The Official Blog of U.S. Olympic Bobsledder, Elana Meyers

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2012-01-08T09:32:00.000-05:00

Brief recap of my races so far this season:

Igls World Cup
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/7841972/elana_meyers_gets_first_world_cup_podium_from_universal_sports/

La Plagne World Cup
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/7869719/elana_meyers_scores_a_top_10_at_la_plagne_from_universal_sport/

Sorry for the delay...back at it!

2012-01-08T09:07:00.000-05:00

It's been quite a while since I've blogged (sorry about that)- but quite a bit has happened, so I'll have to attempt to catch you up real quick. We started World Cup tour with a race in Igls, Austria, where I won my first World Cup medal as a pilot- a bronze with brakeman Katie Eberling. Prior to that race, I had won 3 World Cup medals as a brakeman in 3 seasons, and I raced with very good pilots as a brakeman- which shows you how difficult it can be to win a WC medal. Katie pushed great and I was extremely excited to start of the season with a bronze medal.

Bronze for Katie and I in Igls World Cup

We then moved onto La Plagne, France, a track I never slid on as a brakeman and that most pilots had never been on as well. Katie and I broke a start record, but after quite a troublesome week of training, I was actually happy with my 8th place result- I had my two best runs of the week on race day, and when you're a pilot- that's all you can really ask for. You can't control the results- so you just have to do the best you can.

Katie and I at the start in La Plagne, France, where we currently hold the start record, 6.40

Onto Winterberg, Germany. Winterberg is one of my favorite tracks. It's quite boring- but it is the first European track I slid as a pilot, so maybe that's why I like it so much. Anyway- after the first heat and some crazy weather- Katie and I were sitting in 6th. Even crazier weather broke out in the second heat- and I came down after my second run and held my position. Pilots Sandra Kirasis and Kaillie Humphries were in front of me and happened to be on the wrong side of the snow- and dropped quite low in the ranking despite being 2nd after the first run. Their dropping moved me up to 4th place, and I ended first half ranked #5 in the world.

Katie and I at the finish dock in Winterberg

Christmas came and went- another post about that later- and now we're back in Europe. I spent the first week in St. Moritz, Switzerland, skipping the World Cup race in Altenberg, Germany, in order to get more runs in St. Moritz- home of the 2013 World Championships- which are very important for the US team. Having a good result at worlds means a lot more than any World Cup race- so it was important for us- Jazmine and I- to get extra runs on that track.

Now I'm back in Konigssee on World Cup again- a race this week and one more World Cup race in St. Moritz next week and then I'm back stateside!

I'll do a better job of keeping you updated now though...sorry for the delay!

Double Gold in Konigssee and World Cup

2011-12-01T12:48:00.000-05:00

For the last Europa Cup races before World Cup competition, my teammates and I were in Konigssee, Germany, the track where I raced my first World Championships on as a pilot. I was excited to come back there, but early in the week I found myself facing a great deal of difficulty driving. I was frustrated all week- just having a really tough time. I went to one of my coaches, Mike Kohn, a former bronze medal push athlete who turned pilot- just like myself. He explained to me that what I was going through was completely normal, that all pilots have a great deal of difficulty in their second season- because you feel like it should be easy- but it's just not. I've been told this by others before, but I didn't think it would happen to me- but it was and continues to. Coach Kohn though said something that I brought with me into the race- he told me to "just drive." And that's exactly what I did- I went into the races- and just drove. I didn't think about anything else- I just drove, and the outcome took care of itself- I walked away with two gold medals with brakeman Katie Eberling and Brittany Reinbolt.

Tomorrow is the first World Cup race of the season. This past week has been very frustrating indeed, I've been under the weather, and my driving woes continue- very frustrating training runs and I definitely haven't been winning training as far as times go. The frustrations continue, but all I can do is go into tomorrow's race and do the best I can. So here we go...first World Cup of my sophomore season...

Silver and Bronze

2011-12-01T12:38:00.000-05:00

The first two FIBT races of the season for me were in Igls, Austria- two Europa Cup races. In bobsled, there are three circuits of racing, the America's Cup, the Europa Cup, and the World Cup. Each circuit is very competitive, but World Cup is the highest level of all the circuits. The Europa Cup is a very competitive circuit- as many of the pilots from World Cup compete on it to gain some extra points before the season starts and to get more runs on certain tracks. For my teammate Jazmine Fenlator and I, we were competing in Igls to do just that- get more points and get more experience, as we are both very young in our careers as pilots.

The first day of races, I won a bronze medal and was only .03 away from the gold- .03! Such a crazy small margin, but I was happy with the result, as I had the fastest down time and push time the second run. Day 2, I finished in silver, but it was a less satisfying day. Although I once again had the fastest push times with Katie Eberling, I was disappointed in my runs. Despite the outcome of a medal, I still wanted to have better runs.

That's the way it goes sometimes though as a bobsled pilot, some days you can have great runs and end up lower in the rankings, other days you have horrible runs and end up moving up in the world- crazy how that works...but I'm learning- that's bobsled!

Igls, Austria

2011-11-15T12:48:00.000-05:00

WOW! It has been quite some time since I blogged! I apologize for my lack of updates- but I'll be better now. The season has officially begun, and I am now in Igls, Austria, for my first two races- Europa Cup races- of the season. Although I've slid at Igls before, I now have a better understanding of the track and still have a lot of things to work on. Training has been going ok so far- not as well as I would have hoped, but I'm still learning and prepping for the races on Thursday and Saturday.

So how did I get here? Team trials were in October, and didn't go so well for me. The two weeks of team trials were two of the most difficult weeks of sliding for me- sled troubles, determining brakeman for those races, and trying to slide well on top of that! Team trials didn't go as well as I would've liked- I didn't drive as well as I'd hoped, but I finished as USA 3 and made the national team.

So far this season hasn't gone as well as I would've hoped, but I'm hoping to change things around, and it starts now in Igls. Wish me luck! More in-depth updates later!

Push Championships Preview

2011-08-30T18:44:00.001-04:00

Next week starts our annual push championship competition and our combine testing. Although the bobsled track doesn't open until October 10 (my birthday!), this is our first competition of the season. How are you competing if the bobsled track isn't open? Well, glad you asked!

Each summer we train- sprinting and lifting- to try to improve our start times. A start time is the first 50m of the race, where the athletes- both brakeman (aka push athletes) and pilots (aka drivers)- push the sled as fast as they can before hoping in. The start time is the only accelerator of our sleds, so it's very important this is as fast as possible. Although both the brakeman and driver push, the driver gets in before the brakeman, and the start time is the major responsibility of the brakeman.

As the push start is the only accelerator in the sport, it is essential to make sure you are improving your start times and getting the fastest pushes possible. The only way to determine which brakeman is the fastest is to race them against each other. Ideally, this would be done on ice, however, team trials are fast approaching and there is no ice available- but we must know how the brakeman rank and how fast the pilots are pushing in order to select teams. So how do we do this? The answer is push championships...

So the first thing that happens during push championships week is the combine. The combine is a series of 8 athletic tests to determine your athletic ability and how successful you may be at pushing a sled. The tests are a 15m, 30m, 45m dash, a 30m fly, a 3 rep squat max, a power clean max, broad jump, and a shot put toss. Each test gives an athlete a certain amount of points, and then athletes are ranked against each other based on their overall combined score on all the events. Although the combine is an indication of who the top athletes may be, nothing compares to pushing- which is why we then have the push competition.

For push championships this season, we will push in Lake Placid on a dry land push track. Instead of ice, we push a sled on wheels down a rail system. We measure out 50m, and take the time when the sled hits that mark. Each athlete will push the sled by themselves to determine who is the fastest. Most often, the difference between athletes is only a few hundredths of a second! It's always a very close competition and a great start to the season to see where everyone is at in their training. In the video below, you can see me pushing at the push track in Lake Placid- the same one we will use for the push championships.

For the past three seasons I have won push championships- all three years as a brakeman and also last season as a pilot as well. This will be my first season competing only as a pilot, and I am training hard to take home another title in that division. For pilots, push championships is the opportunity to show the brakeman that you have been training hard all summer so that they want to push with you when it comes time to select teams for team trials (a process which I'll get into later). As you can imagine- it's quite a big week coming up, so wish me luck!

RIP Speedy Peterson

2011-08-21T15:50:00.000-04:00

I know it has been a few weeks since the death of Jeret "Speedy" Peterson, but I wanted to wait post on this comment because I had to take the time to formulate my thoughts. I had met Speedy first while training in Chula Vista, CA, for the 2010 Olympics in the summer of 2009. I had gotten a chance to know a little bit about him, had a few conversations, and we both wishes each other best of luck in making the Olympic team before parting ways. The picture above was taken during the opening ceremonies, where we met again- excited to see each other having both made the Olympic team, and in joyous celebration! I remember we were both so elated to be there, and in awe of the moment. The next time I would see Speedy, it would be the night of my medal ceremony. While in the green room waiting to walk on stage and accept our medals, Erin and I watched Speedy compete and win his silver medal- such an exciting moment, which made our medal acceptance that much greater having seen another U.S. Olympian win another Olympic medal. A night later we would meet again at a party hosted by Under Armour, where we would hug and share our medals- both of us wearing them and huge grins! Speedy was so much in awe in what he had accomplished, and he it was electrifying to be around him. Turns out that would be the last time I would ever see Speedy...

Speedy's life ended too soon, and so tragically. I cannot comment about what he was going through, or the exact circumstances of his life, but his death brings many thoughts to mind. Many people believe that just because you win an Olympic medal your life is great- that because you won a medal, no day in your life should ever be unhappy again; I sure wish it worked like that, but sadly, it doesn't. The act of winning an Olympic medal is a moment of time in our lives; we are all athletes who compete at the highest level and are recognized in our sport as the best in the world- but that is who we are as athletes, not as people. God has blessed each of us with a great athletic ability- to be able to perform at the highest level and to glorify Him, as well as our family, country, and friends. Our athletic accomplishments may define us to many others, but it does not define us as people. Winning an Olympic medal is a great moment of my life, but it is not my entire life and it does not define who I am. As I'm not defined by my medal, the medal does not mean that nothing will ever go wrong in my life again. Sure it was a great accomplishment, but I experience pain and sorrow and loss just like everyone else. I also experience happiness and triumph unrelated to my medal. The medal was a moment in my life, but it is not my life.

