Once Upon A Time

Once upon a time … a girl had begun to feel as though she might give up. It has been 1 year and 9 months since I have been able to sit in front of my computer and write more than a single line of personal text relating to my professional career in the sport […]

To The Bone

Hallelujah that it’s over – what went through you – broke the spell – but until it makes you stronger – what don’t kill you – hurts like hell. For the last three months I have been experiencing a reoccurring dream in the early hours of the morning. I am in bed, asleep, and I very […]

Story Of A Girl

We tend to think it’s going to be just one moment that grows us up, that changes us; that guides us to becoming that ‘better’ version of ourselves. Instead, it ends up being more like a thousand of them – and when each one happens, there’s no going back.  Since the fateful day I hit […]

Hold On. Let Go.

On a crisp Monday morning, that feels a lot more like September than mid-November, a SOCHI.RU emblazoned chartered bus arrives next to our hotel at 07:14. I board and exchange my best Russian attempt at, “Dobroye utro” for a smoker’s raspy, “Hello,” from the bus driver in return. No one else got on the bus with me […]

The Privilege of Pressure

Cracking open a fortune cookie last month in my hometown of Brandon, Manitoba I didn’t think much of it. Then I read: “Your friends will truly be helpful in your next month’s endeavour.” Those simple, and typically generic words screamed at me. My fingers instantaneously tucked it, face-up, into the back of the clear protective […]

C of Red

The brittle, crisp mornings and much longer nights – have you felt it in the air?  From the downtown hustle through the upland hills – that unmistakeable chill is everywhere. Finally. As many of my athlete colleagues have written in recent days, summer is officially over. And whether you’re someone who accepts this reality by […]

Where Is The Grass Greener

Some nights, when the conditions are just right, a big semi or heavy duty truck screams by our place in Calgary – and as I lay still, on my bed in my room – the entire foundation of the house shakes, ever so slightly; just for a moment, and I often wonder if anyone else […]

Within The Shadows

Sometimes I think it would be all too easy to just tell everyone that we pack away our sleds for a few months and gracefully prance our way into our off-season training. We could really emphasize our nonchalant attitude by explaining that it’s no biggie that we can’t actually practice the sport of Skeleton in […]

Solid Yellow Lines

On our roads and highways we are given guidelines. A literal solid line is implemented along the pavement’s edges and centre upon which we travel bridges and sharp curves. This simple line is designed to help keep us on the right track; it defines our physical parameters. In order to navigate my current roads, on […]

Into The Deep End

In a span of time that occasionally tricks my mind to feel as short as overnight, everything has changed. What’s incredible about this transformation, is that it brings with it a stability unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. Until now, I don’t know if I ever really allowed myself to entirely believe I had the strength […]