It’s that time of the year again

Goede Morgen, guten morgen, good morning, and buna dimineata…even though it is afternoon.

I don’t have an outline about what to write, but I’ve been thinking of things for the past 2 weeks and I want to put them down and share them with you. Ah where to start. I will begin by saying a lot of things have already happened since I first woke up this morning. My day started early as we have very early training for 2 days due to the World Cup Fall trials that are going on this weekend. We warm up at 730, which is a different and big change to the 9 o’clock warm up we enjoy daily.

Over the past 2 weeks I’ve encountered a few things that grabbed my attention. First off, we started racing but we haven’t had any big races yet as we are only in the beginning of the season. We have things called Time Trials which occur every Saturday morning and or $8.00 you can race whichever race your coach tells you to race. Started the season with the 3000m, and then 500m. Then we did a 1500m, and finally this past weekend I ended the beginner races with racing a 1000m. I would like to say I am content with the results and well I don’t know if that sounds god enough but it’s that feeling when you’re satisfied for the time being but knowing there is so much more just around the corner. I made a promise to myself that I would give it my all every competition. So far I have been doing quite ok with applying practice skating into racing skating and there are things I really like about my races and there are some that I don’t like…some I don’t need to work on as much, and some that I am just figuring out.

My coach told me very early in the season that the things I do not like doing are the things I am least good at. I really like the start, or the first 100m of the race. And that resulted in me starting the season just a bit faster than where I left it in March. My ‘content-ness’ just got better. I am looking forward to the rest of the season and improving little bits and pieces of the whole idea.

Also, over the past 2 weeks I have come across some weird feelings but I guess that all athletes go through them. No I am not in love if that’s what you think. I guess they were not weird, but mixed emotions towards the sport. It has this beautiful side to it which most of us see, (or at least I hope they do) and it has a darker side that cam take over. For me the beautiful side is waking up every morning feeling thankful for everything I have and my ability to be able to skate well, be healthy and enjoy it. It’s that passion that doesn’t die, and it’s having more than fun. I feel I take it beyond that fine line of doing it for fun competitively and being good at it. I have this drive and passion….and it suddenly hit me when I was thinking. No man in his right mind would do anything as crazy as quit the sport he does if he enjoys it that much! But when the dark side hits you, it’s mainly because you have too much time on your hands and think a lot about useless material that you shouldn’t be thinking of. I am not saying I have too much time on my hands because I really don’t. Working 2 part time jobs, with school and 2 training sessions a day….you’d think I never sleep, right? But my mind wanders a lot and it was wandering when I wasn’t having a fulfilling week of training and crazy thoughts hit my head. I started thinking about injuries and things that can happen and if I am really on the path to success? Am I doing the right thing to skate and keep skating? Who am I skating for? Why am I skating? All these questions were bombarding me all at once. I was terrified of failure.

It’s ok to think about this stuff and ask yourself questions and if you’re doing the right thing. I’d be worried if you weren’t asking anything! Thinking more about it, I came to realize that I am very thankful to have to great ability and talent to do what a lot of people only dream of. I am here living in Calgary and training with such a great team and coach, and have amazing friends and best friends and a house and food and I am healthy. We should enjoy failing and should try and fail even harder because it’s the only way to learn. I’m not trying to be cheesy but it’s true! Take the opportunity to fail and welcome it with open arms cause you only open doors to things you will learn about.

So overall had a triggering Tuesday. Wonderful Wednesday and an oh so amazingly great Thursday. I am 19 today and I am having the greatest day ever. Skating went well, ate a god breakfast, read the news, talked to the family, and read all the Facebook Happy Birthday messages I got, and I just want to say thanks for all the great wishes guys!

I am currently sitting in the stands at the Oval, watching the Fall World Cup trials. I’m excited. Not racing because you have to be in the top 16 from the previous season. I did not go to enough Canada Cups to qualify, therefore I will be a spectator for the time being. Next year though!!

Races started, my eyes need to be somewhere else lovers.

Alex