So why do I bring this up? I have been asked why Speedy would take his own life if he won an Olympic medal. To this I cannot say, but I can tell you this- the Olympic medal is a symbol of his accomplishment, but it is not who he was and it was not something that meant he would never feel anything less than glee every day. He, and all Olympians, are human. We all experience a variety of emotions. Although you see us in some of the happiest moments of our lives, you miss the behind the scenes- the daily blood, sweat, and tears, that we experience as athletes- but also as people.

Unfortunately, although we may fly higher, run faster, and lift more than most people, Olympians are not super human. We experience the same highs and lows of daily life as everyone else. We are not invincible, we are not made of stone, we are simply human...and that is what makes our accomplishments so great.

Speedy was a great athlete, a great person, but most importantly human. He experience much tragedy in his life, but is now forever in peace. I'm blessed to have known him, and I have been truly touched by his life.

RIP Speedy...

In memory of "Speedy" please donate: http://thespeedyfoundation.org/

My legs are like tree trunks!

2011-08-06T18:34:00.000-04:00

And by tree trunks I don't mean that they're covered in bark and have small animals burrowing in them- I mean they're huge and solid! These days, I literally feel like I'm walking around on two study tree trunks!

People often ask me how training is going, and I suppose my tree trunk description is the best way to describe it. My program has really been working on my strength, and I definitely feel stronger. My legs feel solid from all the squats, and even my core feels rock hard. My arms are firming up, as is my back, and all this is starting to result in some pretty cool personal bests (or PBs or PRs). The majority of my PBs were set Olympic year, a year which I started off physically in the best shape of my life, so breaking them would not be easy. Although I haven't maxed out in squats or power cleans yet, I've PBed in many other lifts. For example, my Bulgarian split squats- last season my best was 52kg. This summer, my new PB is 87kg! Quite the increase! Last season my highest set of bench for sets of 2 was 75kg. This summer I warmed up one day with a set of 5 for 75kg! Additionally, I've always had somewhat non-existent hamstrings (which is probably why I pulled it Olympic year), but this year I'm actually able to do quite a bit of weight on exercises such as RDLs, good mornings, and other hamstring exercises. Needless to say, my strength is definitely increased.

As for my speed component of training, it's a little more difficult to measure. We do intense sprint training at least 3 times a week, but it's often difficult to tell what types of gains you are making. Speed is a function of force application and contact time on the ground. Increasing strength will increase the ability to apply force, which is why we work so hard in the weight room. We also work on plyometrics that help us work to decrease contact time. Although time wise I'm not sure how it correlates, I feel like a stronger sprinter.

Our combine and push championships, which are the major physical tests of the year, are right around the corner. Needless to say, I'm confident that my training program and the work I've done this summer is preparing me well.

3 more weeks...

I Smile

2011-07-24T20:56:00.000-04:00

Ever have one of those days where you're just feeling down? You wake up and you wish you could just stay in bed? Well, whenever you feel like that, just give Kirk Franklin's "I Smile" a listen. Guaranteed to make things a little bit brighter. :)

Assembling my "A" Team

2011-07-24T13:38:00.000-04:00

If any of you watched the ESPYs this past week, you saw many athletes get on stage after winning their awards and thank a countless number of people. Although it can sometimes be boring to audiences, each and every one of these people are part of the athlete's team that helped them get to where they are.

Now normally when we think of team- we think of the other players on the field- the ones with them day in and day out sweating and grinding. But any athlete, and any family member of an elite athlete, knows that there is a team behind the team that is equally if not more important than the other players on the field.

So even though the Winter Olympics are 3 years out, I have already begun the process of assembling my "A" team- the group of people that are going to help me reach my goals. Center and foremost on my team, is of course God. He has brought me out of the darkness and into the light so many times and without Him I am nothing.

As for my earthly team, one of the toughest decision I faced this past season was selecting who was going to be my new strength and conditioning coach. As I mentioned in previous blogs, I loved working with Stu McMillian and Dan Pfaff and am eternally grateful to them, but I needed a change and found that change in Brad Deweese. As for my bobsled specific coach, I'm grateful that the federation has added Todd Hays and Mike Kohn to our already great coaching staff- and now we truly have the dream team coaching staff!

So I've also started working with a new sports psychologist and a new nutritionist, and am blessed to have Dr. Josh Glass on my team as my chiro whenever I'm in Atlanta. I'm working to finalize the remainder of my medical staff, but I'm confident that I will have a great one going into Sochi.

However, one of the most important pieces of the team is the social aspect. I'm blessed to have a great family who supports me in whatever I do. They are truly the people that keep me in check- that no matter what I do- whatever medals I win- I will still have to keep my room clean. They love me regardless of what I do- but they're my biggest fans as well. I truly am blessed with the best family in the world.

Family is only one part of the social "A" team though. For any athlete, friends are essential. Sounds simple right? People unfortunately assume just because you have a lot of twitter followers or Facebook friends- you must have a lot of friends right? Wrong! I know a lot of people yes, but I have very few friends. My mother said it's a lonely road to the top- and I can't think of better words to describe it. Friends to me are those people who I can call up and say absolutely nothing about bobsled to and they could careless. They're those people who love me and are excited for me about what I'm doing, but love me for the person I am. They also are some of my biggest fans, but they really don't care if I never bobsled again. They're the people who ask me what else is going on in my life- and not just about bobsled. They're the people who push me to want more- not just out of bobsled- but out of life. They're the people who help me figure out my future- and share my past- and love me in spite and because all of it. These are the people I couldn't win medals without.

The lonely road I'm on is not simply the fault of my friends by any stretch of the imagination. I take full responsibility for losing contact with some of the greatest people I have ever met. I've always been a little socially awkward and therefore I've had trouble making and keeping friends. As I've gotten older, the awkwardness has subsided slightly, but I haven't been the best at maintaining my friendships. I desperately seek to develop genuine relationships, and am working to re-establish the friendships I've been neglecting over the years, and hopefully develop new friendships. These people are so important to what I do, they keep me sane! And making any Olympic team and succeeding at the highest level, requires some level of sanity lol

So there you have it- my "A" team that will take me to the next level. Without this team, Sochi won't happen...they're the people who are going to help me try to make my dream a reality

Psych Your Mind!

2011-07-17T15:42:00.000-04:00

Any onlooker and somewhat understand the physical training we athletes undergo. You can see us training- running sprints, lifting heavy weights. You can see the blood and sweat that goes into the physical training to be an elite athlete, but what you can't see is where the game is really won- in between our ears.

Once you get to elite athlete status- the physical difference between athletes is minimal. All the athletes have reached that level because they are the finest their sport has to offer- they are the greatest their country has to offer. All of these elite athletes are then training hard to maximize their physical ability as much as possible. So if you have the greatest athletes in the world physically, what makes the difference? What makes champions vs. elite athletes who never make it to the top?

The mental side to the game is so critical! I've had to learn this over the years- and every day I still must work on my mental approach. The difference between winning and losing at this level is purely mental. Who can push themselves more to the limit- through the grueling workouts? Who can handle the pressure when the pressure is the highest- like the Olympics? Who can handle training full time and in our case- working as much as possible- and worrying about all other sorts of life problems- and still compete at the highest level? Who can repeatedly face failure- yet keep their confidence?

The last one is key. As an athlete you compete against others, but the greatest battle is you vs yourself. In sport you will inevitably face failure. How you recover from that failure makes all the difference. Will you fold and give up? Or will you fight? The athletes that fight and learn from their failure are the ones who will succeed. It's not easy to do- trust- but at some point in your career as an athlete you have to look at yourself in the mirror and decide what you want to do- do you want to give up and let failure defeat you- or do you want to fight?

I had a pretty tough week mentally- my physical training was grueling and I was forced to deal with the feelings when you don't live up to your own expectations. The week could have easily crushed my spirit- but I chose to fight...and I have grown so much as a result of this week. I am mentally stronger because of just this one week- and therefore I am a stronger athlete.

Rookie of the Year and Colorado Springs

2011-07-02T19:34:00.000-04:00

The USBSF (United States Bobsled and Skeleton Federation) recently held their Annual team camp in Colorado Springs at the Olympic Training Center. There, we partake in several team building events, as well as do our workouts and have our annual board meeting. For me, it was also my first official meetings as a member of the Board of Directors, a position I am honored to hold. Overall it gives us a chance to get together, both bobsled and skeleton, and celebrate the past and look forward to the future.

This year it was great seeing everyone and although the schedule was packed, I did enjoy it. I also had the great opportunity to attend the USOC Coach of the Year awards dinner, where Brian Shimer was named the USOC Coach of the Year and Grant Schaffner, received an award as well because of his technological advances in the sport of skeleton. It was an honor to be able to see these two well deserving individuals be recognized by the USOC.

One other thing that occurs during this week is the Annual Gala, where several awards are given. This year, Shauna Rohbock, one of the greatest bobsled pilots in the history of the sport, received the Women's bobsled athlete of the year as well as the Athlete's Choice award. Additionally, Shauna teamed with Valerie Fleming to receive the Team of the Year award. These two deserve these awards as they have greatly changed the sport of women's bobsled and are two of the greatest athletes in winter sports history.

Several other athletes received awards: Steve Langton was named Male Bobsled Athlete of the Year and received the Athlete's Choice Award, Annie O'Shea was named Female Skeleton Athlete of the Year, and Kyle Tress received Skeleton Athlete's Choice Award. Congrats to all the award winners!

