Racing Music

Okay, I finally have a topic to which this blog will actually serve a purpose. All of my other posts are questions that arise at random times and give me a topic to write about. For once, this entry goes out to all you reporters, hopefully I don't have to say this too many times from here on out. (I only wish people would actually read my blog.)

Alright, I'll get to it already.
SO.....within hours after the Official announcement of the 2006-07 US National Bobsled Team on Monday I was flooded with phone calls. Yes, I was actually overwhelmed with calls! Anyway, I was mostly bombarded with questions that I honestly didn't have an answer to, and quite frankly didn't want to answer. However, there was one question in particular that was quite popular, and I'm sure its because of the technology revolution, so being the geek that I am, I would love to answer!

"What songs do I listen to on my iPod to prepare for a race?"

First off, I don't have an iPod. I have a 60GB Zen Vision:M and I love it. It blows my old iPod out of the water.

Second, I don't even take an mp3 player to the track.

People ask me all the time what I listen to when I compete and here is what I answer. I listen to the same music that I train with. Obviously the next question is, "And what music is that?"

None.

I can't have my mp3 player blasting in my ears as I drive down the track. Why?
1. I can't hear the cadence at the start. The star is very important, there is a rhythm, and I have to know exactly what is happening at that moment in order to be competitive.
2. ITS WAY TOO DISTRACTING!!! Trust me when I say this. I thought I could have something playing as I navigated my way down a steep, slick, icy chute at 90mph. It seems like a great idea, and the thought process has logic however, here's the reality. Music has a beat, a rhythm; and so does the track. Rarely, and I mean RARELY................no wait, there is no track in the world that has a song to compliment it's rhythm. Honestly, a bobsled track would sound terrible if it were music; something like: Da.......Da......Da..Da.DaDadaDADADA....da.da. ........DA.da....da.da....ADDAD. ...dfladflakjds..Dear god........da...da..... holy cow..........da.dee...

See, not good.

So I don't listen to music.

The second reason (and it plays off of the first), is that since I can't race with music I should avoid training with music. When you teach yourself to perform with your favorite music playing you most likely wont be able to perform when the track falls silent like it does in a race. Basically, it comes to this old saying, "You race like you train, so train like you race."

If you race like you train, and your training includes music, then your racing should include music as well (the same music). But, like I said, you can't race with music, so by this rationale you shouldn't train with music

Does that make sense? I hope it at least help you to understand the difference between training with music and training with no music at all.

The first day is the worst day.

*Note: I wrote this 3 weeks ago, but it didn't get posted. So I am re-posting today. Sorry.

The date is October 3, 2006, and we had our first day of on ice training. This is by far the earliest I/we have ever started our season and its nice. With the help and support from the state of New York we are the first team in the world to begin bobsledding. Now that's an opportunity we can't pass up, take that you nasty Germans!!

Yes, I know, I can't believe it either, I was actually bobsledding today it was 65 degrees for crying out loud. I'll tell you right now, there's nothing like snaking through 20 curves at 80mph by the skin of my teeth in a t-shirt, yee haw. So what would make this the worst day? I say that more for the catchy title, but for the most part its tough both mentally and physically.

We spend all summer training hard, mainly lifting weights and sprinting. But for some reason, our bodies are never prepared for the initial shock of the initial runs of the bobsled season . After two runs, I felt like I had just played both ways on a college football team, with no pads. Every muscle was tired, I'm already bruising at the points where my body and the sled make contact, and I could hardly catch my breath; I'm completely exhausted trying to write this and its only the day one of 150+.

Most people don't realize how hard this sport is on your body, unfortunately as a driver, its just as hard mentally. The first day is especially difficult because there is so much to think about, so much to prepare for, so many unknowns.

1. Do I still remember how to do this?
2. Will my mind be able to keep up with the speed?
3. Why do I have to go from the top?
4. Is the track ready?
5. Is my brakeman ready?
6. Am I ready?
7. What's for dinner?
8. Did I leave the iron on?

Its somewhat overwhelming. Fortunately it takes less than a minute to answer most of those questions.

1. Yeah, its like riding a bike.
2. The first run is always really, really fast. Unfortunately, there's nowhere to practice going 80mph, pulling 5G's, in a 4 foot wide path during the summer.
3. Like I said, its like riding a bike, you don't start out after 8 months of not riding with training wheels again. At least I hope you don't.
4. There's only one way to find out if the track is ready, go down it!
5. If not, he'd better suck it up.
6. If not, I'd better suck it up.
7, Steak, potatoes, green beans, and some salad. Jello for dessert. I love Jello.
8. Wait, I don't even have an iron.

I'll never make it in the "Real World"

*Quick Note* I originally posted this on October 4th.

I woke up this morning and went to work like most people do on their average day. I clocked in, worked for 2 minutes, clocked out, and came home. I am COMPLETELY EXHAUSTED! I'll never make it in the real world.

Over and over again I get to the bottom of the track and I'm so out of breath that I can hardly talk. Sure some of it can be pushed aside that my new goatee is cuting off my airflow, but for the most part I'm actually tired. Who would have ever thought that running 30m then sitting for 60sec would be so exhausting? with all of the training I do, I should be able to play at least the first half of an intense football game. Honesly, my sport is a total of, at the most, 70 seconds long. 97% of it is done sitting down pulling your arms left and right. Who would have thought that a simple procedure could be so hard on the human body?

Anyway, back to what I was getting at is that my entire workday is 2 minutes long and I can barely make it. How will I make it in the real world? No, seriously, how is this going to happen? I'm in trouble. Plus, its only the first week!!