bad.  Plus you have so much adrenaline.  Both runs went great! I remember on my second run we were going down the track and as I was looking down at the bottom of the sled I was counting the curves and just thinking, “Come on Jamie, you can do it! We’re almost there… You got it!”  As we went around curve 14 I was stoked!  I pulled the brakes and once we came to a stop we gave each other big high fives and hugs.  Pulling the brakes was actually pretty difficult in Calgary.  The finish stretch is pretty flat so with the speed from coming down the track makes it hard to brake abruptly.  Plus, your hands are cold and sometimes it is hard to maintain the pulling back and the brakes slip from your hands.  Fortunately I didn’t have any mistakes and was able to brakes with no problems.  We finished in 3^rd.

Later that night we had our awards ceremony where I received my first medal for bobsled.  They even had the flag ceremony and played our national anthem because one of the U.S. girls got 1^st.   I can’t explain the feelings from race day.  It is so inspirational to see all these great athletes doing what they love with such passion.  I feel as if some of the passion is growing within me.  The desire to be the best… The desire to be the strongest and fastest.  The desire to compete for the U.S.A.  To stand on that awards stand and hear our anthem.  I can only imagine what it must be like for the athletes at the Olympics.  The pride that rushes through your body must be unexplainable.  I would have no problem giving everything I got and sacrificing everything I have to own that moment in the future.  The fire from inside has been lit and I cannot wait to see what God has in store for me during this adventure.  

2010 Team Trials

On October 27-28 we had team trials in Lake Placid, New York.  I raced on the second race day with Elana Meyers.  Race day is basically the biggest adrenaline rush ever.  I have never competed in a “race” type sport, so this was new to me.  We began the day by getting the runners on the sled and to the starting dock.  Everyone lines up their sled upside down to work on the runners (blades).  Before the race we warm-up on a concrete street about 75 yards long.  After warming up we get all our gear on, which consists of our spikes, burn vest, and speed suit.  I’m not going to lie, it was pretty cool putting on a speed suit that said “USA” on it.  In college track I had a teammate that had all sorts of USA apparel because he competed for USA at some national and international meets.  I was always jealous and wanted the chance to wear that kind of gear, to compete for the “USA.”  Even though this was only team trials, it was a start.  We all got pretty hyped right before the race.  You begin to feel the adrenaline build-up and you can’t wait for your turn. 

As our turn approached I stepped outside to the sled, helped get it to the starting spot, put on my helmet, did a few last minute drills, and put my gloves on.  As Elana came out to join me at the start I was so excited… definitely not nervous.  The announcer clears the track for the start, Elana puts her hand out towards the push bar, I say “set,” and were off! People inside the start house open up the windows and holler at you as you sprint down the track.  As we began our first run down the ice I was going through the turns in my head paying attention to where we were in the track so I can lean the right direction.  We had made it to the 19^th curve out of 20 and as we exited curve 19 we rolled over.  We had gone from speeding down the track to on our side hearing a loud crashing noise as we slide to a stop.  I knew exactly what had happened.  While we were sliding at about 70mph down the track I could feel myself getting sucked out of the sled but I knew not to kick out.  Elana turned toward me and grabbed my arm and was asking me if I was ok, which I was fine.  I could feel the burning sensation run from the back of my right shoulder to my right hip.  Once we stopped the track crew helped us out and we were both checked out and cleared by the trainers.  Fortunately we could still take our second run and even was given a third since we crashed.  I didn’t second-guess whether I should go again one bit.  Crashing was inevitable so I knew the best thing I could do was get back up to that start dock and help Elana finish her runs.  That’s my job and I would do it for any one of the drivers. 

After the completion of Team Trials the committee announced the national team.  Unfortunately I did not make the national team, but I am able to compete on the America’s Cup Circuit.  I also have the opportunity to make the national team for the second half of the season as changes can be made to the circuits depending on performances. 

We are now in Park City, Utah training and have our first official America’s Cup races this week.  After this week we will go to Calgary for a week then back to Park City for three weeks. 

Sliding day!

Today was an eventful day to say the least!  We started out at 9am going to the sheds where the sleds are kept.  Before going down the track we have to check the sleds and make sure their blades (runners)  are one properly and mechanics are working perfectly!  After the sleds were ready to go we went up to the start house where we unloaded the sleds and hung out to get ready for sliding (going down the track).  While we waited for our turn to go down we worked on getting all our gear on.