As for me, this year I was awarded with the Rookie of the Year award! I am truly honored to receive this award. I honestly could not have done it first and foremost without all the brakeman who slid with me- the ones who raced- Jamie Greubel, Emily Azevedo, Megan Hill, Katelyn Kelly, JennaBree Brown, Kristi Koplin, Katie Stoever, and Hilary Werth- as well as all the countless others who were in the sled with me to help me get the trips I needed this season. I am truly grateful for everything you all have done for me- and I can't thank you enough. You each have contributed greatly to any success I had this season, and to that I am eternally grateful to each of you. Thanks guys! I am also appreciative of the coaching staff I had this season- Mike Kohn, Brian Shimer, Janis Kippurs, Janis Skrastins, and Dave Owens- very thankful for everything- even if I didn't agree all the time. I am also thankful to all my teammates- and especially the ones who helped coach me- including Shauna and Val- I am blessed to have great teammates- both male and female- and I couldn't have gotten through the season without any of you. Finally, I want to thank one person who has made a world of difference in my life. My roommate and competitor, Jazmine Fenlator. We have been through so much together in just a few years- but she has become a great friend. She was integral to any success I had this season. I couldn't ask for a better teammate and friend. She literally kept me sane most of the year, and I know in the future we will both accomplish great things.

I say all these things like I'm retiring or something! I'm extremely grateful for everything everyone has done for me and how they have all helped me! But you're only as good as you're last time on the ice- and I got beat by the Russians in the last race- so we've got some work to do!

Back to the grind!

A Few Thoughts On Love

2011-06-12T17:28:00.001-04:00

If your my friend on Facebook, by now you've realized that a good majority of my statuses refer to my love life. Most of my statuses are meant to be funny, but some are truly emotional commentary on my thoughts about love. I'm not artistic, and I'm definitely no song-writer or poet, so often my statuses are the only way to express my emotions; and if you know me, then you know that most of the time I react to situations with humor, even when it's inappropriate! Sometimes, however, I do express my sorrow or frustration with this thing called love, but we'll get to that in a moment.

My love life has been quite storied. For someone who didn't even start really dating until late high school- my first kiss wasn't until I was 20 (no lie)- my love life has been quite interesting. I've dated many different types of men- my social-ability and love of meeting new people lends itself to that- and I've dated men with a lot of different stories. I've learned quite a bit from the different men I've dated though, most importantly what I look for in a mate. It's not my intention to review every single story here, but I will eventually write a book of these stories- and trust me- it will be hilarious.

So what have I learned about love? A lot and nothing at all! Love is the most difficult emotion. It often has no rhyme and reason, it comes without warning and when you least expect it. It's such a strong emotion- that it can bring you to cloud 9 and also cause you to feel as though you've entered the gates of hell. It's an emotion that is unpredictable and uncontrollable and wonderfully amazing all at the same time. Losing love can bring your to your knees, while finding love can bring you to the highest mountain; but that's just the thing about love- you don't find love, it finds you.

Now I don't know whether there is only one great love for everyone- that there is only one person in the world you will ever truly love romantically. I hope that we can have more than one great love, because I have been in love, and I have been out of love- more frequently out of love than in. I have also had one great love- a love so great I still wonder if I'll ever find anything better- but that love also left me with the greatest heartbreak of my life, a heartbreak that still pains me to this day.

I have had so many ups and downs with love that despite my attempts at humor at the situation, it could be looked at as quite discouraging. I could easily be bitter and turn cold. But I choose otherwise. For every love I have lost, every moment in love has made it worth the heartbreak. I cherish every time I have been in love and would rather have loved and lost, than to never have loved at all. These loving moments have enriched my life more than any heartbreak could ever defeat me.

I'm an optimist. I believe in the goodness of love and I believe that everyone will find love- or love will find them. I believe that love is worth sacrificing for, and that no single cause is greater to fight for. I believe in the power of love, and that there is love for everyone.

I'm sure my dating life will continue to be hilarious and that I'll have many more adventures- that's just who I am- and it makes life interesting. And who knows, I may experience more love and heartbreaks, more ups and downs in this thing called love, but I know I'll cherish every moment. And although I'm not actively looking for love, I know it will find me- and I can't wait to see what happens when it does.

I love love.

My Life As A Pro: Experiences in Pro Softball

2011-06-09T21:45:00.000-04:00

The 2011 season of the National Pro Fastpitch league (NPF) started this afternoon and was kicked off by a game that aired on ESPN2. In honor of the start of the season, I wanted to take the time to talk about my experience as a professional softball player.

I had a successful career in college individually, I set many school records and won many awards, and really grew as a softball player an as an athlete. It was always my dream to play professional softball, but despite my athletic success, I went undrafted. In order to reach my dream, I tried out for a team located in Philadelphia- the Philadelphia Force. I was invited to training camp with the possibility of making the team. I trained and traveled with the team, and even played in an exhibition game against the team located in Washington DC and had my first at-bat which resulted in a walk. I was technically living my dream and playing professional softball, however, I had not yet been named to the official team roster when other teams started calling. I had several offers- with financial incentives greater than what I would receive as a rookie in the NPF- from teams in Italy and in Europe, but I wanted to play in the U.S.- in what I consider the best league in the world. It was then that I received another call from a coach of the Mid-Michigan Ice- a professional team located in Midland, Michigan. The team was not officially in the NPF- however, they played a complete NPF schedule against all the major teams, paid their athletes, and were looking to enter the league officially the next season. The manager offered me a starting position at 3rd base. Knowing I wasn't yet on the official roster for the Force, I went to the general manager and asked him what my prospects of making the full roster were and what my future looked like. When he wasn't able to give me an exact answer, I packed up my car and left training camp and drove straight to Michigan.

I arrived the next day and drove straight to the field, where everyone was receiving their uniforms. I met everyone, and took the field with the team for the first time. Despite not knowing anyone or what was going to happen, I was at ease because I felt I was living my dream.

What happened over the remainder of the season was anything but what I could have imagined. I started at 3rd base and played against some of the top athletes in the world. I had success but also tasted defeat and learned hard what it was like to play softball at the highest level. I was truly a rookie, and was now facing athletes that had played the sport at the highest level. I started the season off hot- hitting well and excelling, but when I hit a slump- which is quite normal for a rookie in the pro league- it was up to myself to try to pull myself out of it. I had the toughest time pulling myself out and continued to struggle. Additionally, my coach didn't help my situation, and my confidence continued to sink- making the slump even worse.

As if my on-the-field problems weren't bad enough, in the middle of the season our owner filed for bankruptcy and quit, and our coach quit with him. Did I mention we were on a road trip in Lowell, Massachusetts, when all this happened? Not knowing how we would get home, we still had our series to finish out. We finished out the series not knowing what would happened, and made the long trip back to Michigan.

Luckily, the NPF decided we were still of value. The league "adopted" our time and paid our salaries for the remainder of the season and all of the other expenses related to a professional softball team. A new coach was put in place and we continued to play. Unfortunately, the new coach and I completely clashed heads, so my personal performance continued to slump.

I still believed in myself as a professional softball player. I had had success, including hitting a homerun against one of the top pitchers in the league (pretty big deal for me- as I was not a homerun hitter- I only had 7 in 5 years of college softball and 2 of them were in the park!) and made some pretty good defensive plays in the field. I also ended the season on a good note- a pretty good series against none other than the Philadelphia Force, where the general manager actually complimented me on my performance and said they had viewed me as a threat; followed by a road series in Akron where I performed well. Although this boosted my confidence, it was too little too late and I ended the season discouraged and completely burned out of softball.

The season ended and I packed my bags to return home and start grad school and my position as a graduate assistant. Although I felt burned out from softball, I felt like I had so much more unfulfilled athletic potential- which led me to bobsled, and the rest is history....

Although I did not have the experience I hoped for athletically playing professional softball, I did meet many great people and have the opportunity to play against some of the top athletes in the world. I am truly blessed to have had this opportunity, and I'm grateful for it. My feeling of being burned out from softball caused me to withdraw and lose touch with many of the friends I made during that time, but I still cherish those moments. I met so many great people and had some truly memorable experiences that will last a lifetime.

I often get asked if I'll ever play softball again. I love the game- it was after all my first love- and you never forget your first love. I believe I never reached my full potential in the game, and strongly believe I can pick the game back up and be better than I ever was before- I'm a much better athlete at this point of my life than I was 4 years ago. Although I haven't been playing the last few years- I've stayed in the game as much as possible by coaching and giving hitting and pitching lessons. I've had offers to play internationally, which have come with some pretty good financial incentives as well. However, at this point of my life, softball seems to conflict with my bobsled goals. I would love to find a way to play both, but for now my focus is on Sochi 2014 and my current relationship with bobsled. Maybe one day I'll be able to return to my first love of softball, but for now, I'm perfectly happy as a bobsledder.

Getting Back in Shape

2011-05-26T17:05:00.000-04:00

After the season finished this year, I was mentally and physically spent. From October to April I was on the ice, sliding and pushing hard and trying to learn how to drive. Not only was I on the ice for a long time this season, I also started training for the past season in May and barely took any time off. Additionally, I was traveling and trying to make the most of winning an Olympic medal- which meant quite a few appearances and special events. Needless to say I was exhausted. I went home after the season and did a few appearances but mostly tried to rest (although I had quite a bit of unexpected physical labor waiting for me thanks to my parents lol). I relaxed as much as possible and also finished up my graduate degree. In total- I took about a total of 5 weeks off.

After those much needed 5 weeks were over, I returned back up here to Lake Placid to start training again. I was out of shape and had put on quite a bit of weight (I naturally weigh more than my in-season competition weight). Now- out of shape is relative though. Was I still in pretty good shape for your average person? Yes, but was I in shape to push a 400lb bobsled down an icy track to one of the fastest push times in the world and then undergo 7-8 Gs of pressure down the track? No way! So now I have begun the journey of getting back in shape.

