Slider's Log / Tuesday, March 23nd, 2010

 

Elana Meyers, Vancouver Olympic Bronze Medalist 

- at Bobsled Pilot's School in LP

First Day of Sliding in Lake Placid:

My first day of sliding started out very wet.  But as the day went on the rain stopped.  I was able to show up early and take a track walk (thank goodness).  The course is in great condition considering all the rain.  Most of it is covered by shades that not only keeps the sun from the ice but also any other weather.  The course looks like a big tube.  They probably won't take the shades off for the race on Sunday.  It is very work intensive and by the look to the headlines today in the Lake Placid News they are very shorthanded.  NY State wants to cut $6.6 million in funding to the Olympic Regional Development Authority.  It is the organization that runs the facilities in the area.  More here . . .

http://www.lakeplacidnews.com

 

fellow Masters Sliders

My first run was  . . . fast.  Fast to me.  Took me aback a bit to tell the truth.  I really had to work myself up for the next one.  I thought maybe they would send me from Start #5 (the lowest one) the first run.  I guess it is somewhat exposed to the weather and showing some concrete so they moved all of us up to Start #4.  It is where the race will start from on Sunday.  I dragged my feet off the ramp.  That is called "breaking."   It is really the only way to moderate your speed.  Once you lie down, there are no brakes.  I used a training sled made in Latvia.  It is very steerable.  Racing sleds have a very tight suspension but, the Latvian sled does not.  Thank goodness!  I needed room for error - lots of error.  Anyhow, I scraped my right arm a bit in that bendy straight away we talked about in my last video.  The middle of the course is super fast but, the sides are a bit slushy and if you drift over there, which I did, you get stuck and drag your forearm along the ice until you are saved by curve 17 and then you are in the big belly of the curve and don't have to worry about the wall.  The curve couldn't come up fast enough for me:)

NBC Correspondent for Luge and Multiple Olympic Team member, Duncan Kennedy with  Retired Bobsled Pilot and 2002 Silver Medalist in 4 Man (and new Daddy) Todd Hayes

My second and third heats, I broke down a bit harder and felt much better about things.  I don't even know the order of the curves yet! After training I ran into some bobsled friends and we took some great pics.  The fund is gaining donations every day and I am very grateful for everyone's support.

Slide On!