I sit here at the Chateau Lake Louise, on the cusp of an exciting, inspiring,
challenging and consequential year.
Lake Louise is always host to the women’s opening World Cup
of the season but this year it feels even more special. I have never been more ready to race. I have never been more anxious. I have also
never been more aware of what it is at stake.
With each subsequent
year of racing that I do, the harder it is for me to really push it during the
training season. I believe that I become
more of a race horse each year and thus making the desire to risk and “push it”
in training slim. Although I truly believe that I have a 5th gear, it
is sometimes hard when I don’t see it reflected in the run times throughout the
summer and fall training blocks.
When I pushed out of the start hut today for the first
training run of the upcoming World Cup this weekend, there was a smile on my
face and a readiness in my body language.
The nerves, the adrenaline and the challenge are what inspire me these
days. I feel that ski racing is a form
of expression and today’s expression was one of fun, ease and joy.
Having had the men perform to the highest of expectations
last weekend, there is somewhat of an expectation for us to follow. Now, this works in two ways, one it is
inspiring and motivating because we know what they have done this summer. We have been given the same tools, and we
have also had past success. On the other side of things, there is this massive
pressure to match or even better the men’s performance. This is a blessing in disguise because it can
only prepare us for this upcoming season and the Olympic Games, which I now
refer to as the “O” word.
I cannot predict the future but I think that it will be an
exciting weekend of racing here in Lake Louise!
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