Believe it or not- getting back in shape is one of the most humbling things. The workouts at the beginning of a training program are difficult. After the first day, it gets harder and harder to do things like walk up stairs, lift your arms to brush your teeth, and even get out of bed! You shuffle around so you can minimize the need to lift your feet because it hurts so bad! Workouts make you want to throw up and you find yourself tired all the time. It's quite a humbling experience. Despite the fact that you've achieved one of the highest accomplishments in your sport, you can still be brought to your knees by the pre-season training.

I think this time is necessary for every elite athlete. Not just the getting in shape part, but the mental part that comes with getting back in shape. You have to push yourself beyond your limits. Acknowledge the existence of pain, and then overcome it. And then wake up again the next day and put your sore and tired body through even more workouts! It forces you to bear down mentally and challenge yourself, because you know at the end of the day it's these workouts that result in gold medals. At the end of the day, the mantra to get you through the pre-season training is always the same, "It's not where you start, it's where you finish." I strongly believe what I put in today will result in a season I can be proud of. So for now, I'll push past the nauseousness, the soreness, and the pain. Happy training!

Changing coaches

2011-05-19T23:04:00.000-04:00

As my summer training begins, I have begun working with a new strength and conditioning coach. I previously worked with Dan Pfaff and Stu McMillan, two great coaches who greatly attributed to my success the last two seasons- including winning my Olympic medal- a feat which I couldn't have done without them. I greatly appreciated the time spent with these two coaches and can't say enough great things about them.

So why switch? Unfortunately for me, Dan Pfaff was hired as a coach for the Great Britain National team for track and field team in preparation for London, and took Stu McMillan with him. Last season I was able to continue working with Stu, however, it was difficult not being able to see a coach on a regular basis. My form for many exercises, including running and lifting, is not very good and needs constant monitoring. Without a coach by my side, my form breaks down which results in less power, speed, and strength at the end of the day. Despite my best efforts, this season was difficult without having that coach available. So, it is with great sadness that I had to discontinue working with Stu.

Although I knew I needed a change, I was unsure of what to do. At the Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, they had just hired Brad DeWeese, and I needed to make a decision of where I was going to train. After just a week of speaking with Brad and working with him, I was hooked and decided I was going to commit to train with him this summer. Brad DeWeese is extremely knowledgeable and has a very scientific approach to every aspect of training. He breaks down every aspect of training and also works to train athletes not only to be better on the field, but also smarter- to be able to understand why they train the way they do.

I have switched coaches more than anyone possibly in the history of athletics. Every season for summer travel softball growing up I played for a different team. My high school basketball team had 3 different coaches in 4 years, softball had 2 different coaches, and track also had two different coaches. My college softball team had 4 coaches in my 5 years of playing (why I had 5 years is because one of those coaches) and even my professional softball team had 2 coaches in one season! I've already had a few coaches with bobsled, and with the recent job posting for a women's bobsled coach- it appears that I'll have one more! Every time you get a new coach its a process to learn what the coach is like, what they coach like, and how it will affect performance and everything else. It's a learning process on both sides. Coaches are supposed to be people that you can trust to lead you in the right direction, to motivate you to do better- to be greater. And all of this requires a mutual trust, but it's very difficult to trust when coaches constantly move in and out of your life...

So how do you trust someone you don't know...well- there is no simple answer to that. For me, I don't have to trust a coach because I trust God- and that's enough. I use that trust I have in God to help me through the transition in coaching- the constant transitioning as it seems. Other than that, trusting a new coach is difficult- but at some point you have to believe they have your best interest. Coaches don't receive all of your trust instantly, but once they show that they are really truly invested in the best interest of the team or yourself as an individual athlete, at some point you must take a leap of faith and trust them. No one said it was easy though...

I have chosen to trust Brad DeWeese with my strength and conditioning. I know that he will prepare me as best he is able for the upcoming season- and really that's all I can ask from any coach. I've been working with him for less than a week now, but I know things are moving in the right direction.

Graduation!

2011-05-14T21:23:00.000-04:00

After 5 long years of studying, I have finally graduated from the George Washington University with a Master's in Tourism Administration, with a concentration in sports management. I started working on my graduate degree in January of 2006, right after I graduated from GW as an undergrad. I was still on scholarship playing softball, and started working on a master's in clinical exercise physiology. I loved studying exercise physiology, but at that time I really wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life (I'm still not- other than bobsled! lol). I completed a year of studies and decided it wasn't for me, and then transfered into the GW School of Business to pursue the MTA. I took one semester of courses and decided that too wasn't for me, and finished the semester and went on to focus on playing professional softball that summer.

Well- summer came and went and I was feeling burned out from softball so decided to start pursuing my dream of going to med school. I enrolled at Georgia State University to complete a Master's in Exercise Science and also prepare for med school. I had a graduate assistant position, and things were going well, but then I got the itch to compete again- which is exactly when I went up to Lake Placid for my first bobsled tryout. Needless to say, I didn't stay at Georgia State.

After my first half of bobsled, I decided I needed a business background for my athletic career. GW had a sports management concentration in the MTA program, so I decided to transfer back to the program and continue my studies online. Ever since then, I have been working hard at completing this degree.

It's been a long road and I feel like I've been in school forever! (Well- my whole life really!) I feel a sense of relief that I am finally done, but I don't really feel like I even have it. Maybe it will feel different when I get the sheet of paper that states my degree, maybe not. All I know is that I have finally completed my goal of getting my master's degree. What this means for the future? Who knows, but I think I have some time to figure it out. For now, I'm going to read because I want to- and not read a textbook!

I'll never stop learning, but I can't say I'm sad to take a break from taking tests and writing essays lol

To all my fellow 2011 grads- Congrats! We did it!

Off Season Craziness

2011-04-26T21:33:00.000-04:00

So my off-season runs a total of about 5 weeks- from the last race in April until the middle of May. I have been home for the entire off-season, and so far it's been crazy! I feel like I've been running around like a chicken with my head cut off- not too much down time. I haven't been making as many appearances as normal, but I've been trying to do more volunteer activities. I've had the great fortune to increase my work with Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, a great organization operated by some great folks. I've volunteered at the hospital to create Easter decorations with the children, as well as become more involved with Transplant services. I will work more with Transplant services in the future, and I'm very excited about the opportunity. I will also be running the Fiesta 5k (que) race this weekend at Centennial Olympic Park, which is beyond my athletic ability (I have no cardio), but I'm still excited about it anyway. Join me and register online here: http://www.choa.org/Support-Childrens/Events/Fiesta-Atlanta-5-Que

Other than increasing my volunteer activities, I've had the opportunity to try some different activities myself. I learned how to rock climb at Atlanta Rocks- I learned how to belay and tie knots and everything, and even support other climbers. Rock climbing is very physically demanding- and a great workout and a lot of fun!

I also have tried kickboxing, another great workout and a lot of fun! The workout was quite physically demanding- and I was over the cardio side of it, but I enjoyed kicking and punching the bag. I definitely could see myself doing more of this post-bobsled. If you haven't tried it- I highly recommend it.

I also dusted off my basketball shoes and hit the court again. I try to shoot every once in a while, and forgot how relaxing it is. My shot came back- which only made me want to shoot even more.

What else have I done? Taken advantage of this opportunity to spend as much time with my sisters and family as possible! I truly love them and I don't get to spend much time with them, so I've tried to do as much with them as possible. We've been to a Georgia Force game (courtesy of Sam Crenshaw- thank you!), Old School Saturday, and other events- it's been great!

So I've got a week and a half left of the off-season...can't wait to see what happens!

Dancing

2011-04-17T23:44:00.000-04:00

God did not bless me with the ability to dance! I like to think I have some rhythm, but all my life I've been told I'm stiff- I need to loosen up. I even competed in a dance group when I was younger, but it took me the longest to learn all the dance steps and I was always positioned behind the better dancers, and I'm pretty sure I still made a complete fool of myself. Despite the fact that I will never be on So You Think You Can Dance, I love dancing! Funny statement for someone to make right? I'm awful yet I enjoy it tremendously. When I was younger I was super self-conscious about my dancing. I dreaded school dances and I didn't want to dance with any of the boys for fear of making a complete fool of myself. It's one of the few areas of my life that I have completely no confidence. I still get self-conscious sometimes about dancing and I get anxious when too many people get around me on the dance floor, which makes my already horrible moves worse. Yet, I still dance! Why? Because dancing for me isn't about being the best, it's about overcoming my anxiety and yes- my awkwardness (although if you know me, you know that I will always be awkward- it's unavoidable). Dancing for me is about stepping outside my comfort zone, and having a good time despite not being the best. Hard lesson for athletes and competitive people to learn- you don't always have to be the best. Especially hard for me to learn- and I'm super competitive and all of my friends are great dancers (my great friend and bobsled teammate Jazmine even tried out for Broadway!)- and these are the people I'm surrounded by on the dance floor!

Another part of dancing for me is overcoming my fear of looking foolish. Often in life we are put in situations where doing the right thing seems foolish. When faced with these choices, it's this fear that can prevent us from doing the right thing. Facing this fear though, often reaps more reward than ever imaginable. For me, dancing provides me with the opportunity to face the fear of looking foolish every time I step on the dance floor. I won't lie, there are times were I am completely petrified to step on the floor, knowing there are great dancers and that some of them will inevitably judge me and my lack of dancing ability. However, I step out on the floor anyways. If I can face my fear of looking foolish on the dance floor, then I can face my fear of looking foolish in other areas of my life. Most of the time, when I face this fear I have more fun dancing with my friends that I could have ever imagined- which sure beats sitting on the sideline looking cute!

I may never win a dance contest or be on Broadway, but that won't keep me from dancing! Facing the fear makes the reward so much sweeter, and for that- I'll just keep on dancing!

So on that note, take a look at the dance Jazmine and I are going to attempt to learn this summer (she'll probably have it down pact, and I'll probably dance behind her lol):

I'll be sure to post videos after we learn it! Happy Dancing!

2nd Place

2011-04-16T11:05:00.003-04:00

Here's what Versus has to say about second place, and I agree! Striving every day for the GOLD!