Gear typically includes:  a cotton tshirt (because cotton wont burn your skin if you tip over), spandex leggings, a burn vest, another shirt on top of that, a onesy (sp) which is basically a jumpsuit that covers your arms and legs and zips up in the front,  a helmet, mouthgaurd, bobsled spikes, gloves.  LOTS of gear. but the good thing about all the gear is it keeps you warm in the cold!

While we wait we also help get the sleds into position to get ready to go down... who ever knew there was a technique to doing it.  you have to be very careful because those puppies are expensive and one little scratch can make all the difference.  All of us rookies were pretty excited to go down.. probably a little too excited with all the adrenaline running through us.  I am sure some of the veterans were thinking we were crazy.. haha..

Once it was my turn to go down, my driver and I, Jasmine, got our sled into position on the ice.  For the first day we would have the driver sitting in the sled and the brakeman (me)  would just push it to get it going then hop in real fast.  It wasnt too difficult getting into the sled, which I was kind of worried about.  Next came the actual trip down the ice!  If you ever have seen bobsledding on tv it is basically what it looks like... fast and being bounced around like a pinball.  Whenever you go into a turn your head might slame into the side and bounce off the wall and you definately feel the g-forces pressing you into the sled.  (that's definately a feeling you dont get on a daily basis and I dont think I've ever felt that before)

When you get to the end of the track, for today we just hopped out of the sled and had to push it up the hill to the finish platform.  This is where I felt really useless today.  After such a crazy ride I always needed a second to get my bearings back... so i wasn't too good at getn the sled up the hill... To make it worse it was like a blizzard outside and snow had piled up on the track at the finish... this made it really hard because you would keep slipping.  After our run we had to load up the sleds on the truck which then took the sleds back up the start house...

and then we did it all over again.  haha..

but it was a great first day and i hope you enjoyed learning what all went on!

til next time...

I need a what!? What's that for?!

During my last visit to the training center I had plenty of time to talk with the other girls and guys who have been on the U.S. team in years past.  We shared many breakfasts, lunches, and dinners together discussing all the equipment needed in the sport of bobsledding.  Fortunately as a brakeman I am not responsible for purchasing my own bobsled ($25,000).  That purchase is made by the drivers.  Ouchies! That'll burn a hole in your pocket real fast.  However, because this is my first year I have plenty other items I need to purchase to make it through my first year as a bobsledder... Sometimes I found myself saying, "I need a what!?  What's that for!?" Haha...  Here is goes:

• Gortex running shoes (Nike or Asics) - since many times we are warming up in snow or sleet
• Bobsled spikes - these aren't your normal track spikes... these puppies have a hundred tiny needles in the bottom of them so you can run on the ice.
• One piece body suit - so when your going 75mph down the track your shirt doesn't fly up in the back causing frostbite.
• Mouth Guard - because your teeth chatter while going down the track.. 
• Burn vest - because when you tip over the ice will burn off your skin if you don't wear one and since I'll be the brakeman for most of the development drivers I'm pretty sure I am going to need one of these! 
• Insurance card incase you crash and get hurt.
• A motorcycle certified helmet - because your thrown around like a pinball in the sled.. dont need to lose too many brain cells! 
• Snow pants, coat, boots
• Gloves - so your hands dont get frostbite or get stuck to the metal when your pushing
• Baselayer (for under your clothes)

Aside from all this very interesting equipment there is also airfare and housing costs... Fortunately we split a lot of the housing costs so its not too bad, but it does start to add up.

I have added a Paypal account to my blog.  If you are interested in helping me out with my first season all you have to do is click the "Donate" button to the right.  If you would like you can include your contact information and I will send you personal updates, pics, and little gifts as I continue through this journey.  If you are a business looking to sponsor me we can set up a meeting to discuss marketing opportunities and other sponsorship details.  If you would like to mail donations please email me at Katiestoever@yahoo.com and I can give you my mailing information.

Thank you for visiting my blog and I hope you can live this journey with me! :)

Katie

Check out this seasons schedule:  http://bobsled.teamusa.org/events