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| New personalized training book |
Leah explains the technique as well as some of the benefits many athletes have been noticing, and even lets me try it on her bicep. Admittedly, it took me a ridiculous amount of attempts, but it was pretty neat and considering the amount of change and adjustments this season is already presenting – what’s a little extra skin pulling in the name of Skeleton excellence….
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| Happy Birthday to me. |
Just a few short weeks ago I turned 28, started a new 6-month contracted position with the Cerebral Palsy Association in Alberta, AND officially began training with Canada’s National Skeleton Strength & Conditioning Team, lead by Kelly Forbes. I knew this wasn’t going to be a simple transition: not only was I going to be asking my body to adjust to new athletic programming and career challenges, but my mind was going to have to change gears entirely. All the same, despite some underlying ‘new-girl’ jitters, I jumped into everything (head-first – of course).
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| Treadmill training |
My weeks have been (and will continue to be) filled with 3 hour training sessions in the mornings (combinations of the following: high-speed treadmill, yoga, circuits, stairs, mobility, weights, and recovery/stretching) plus 6-8 hours of work in the afternoons/evenings — but not forgetting to fit in some therapy and assuring I eat and sleep properly. Creating a balance in this daily routine was tough at first, but I’m already finding my body learning quickly and I’m totally getting accustomed to transforming from athlete to businesswoman in shower rooms around the city – like some kind of superhero.
And while everything is changing rapidly, the evidence would show that my life tends to work best in high speed. The hugest adjustment from herein out will undoubtedly be the training itself. Working with new coaches means new cues, new focuses, new lessons and swallowing a whole lot of pride … but every fiber of my being knows, “He who stops being better, stops being good.”
Throughout my athletic career I have had a variety of coaches – each with their own theories and practices. The one thing that stayed consistent was the transition from change to growth, which ultimately resulted in success. Overall, there hasn’t been a single coach who hasn’t helped make me into a better athlete, in one way or another. And for that, I am truly thankful.
But just as life doesn’t come with a how-to manual, the road to the Olympics doesn’t include a map. We are all required to make choices for our future. Choices that can make or break us. They are never easy, but if we make them with both our heads and our hearts – we will know they are the right ones and will never need to look back.
Up Up and Awaaayyyyy!
xoxo