Spirit of Panama

2011-04-13T19:35:00.000-04:00

The nation of Panama is in the process of creating a bobsled team. My family comes from the city of Colón, Panama, so I was super excited to meet these gentlemen in Lake Placid. They are dedicated and determined to bring bobsledding to their home nation and to make 2014. For me, it's exciting to see the sport expand and even more so to the country of my family. Cheer them on as the go for Sochi 2014!

Season Wrap-Up

2011-04-13T18:33:00.000-04:00

So the season has officially ended and it was quite the interesting season! Driving is so much fun and I am so happy that I made the switch! Although I am still a new driver and it is early, I'm hoping the switch is permanent and I never again have to return to the back of the sled. The season was full of some successes, some struggles, and a lot of lessons. One of the best things about driving is that now I'm the captain of my team- each brakeman I've slid with is now a part of Team Meyers! With the creation of Team Meyers comes the added pressure for good results and added expenses for purchasing equipment, but I'm more than willing to deal with those issues in order to drive a bobsled. The feeling of controlling a sled while going 70-85mph down an icy hill is amazing and I'm in love with it!

This season really made me appreciate brakeman. I have raced with many brakeman, and I greatly appreciate all the brakeman I have raced with. Thank you to Katie Stoever, Katelyn Kelly, JennaBree Brown, Kristi Koplin, Emily Azevedo, Jamie Greubel, and Hillary Werth- it was a pleasure to race with you! Also, thank you to all the other brakeman who took trips with me, so that I may be able to hone my driving skills and become a better pilot; so thank you Brittany Reinbolt, Tara Stephenson, Valerie Smith, Kelli Ehardt, Meighan Stevens, Lauren Spiers, Sineaid Corely, Jack Malleo, Jackie Higgins, Shea Robinson, Ketty Cornemann, Jessica Penta, Emily Weinberg, and Maggie Decell. I look forward to sliding with those who return to bobsled, and wish those who are not the best of luck.

The season was a whirlwind- I went back and forth to Europe three times! I learned so much about the sport and had a great time meeting new people and getting closer to people I've known for years. I'm saddened about the retirement of Erin Pac, Shauna Rohbock, and Valerie Fleming, but I'm hopeful for the future and the team we will re-build with their departure- although they will be difficult to replace!

The season was highlighted by our 9th place finish in World Championships- a huge accomplishment to finish in the top 10 in my first World Championships as a pilot, especially on a new German track. It was made greater after I had crashed the first run of my training, and the fact that I was beat some great pilots and even some Olympians. Other highlights including a SILVER medal at the Jr. World Championships- a close race that was deservedly won by Paula Walker of Great Britain, racing 3 World Cup races and finishing top 12 in all of them- including a 6th place finish in Lake Placid, finishing 2nd overall in the America's Cup circuit with GOLD at the Calgary America's Cup and SILVER at the Lake Placid America's Cup, and finishing the season with a world ranking of #13! Like I said, it's been quite a year!

I'm happy to have the opportunity to return home and take some time off, but I can't afford to take much! Next season will be very competitive to even make the US squad- we've got 4 great pilots returning- and the competition is always fierce! Internationally, everyone is prepping for Sochi 2014, so each year will get more and more competitive so it will be a great challenge to increase my world ranking. We host World Championships in 2012 in Lake Placid- so the goal will be to medal there, and with a great brakeman and if I continue to improve my driving skills- I know it's possible!

In the meantime, we're always looking for new brakeman- both men and women and will be holding recruitment camps throughout the year. If you're interested, please visit http://www.bobsled.teamusa.org/recruitment for more information and http://www.bobsled.teamusa.org/events for all the camp listings.

Thanks to everyone who made this season amazing! Each and everyone of you- fans, friends, family, medical staff, coaches, staff, etc made this season great. I am blessed to be surrounded by great people- and you are truly what makes going for an Olympic dream worth all the sacrifices. I love you all.

Here's to the 2010-2011 season! Onto the next one!

One Year Anniversary

2011-02-24T18:40:00.001-05:00

I know I haven't been the greatest in updating my blog this season, but now that the season has slowed down tremendously, I have time to reflect. I will post about everything that happened this season as a pilot, but for now I want to take a moment and remember the past. Exactly one year ago today Erin and I celebrated as we crossed the finish line at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Over two days and four runs, Erin piloted us to an Olympic bronze medal, an amazing accomplishment as we weren't even the top ranked US team! No one expected us to medal, except ourselves, and that's what made the accomplishment even more amazing.

Now I hate to say I'm a profit, but with all the hype going around about USA 1 going into the Olympics, one day I decided that there's no reason why we couldn't win an Olympic medal. On that day, I typed into my twitter window "I'm going to the Olympics, and I'm coming home with some hardware." I received some very interesting responses to that tweet, but on that day I learned that if you don't believe in yourself, no one else will, and on that day, I decided to choose to believe that Erin and I could win a medal. I'm not sure if anyone else at that time believed it, but I honestly did.

Erin and I at our first World Championships together- Altenberg 2008

What made that day even more special is all that Erin and I had overcome. The year prior to the Olympics, we had quite a blow up at World Championships and weren't on speaking terms. I believe because of our shared faith, we were able to overcome our differences and continue to compete together. Although it took time, eventually our faith and our shared belief that all things are possible through Christ, would allow us to do something even greater. Not only did Erin and I compete at the Olympics together- we had a blast doing it!

Something changes when you win an Olympic medal with someone. Although Erin and I had overcome so much to become friends, Erin will forever be special to me. Every time I think of winning the bronze, I can't but help remember how great it was to win it with Erin. I'm not sure if the experience would have been as great with anyone else. After all we had overcome, I was honored to win a medal with Erin. I guess that's what made winning the medal so great- it wasn't just winning another race, it was everything that had occurred the past three years, our journey together as brakeman and pilot. Erin was my pilot for my first World Cup race, and as of now, she will be the last pilot I ever raced with.

It's funny- I think of the past season- my first as a pilot, and it's remarkable how much Erin has influenced my pilot career. We have pretty differing personalities at the line- she was always super pumped up, and I was always so calm. However, there are so many things I do like her on the line as a pilot. My cadence (what my brakeman says to signal its time to leave) is the same and my routine is the same as hers. Little things like that- it was a routine so long for me as a brakeman- I couldn't help but convert it to my piloting career!

I thought of Erin quite a bit this past season, about what she had to have gone through trying to win an Olympic medal in just four years of driving- all the struggles and all the triumphs- learning new tracks, racing with different brakeman, and just trying to figure out where you fit on the USA team. She had a difficult four years but she persevered and for that she is truly a champion.

I can't believe it has already been a year since winning the bronze. So much has happened and this year has been such a whirlwind. I had no idea everything that would occur as a result of that medal, but today I remember what happened that night. I remember the nervousness I felt on the line followed by the calmness I received looking at Erin and knowing what was about to happen. I remember crossing the line and hearing Erin scream wondering what just happened, and finally seeing the scoreboard to realize we won a medal. I remember chaos at the bottom dock- and not remembering exactly everything that happened. I remember hugging my teammates at the bottom dock, and my coaches, and everyone celebrating and happy. I remember finally seeing my family and how excited they were. I remember sharing this moment with one of my best friends, Shelley-Ann Brown. I remember so much, yet so little- so much of that moment I was truly living and just feeling. That day was truly the best day of my life.

World Cup Season Has Ended

2011-01-25T23:54:00.000-05:00

No, the official FIBT World Cup season still has stops in St. Moritz, Switzerland, and Cesana, Italy, but my World Cup season has officially ended, but for good reason. I will skip the races in St. Moritz and Cesana in order to compete in the Jr World Championships in Park City, UT, where I currently am right now.

I know it's been a while since I've blogged, so I'll rehash what has happened on the World Cups I was able to compete in.

First, the team traveled to Igls, Austria, a new track for me. The track is a starter's track- usually the fastest starting teams win. The week started with some unfortunate events, as USA 2 driver Bree Schaaf was taken to the hospital and had to have her appendix removed, and was forced to withdraw from competition. Thankfully, she is now back with the team in St. Moritz and set to compete this weekend. Anyway, for Igls I then had the privilege of racing the World Cup race with Emily Azevedo, Bree's normal brakeman, and also race the Team Event race with Kristi Koplin, an up-and-coming star. Our pushes were plenty fast enough, however, I struggled with this track. This track is not a difficult track to make it down, it is difficult however to be fast and I struggled with the finesse side of driving. I was disappointed in my runs, but we were able to finish 11th in the race, and have the 7th fastest run in the team competition for women's bobsled.

Curve 2 in Igls, Austria

In Winterberg, Germany, I was happy to be back at a track I had driven before. I struggled however, with my own health problems. I woke up one morning and could not move! My hip locked up and would not loosen. After our medical staff went to work, I was able to loosen it up enough so I could slide, but was eventually forced to miss a day of training because of it, which you can hardly afford as a new driver. I learned a lot this week, and had amazing pushes thanks to JennaBree Tollestrup-Brown, but once again I was disappointed in my runs, but we finished 9th- a top 10 finish, but still room for plenty of improvement.

JennaBree and I blasting off the start in Winterberg

So now here I am in Park City preparing for the upcoming Jr. World Championships. I will be racing with JennaBree and the winner will win an automatic bid to World Championships in Konigssee, Germany. I am hoping to earn my bid through winning this race, as if I do not whether or not I race World Championships will be the decision of a selection committee. I never want to leave anything up to a decision- so it's time to go to work!

BTW- I ended my World Cup stint as the #13 ranked pilot in the world! My ranking will drop as a result of missing the races in St. Moritz and Cesana, but it's pretty cool to end on that note!

Happy Sliding!

