With Glowing Hearts
One summer when I was a little girl, a bird flew down the chimney and into our wood burning stove. I remember the strange sounds coming from that cast iron pod in our basement and I remember truly feeling worried on behalf of that bird. When my dad had devised a plan – he turned […]
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 […]
Never Let Up
While this entry has taken some time to come together for me, the fact is that time is exactly what we all need in life when things don’t go quite as planned. So, while I know I don’t need to apologize for the delay in posting, all the same, I wish to send a heart […]
A World Ahead
Let me first say what needs to be said: There was one word that came to mind when I realized just how much of a hole I had dug upon the completion of my first run the afternoon of Friday, November 29th at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, AB: “Damnit!” Ha! I can honestly chuckle […]
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 […]