World Cup Lake Placid

2011-01-02T14:25:00.000-05:00

Jamie and I on the podium after our 6th place finish

I apologize for such a delayed post! In December, I had the privilege of racing in the World Cup race in Lake Placid! Upon Erin's retirement, I was named USA 3 and qualified for World Cup by racing with Megan Hill in Winterberg (see previous post). After a quick week in Winterberg, we headed back stateside and I raced in my first World Cup race as a pilot with development pilot and former national team brakeman Jamie Greubel. Although my runs were not the prettiest, we finished 6th- a great finish for someone who has only been driving for 4 months! After this finish, I retained my status as USA 3 and will be headed to Igls, Austria, after the New Year to compete in World Cup Race #5. After that, I will then head to Winterberg, Germany, for another World Cup race, before returning stateside to compete in Jr. World Championships. The ultimate goal for this season is to compete in World Championships, and I can make that goal a reality by winning Jr World Championships. Even if I'm unable to win Jr. Worlds, I can still race World Championships- but then it goes to a committee decision, and that decision can go any way. The goal is to qualify myself, and not leave anything up to decision. I'm so thankful for the opportunity to race World Cup my first season as a pilot, and so honored to represent my country at the highest level of bobsled.

Jamie and I getting ready to push off

7th and 8th

2010-12-12T12:10:00.000-05:00

Megan and I had a great time in Winterberg! We placed 7th and 8th, and had the 5th and 4th fastest pushes for both races. Although she hurt her quad, Megan pushed awesomely, and I can't wait to see what's next for her as she continues her development. Megan had many firsts, including the first time to Germany, and she had the opportunity to eat many new foods. I felt like a big sister, showing my little sister the ropes. She handled everything- all the challenges we faced- like a pro and I'm so proud of her.

Janis Kipurs was my coach, with the help of the Latvian team and their coaches. Thanks to Janis, we made a connection with the Latvian team and was able to share video with them. I learned so much on this trip about bobsled and driving and I owe a lot of it to the Latvian team and to Janis.

As for the races, from my perspective, the first race was a good race, the second race- horrible. People have told me that I am too hard on myself, but I expected to be in the top 6 for the second day, and I had the ability to be there. I drove poorly, which was more upsetting than where I actually finished. If I drove well and still finished 8th- then I got beat, but I drove poorly and finished 8th- and beat myself. Still reeling to return to Winterberg to fix my mistakes, but that will have to wait til next season.

As for now, I'm back in Lake Placid getting ready for the World Cup race here this week. Thanks to Megan, I was able to qualify for World Cup and will now race as USA3. I'm completely excited to be racing World Cup in just my first season, as it's quite an honor. I'm nervous as well, my driving ability will really be tested now, but also excited. I have no idea what to expect, except as always- to have some fun...so here we go- Lake Placid!

Winterberg!

2010-12-04T14:28:00.001-05:00

I'm sitting next to a warm fire here in Winterberg blogging and trying to fight the strong urge to fall asleep. My brakeman, Megan Hill, my coach, Janis Kippurs, and I arrived to Frankfurt, Germany this morning at 7:30am, got our rental truck (which is a standard, meaning only Janis can drive lol), and made the 130km drive to Winterberg. After a delicious lunch, Megan and I opted to take a nap- which was glorious, but left me wanting more. We decided to get the blood moving a bit and did a warm-up, and then headed down to dinner, and now I'm sitting here trying to keep my eyes from closing as I don't want to be up at 4am!

We start sliding on Monday, we get 6 runs and then two races- not a lot of time to learn a new track in a new sled. We are borrowing a sled from the Latvian team, something I am very thankful for as it's nice to be able to build a partnership between nations. We pick up the sled tomorrow (Sunday) and set it up and get it ready to go for training on Monday. I'm pretty nervous, but I have watched the point of view video for Winterberg a million times and have spoken to a few different drivers about lines. Tomorrow we'll also go to the women's luge race and watch some sleds, as well as walk the track, to get an idea about what is about to happen.

I'm super excited to be sliding on a European track in my first year of driving, but the competition is stiff here. Of course, competing against my fellow Americans is always stiff competition, but here- you have a bad run, it's over. There's not many new drivers in this race, most of the drivers I will be competing against have been to Winterberg many times, where I have been 3 times as a brakeman, and never as a driver. I'm excited none the less, but I have no idea what to realistically expect for a result. I know my coach, Janis with a Soviet bloc background, always expects the win, but realistically, the first goal is to get down and qualify for the Lake Placid World Cup. Of course I want to win, what athlete doesn't, but I am realistic and know it's a lot easier said than done. That being said though- I'm up for the challenge.

So here we go...Winterberg...

GOLD in Calgary

2010-11-21T20:18:00.001-05:00

Last week we drove up to Calgary, Alberta, Canada, for race #3 of America's Cup. I am pleased to report that Optimus Prime (sled), Katelyn Kelly (brakeman), and I were successful and took home the GOLD! This is actually only the second bobsled race I've ever won, and hopefully not my last. My first run was super fast, and thank goodness it was because the second one was a whole 7 tenths slower! That's not very consistent in bobsled terms, but that's what beginning driving is all about. My goal for every race is always the same, to have two good consistent runs, and even though I won this race I didn't accomplish my goal of having two consistently good runs. I have so much to learn as a driver, but I'm glad I still got the W today. Onto Winterberg, Germany!

Long Overdue Update

2010-11-16T12:13:00.000-05:00

The season is here and a lot has happened! We had two team trials in Lake Placid, and I won the first one. The second race I crashed the first run, but according to criteria I was granted two more runs and at least was able to finish the race, but I still finished last unfortunately. For a new driver, taking the run after a crash can be a little nerve-wracking, and as you can imagine- it was not the smoothest run, but I made it down and that's what matters.

We then traveled out to Park City to compete in two America's Cup races. My brakeman for those races was Katelyn Kelly, and we had some trouble at the start. Katelyn was named to the national team as a brakeman, and I was fortunate to have her on my team, however, my push bar kept falling while I was pushing which unfortunately resulted in slower push times. Katelyn did awesome though, and we were able to pull out 4th place finishes both days, each behind 3 Olympic drivers so I'm happy with this result.

Then the crazy occurred...

As you saw from my earlier post, my Olympic driver Erin Pac retired. Because of her retirement and my recent finishes in races, I have been named USA 3. This normally would mean that I would get to race on World Cup, however, I am not currently qualified. In order to qualify, I have to race two races in Winterberg, Germany now, and then will hopefully return and race the final World Cup on the first half in Lake Placid, NY. As exciting as it is, I am very nervous about how I'm going to make all this happen. My biggest hurdle right now is finding a sled to rent in Winterberg, a task that is proving to be difficult. It would be a huge opportunity to race World Cup in my first year as a driver, and I would really like this opportunity- so I'm trying to do everything possible to make it happen- which mostly means a whole lot of prayer!

In my absence, Jamie Greubel will race in the World Cup in Calgary as the USA 3 driver, and Jazmine Fenlator will race in the Park City World Cup as a driver. I wish them the best of luck, as they are also both new drivers.

But for now, I'm currently in Calgary, Alberta, Canada- and it's cold! Tons of snow- and we get on the track for the first time tonight. Although crazy has occurred, I'm excited to learn this new track and get back behind Optimus Prime!

This season is going to be fun...

Sad Day

2010-11-11T22:25:00.000-05:00

I know I haven't updated in a while about how the season is progressing, and I will soon- I promise- but I wanted to at least post the link to this article. Today, my Olympic teammate, Erin Pac, announced her retirement. Although we always haven't seen eye to eye, I had so many great moments with her in the sport. I raced my first world cup, my first world championships, and yes my first Olympics. Not only has Erin greatly impacted my career as a bobsledder, but she has also greatly impacted me as a person. I have learned so much about the sport and more importantly, about myself, through being her teammate the past 3 years. Although life for me in bobsled will continue (I have a race in the morning), I can't help but remember the past on this day. Thanks for everything Erin.

http://bobsled.teamusa.org/news/2010/11/11/olympic-medalist-erin-pac-retires/39467?ngb_id=23

Back on the Ice!

2010-10-16T21:38:00.000-04:00

We started back on the ice on Friday, October 15- and it dumped snow!! It was kinda surreal to be sliding and not be the brakeman. Although I have driven before, this is the first time I have driven at the beginning of the year and for team trials. It may be weird- but I like it! I love the feeling of being in the front seat- and the different challenges it brings- and let me tell you- it brings plenty of them! Learning to drive a bobsled is one thing, learning to drive fast- is a whole different story! Every day you walk the track trying to figure out the perfect line- and even though you think you can be perfect- you never will be! It's one of the most frustrating and satisfying things I've ever done- and I can't wait to see what the rest of the season holds!

My teammates (Jazmine Fenlator and Jamie Greubel) and I started at a lower start, and today was my first day at the top- and I even pushed. Above is video of me and one of our new rookie brakeman, Katie Stoever, pushing from the top.

So much more to come- the season has begun!

Video from Push Championships

2010-10-07T23:29:00.000-04:00

Here is the video from push championships and testing. The power cleans are a little sketch, I was attempting a PR at 100kg and wasn't able to finish. Check out the rest to see how we train!

2010 Push Championships

2010-09-27T17:37:00.000-04:00

This past week we completed our pre-season combine testing (a series of tests to determine our current fitness) and our annual push championships. Coming off an Olympic year, I really wasn't sure what to expect. My training hasn't been at the same level of last season, as I have spent a majority of the summer trying to figure out ways to finance this upcoming season, as well as making appearances with my bronze medal. My training hasn't been as consistent as I would have liked, so I was very nervous to find out how I would test and perform this week. Although I didn't set personal records in anything, I am pleased to report that I finished first for the second season in a row in the combine testing. I ran a 3.88 in our 30m testing, not bad but still over a tenth off my PR, but still the fastest in the field.
Additionally, this pre-season I haven't been pushing much, as my body has needed time to recover from any lagging injuries and also I haven't been in Lake Placid consistently enough to put it regularly in the workouts. Once again however, I am pleased to report that I won push championships for the 3rd consecutive year as a brakeman, and also won push championships for the first time competing as a pilot. I still have much to learn pushing from the pilot's bar, but I feel that this was a great way to start the season. I can still pick up much more time pushing as a driver, but a win's a win. Here is the write up of the event:

http://bobsled.teamusa.org/news/2010/09/23/meyers-and-langton-dominate-national-bobsled-push-championships/38677?ngb_id=23

Now it's just more training til the ice opens on October 15! Can't wait!

Address!

2010-09-09T17:41:00.001-04:00

Finally! I now have an address where you can all send donations and autograph requests! For all autograph requests, please enclose something for me to sign as well as a self-addressed stamped envelope so that I can return them asap. For donations, all checks can be made out to me, Elana Meyers. Thank you for all your support and I look forward to hearing from you!

Elana Meyers

P.O. Box 6131

Douglasville, GA 30154-6131

My life (currently) summed up in a quote

2010-09-04T14:23:00.005-04:00

"Deciding to train for an Olympic team, no matter the situation, requires tapping into your deepest reserves of dedication, courage and sacrifice. Not only must you be willing to put your personal life on hold, you need to tolerate treading your body like a machine and also risk enormous disappointment...You have to say to yourself, and to the rest of the world, I have a dream: I want to make the Olympic team. Then there's no guarantee you will. Emotionally, you're so exposed."

This quote from Dara Torres' book, Age is Just a Number, pretty much sums up what myself and all other Olympians and aspiring Olympians go through in order to reach their dream. Well said.

Verified Magazine

2010-08-31T20:47:00.001-04:00

Here is a recent article about me from Verified Magazine. Enjoy!

http://verifiedmag.com/2010/02/28/bronze-isnt-good-enough/

Swagga

2010-08-30T19:31:00.000-04:00

USOC intern Riley Steinmetz recently posted a blog entitled "An Olympic Attitude", which discussed the attitude it takes to achieve greatness, specifically the attitude it takes to become an Olympic athlete (http://www.teamusa.org/blogs/all-access/posts/2171-an-olympic-attitude). For athletes, we know the necessity of thinking positive in all situations and how it affects everything from our game-day results to even our daily training. Those of you who have been long-time fans may recall me tweeting or posting facebook messages about my swagga- and losing it and regaining it. Well, my "swagga" is my Olympic attitude. It is the attitude that tells me I can do anything I want to, that I can achieve anything and nothing is impossible with a little hard work and determination. My confidence has faltered from time to time, especially during an Olympic year when people are out for blood and will be quick to tell you when they think you're not up to par in hopes that you'll fold under the pressure, and in this year- the toughest year athletically for me- I indeed lose my swagga at times. It always is tough to regain a positive attitude when you're at your lowest of lows, but it's imperative that you find your "swagga" and pull yourself out of it- and that's exactly what I was able to do. I found my "swagga" right before the Olympics in Park City, and I was determined to win an Olympic medal. And even though the odds were against us, I had my "swagga" back and I knew anything was possible. Once was lost, was newly found and I knew great things were going to happen. So hold tight to your swagga, cause it makes all the difference in the world.

Thank You David Dinger

2010-08-26T10:34:00.000-04:00

The bobsled and skeleton community lost one of it's family members today. Dave Dinger was an amazing man who greatly impacted not only the development and success of bobsled and skeleton, but also the lives of many. He will be sorely missed. He may have lost his battle to cancer, but in his life he won the hearts of so many. RIP Dave Dinger.

6 months...

2010-08-24T22:14:00.000-04:00

So today was an anniversary and a death of sorts for me- as it has been exactly 6 months since Erin and I won bronze in Vancouver. So yes, I celebrate that great memory today, but also it is a death of sorts. Ever since winning the medal, people have told me that the life of a medal is only about 6 months- and then after that no one cares. Of course my family and I still care dearly, and I'm sure Erin and her family care as well, but to most of the public, there's other big sporting events that have happened and you are essentially old news- the appearance requests disappear and so does the so called "celebrity" status that goes along with it. I'm ok with that, as I've stated in other blogs it's never been about being famous or anything like that, although I have greatly enjoyed the appearance requests and speaking engagements. I've had a blast this summer traveling and meeting so many amazing people! Although the next season is fast approaching and my medal may be "dead" to the world, I'll live the rest of my life as an Olympic Bronze medalist (hopefully multiple medalist, including gold :))- and it won't matter how famous I was during these past 6 months, what will matter is that I have accomplished a dream- a dream that began at the age of 7. I still continue to dream and my dreams continue to grow exponentially, but today, I'll reflect on the past 6 months, remember all the fun and excitement, and then focus on those dreams that have yet to be achieved.

Life as an intern

2010-08-23T18:32:00.000-04:00

This summer I have been working tirelessly in my position as an intern for ORDA (Olympic Regional Development Authority) in which I have been recruiting bobsled and skeleton athletes. Although my internship is not yet complete, this week we have in town over 40 new recruits trying out for bobsled for the first time. I must say, I feel pretty excited that I contributed to this increase in recruits. Now obviously, all of them won't go on to be Olympians (although it is unfortunate that everyone can't be an Olympian), it is exciting to see so many people excited about trying out my sport! I can't wait to get all the recruits behind a sled to see what they can do! They did their sprint testing today, and throughout the week they'll learn how to push among other activities.

Recruiting can be pretty frustrating sometimes- lots of work and often little return- and lots of people turning you down. But this camp has inspired me to continue my work in recruiting- and I'm excited to go into the office Wednesday to get back to work! I've learned so much about sports through this internship, and it's been a great experience- not to mention I work with great people at ORDA. I still have a couple more weeks as an intern, but I'm newly enthused- and can't wait to do more work and find even more recruits!

The Source Magazine

2010-08-15T18:23:00.001-04:00

Check out my latest interview with The Source Magazine, one of the top hip-hop magazines in the country! Great picture thanks to photographer Michael Toles!

http://www.thesource.com/articles/23946/Olympic-Bobsled-Bronze-Medalist%3A-Elena-Meyers/274/Source-Sports

Got Milk: A humbling experience

2010-08-14T20:30:00.001-04:00

This week I was invited to the Refuel America Launch by Got Milk, an event to launch NBA player and USA Basketball player Chris Bosh and Apolo Anton Ohno's Got Milk Ads, and to promote the use of low-fat chocolate milk as a post-workout recovery beverage. Not only is it truly a great post-workout beverage- the event was a lot of fun! My teammate Jazmine Fenlator and I, drove to her mother's house where we parked my car and then traveled into the city. Gotta admit- the experience was pretty terrifying! I went to school in Washington DC and I've traveled all over the world- but the amount of people in New York City at rush house was a little more than I could handle. Thank goodness Jazmine was there- she knows the city and was a great tour guide.

Anyway, we went down there, did the event, and then had a chance to tour the city. We had cupcakes at Eleni's and also at Billy's Bakery, hot chocolate at Jaques Torres, and cheesecake at Junior's- obviously I was not on my diet for those few days. We toured Times Square- and that's when I really began to enjoy the city.

Reflecting on the experience, I realize how humbling it truly was. Yes, I have achieved much, as an Olympian and as a medalist, but standing next to Apolo Ohno, the most successful Winter Olympian in history, was a truly humbling experience. In order to win the amount of medals that Apolo has won (8), I would have to continue bobsledding for the next 28 years, make each Olympic team, and win a medal in all of them! Additionally, Shawn Johnson and Chris Bosh are no slouches either- both have accomplished so much- including Olympic gold medals! I was not star-struck by any means, I have met many stars, but being around such accomplished athletes makes me realize that I have so much more to accomplish- so much more I want to do as an athlete! I can't wait to get back on the track and back to work- so I can go after all my goals! Thanks Apolo, Shawn, and Chris for inspiring me- Push Championships is less than a month away!

It was never about the money

2010-08-08T16:22:00.000-04:00

One of the questions I often get asked is how much money do I make bobsledding? The answer is- not very much- if any at all! We can win a very small amount in prize money every year, but even that doesn't cover what we spend to compete in the sport. Even gold medalist Steven Holcomb, who is quickly becoming the face of our sport in the U.S., has said he still has over $40,000 in debt from bobsledding alone! So why if the financial rewards are so great and the return is very little, do we compete?

Well, when I was 7 years old I made a decision that would alter the rest of my life. At 7, I decided to become an Olympian. At the age of 7, I had no concept of money, but I made that decision and I have worked my entire life to get to where I am today. To me, representing my country means more than the amount of money it takes to get there- it's a once (hopefully more than once in my case) in a lifetime opportunity, to go to the Olympics and fulfill a lifelong dream. No amount of money can take away from that accomplishment. No amount of money could be offered to me to take back that memory. Some things are priceless, and competing for your country on the world's biggest stage is one of those things. Every moment was priceless and I cherish every bit of it.

So these days I'm working at a burrito shop and trying to be as creative as possible to raise funds for the upcoming season. Yes, money is tight, and I am still far off my goal, but I know that the ultimate goal of all this cannot be measured in dollar signs. Although I hope to walk away from bobsled one day fully satisfied and with as little debt as possible, even if I leave with debt, I'll know it was all worth it...

After saying all that- feel free to donate! lol Paypal button is on the right! :)

Blog and You Shall Receive!

2010-08-06T22:31:00.000-04:00

I blogged about it yesterday, so today when I was doing my multiple throws exercises and actually talking to my teammate Jamie Greubel- I looked down and I found one! I found a four leaf clover- just looked down and saw it! Who knew all I would need to do was to blog about finding one and I would! Something so small but definitely made my week- God works in mysterious ways and uses the smallest things to make you smile- which in turn makes Him smile. All the things a four leaf clover represents- good luck, good fortune, and hope- God has shown me once again that they are around us all the time! I'm so happy I can't even put it into words- great day!

Four leaf clovers

2010-08-05T22:35:00.000-04:00

Everyday when I'm training (I run every day mind you), I walk by patches and patches of clovers. Maybe it's just my distraction from the toughness of the workout, but I can't help but look for a four leaf clover. I like to think I do this because I always want to find the goodness out there- what the four leaf clover stands for- the luck and hope that is carried in a plant that has four leaves instead of three. The four leaf clover does stand for luck though, and although I am blessed, I still get super excited when I find them. So I guess for me a four leaf clover not only represents luck and hope, but also happiness- items that we all search for in life. So what four leaf clovers are you searching for? What do they represent to you?

Dieting- the new training

2010-08-01T19:27:00.000-04:00

Happy August everyone! Can't believe it's August already- the season is only 2 months away and I'm so excited! Of course, everyone is busy getting ready for the season, but one part of training you can't forget about is dieting. Now- dieting doesn't necessarily mean losing weight- dieting as this sense is crucial to training- and as a matter of fact- IS TRAINING! Whether you have to lose weight (like in my case) or gain weight or just maintain your weight, watching what you eat and making good dietary decision will greatly enhance your performance. Think of it like a car- every day we're working on the engine- making it stronger and more powerful, but if at the end of the day you put gunk in the gas tank- you're not going to go anywhere! Dieting is the exact same way! I struggle greatly with dieting- I love food and I love brownies in particular- but I know that watching what I eat will allow me to reach my goals. Daily- I have to make my choices very wisely and sometimes its pretty difficult- especially when those around you are eating anything and everything- and when you work in a burrito shop- but I know I'll be at my best when I fuel my body the best, so I'm going to give it premium fuel! Happy Dieting everyone!

The Five People You Meet in Heaven

2010-07-18T16:38:00.000-04:00

I just recently finished reading Mitch Albom's book, The Five People You Meet in Heaven. I actually picked the book up yesterday at the airport, and finished it earlier today- and for those of you who know how slow of a reader I am- that is quite the accomplishment and should be an indicator about how much I enjoyed this book. The book was basically about life, how every person on this earth is related- through all the love, sacrifice, pain, and anger. The book described a different view of heaven, where your life is explained to you by five people. I enjoyed this view of heaven, as it made you think who would your 5 people be and what would they tell you that would explain why you were here. I guess the point is you really wouldn't know who your 5 people will be, as you have know way of knowing how many people are affected by your life. I'd like to believe I have had the opportunity to positively affect many people's life, but truth be told, I have no way of knowing how, who, or even whether it was positive or negative. The book also offered the main character a calming peace, and I must say I received one after completing this book. The book reinforces the idea that every life on this earth is precious and no matter how mundane the day-to-day tasks may seem, you never know who's life you're changing. So go out there and live- but live knowing that your actions affect many others, and that no life on this earth is without purpose.

Empress Magazine

2010-07-14T23:28:00.000-04:00

I recently was interviewed for Empress Magazine! The photograph is by Michael Toles Photography, located in Douglasville, GA. He did a great job- and so did Empress Magazine! Here is the link to the article: http://www.empressmag.com/interviews/getting-to-know-elana-myers-2010-olympic-bronze-medalist-of-the-us-bobsled-team

Enjoy! Thanks for all the support!

Memory

2010-06-30T21:19:00.000-04:00

Do you ever wonder why you remember somethings and forget others? Like why you can still belt out the lyrics to every En Vogue song ever made and still remember your first pair of cleats, but can't remember the name of that super important person you met yesterday? I used to think I had a great memory, but now I don't know if it's all the hits in the head I've taken over the years in sports (bobsled has definitely added to that) or the fact that I'm getting older (although I like to still believe I'm not that old- although the elementary schoolers tell me otherwise), but I don't remember things as well as I used to. Even things like songs- I can't remember the lyrics as well as before!

Now yes, some of the things you remember may have to do with things like repetition and importance, but the question is always- why do we remember what we remember?

Often you also remember the bad things that happened to you, the bad things people said to you, and the just plain bad people. Why is it so easy to forget the good stuff and remember the bad?

I've created so many memories since my run to the Olympics and post-Olympics. I've had a blast getting the opportunity to do so many different things, and meet so many amazing people. I just keep finding myself wondering if I'm going to remember these times later when times get tough- because they do for all of us- Olympic medal or not.

I'd like to think I can remember everything- that I'm going to remember the excitement and the joy of every single bronze medal moment, but I fear I won't be able to. I suppose the important thing is to take advantage of those bronze-medal moments, because we all have them. Remember the good times, and try to throw away the bad. There's only so much space in there for memories, and I want mine to be good ones. So the question I pose to you is this, what do you want your memories to be? Go out and make them- and make 'em good!

SAMMY

2010-06-27T22:49:00.000-04:00

This weekend I had the privilege of being the guest speaker at the SAMMY awards, hosted by USA Today and Body By Milk, the makers of the Got Milk? Ads. The event was in Disney World, and I had a blast! SAMMY stands for Student-Athlete Milk Mustache of the Year, and its award given to only 25 seniors nationwide, seniors who represent the best student-athletes in the country. All of these students are incredibly well rounded and give so much back to their communities, it was an honor just to be a part of it. The athletes receive a scholarship, a trip to Disney World, and appear in an ad for milk in ESPN the Magazine and USA Today. Oh yeah- and did I mention I won this award in 2002? lol Not only did I speak at their welcome reception, I also got to know many of the student-athletes and attended shared fireworks and dessert with them and their families at Epcot. It was truly a great experience and I had a lot of fun and everyone should look out for these superstars- cause they're amazing!

As part of my speaking, I created a poem about the SAMMY winners, and I promised them I would post it here on my blog. So here it is:

So you graduated from high school and thought you were done,

4 years of hard work, now look what you’ve won!

Winning a SAMMY award is a quite a big deal,

I’m sure you’ve pinched yourself, not believing its real.

There’s 25 of you all, so let’s break it down for the masses,

So we can applaud what you’ve done on the fields and in your classes.

SAMMY winners come from all over this great nation, our homeland,

Zak Aossey hails from Texas, where everything is grand.

Lauren Boden from Georiga, reppin’ the A,

Kansas is the home state of the one and only, Casey McVay.

Celeste Hoelzl hails from CT- home of my Olympic teammate,

Katherine Skinner from NY- my new residing state.

Mary Bennion from Oregon with a coastline so great,

And Eric Steingruber of Idaho, who’s zip code starts with 8.

David Daines of Utah, home of a bobsled run,

While Alexandra Geesey surfs in Florida, which sounds like lots of fun.

Can’t forget Ashley Vandolah of Montanta- I’ll be there very soon!

Lauren Peterson sings Beautiful Nebraska, as that’s her state’s tune.

SAMMY winners compete in all sorts of sports,

You’ll find Annie Rempel starring on the tennis courts.

Tevin Hood and Ellie McCardwell hold it down for cheerleaders,

And 11 of you run track at various distances and meters.

You’ve got Nicholas Hadorn of motor cross fame,

Emma Lucken and Amanda Hall call skiing their game.

Speaking of games can you leave out Aleksandr Golovin with chess?

While Hannah Fitton proves she’s one of swimming’s best.

Leah Coats and Kyle Pollock spend their winters on wrestling mats,

While Stetson Thacker spends his spring swinging baseball bats.

James Matthew Mackovjak and Wynton El both enjoy a day on the pitch,

And Shelby Lawson proves that basketball’s her niche.

I haven’t covered everything about you as there’s so much more to say,

But I don’t want to ruin the surprise because you’ve got icebreaker games to play.

So congrats on your SAMMY award- this is a moment to remember.

And remember your time at Disney World, during your first college finals in December.

If you are a senior and would like to apply for a SAMMY award, visit http://www.bodybymilk.com/sammy_scholarship.php

Team of the Year!

2010-06-20T17:37:00.000-04:00

Every year we have a USBSF Annual Camp in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This year we did a multitude of events, including yoga for four hours, the incline, water polo, wheelchair basketball, and visited with the Wounded Warriors of Fort Carson. Every year, the event culminates with a gala, where awards are given based on performance from the past season. A picture of Erin and I was put on the white wine bottles, while the Night Train (the gold medal team) was put on the red wine bottle. Additionally, Erin was named Women's Bobsled Athlete of the year, teammate Jamie Greubel was given the Athlete's Choice Award, and Erin and I were co-team of the year with the Night train! This perhaps was the last real celebration of us as a team, as now we become competitors. Here's to the last four years! Now to prepare for the next four!

Par-Tee!

2010-06-20T17:18:00.000-04:00

Recently, I was invited by Ted Hall of Channel 11 News to a Par-Tee, a pre-party for a golf tournament for the American Cancer Society, Swing Fore a Cure. The Par-tee was a blast, I met a lot of amazing people, and I even donated some items to auction off. The little girl who ended up winning the autographed helmet and picture I donated actually heard me speak at Cogburn Woods Elementary and was very excited about her winnings. Best of all, all of the proceeds go to the American Cancer Society! Great event and I was honored to be a part of it. Hopefully I can go again next year!

Advocare and losing 16lbs!

2010-06-18T23:15:00.000-04:00

Ok- so in order to compete for bobsled I need to weigh about 170lbs. I am naturally a bigger girl and can put on muscle just by looking at weight- so this is a rather difficult weight for me to reach. I weighed 168lbs when I started high school- so getting down to 170lbs is going to be quite a challenge- but I'm up to it! In order to help me kick start my weight loss, I am going to do the 24 day challenge by Advocare- starting sometime next week as soon as all my products get in. I'm very excited to start the weight loss process and can't wait to see the results. With Advocare, it's quality insured which means I won't test positive for taking their products and they produce results! I'm so excited, but I'm inviting all of you to join me in my weight loss. Here is the website that explains more of the process:

http://web.mac.com/teamadvocare/BigBelief/24_Day_Challenge.html

And this is the website that you can use to purchase products- but as always you can contact me if you need more information or help:

https://www.advocare.com/10064308/Store/default.aspx

Happy Weight loss! I'll be sure to update with my progress!

Latest Article on TeamUSA.org

2010-06-08T23:13:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone! Just wanted to post an article about me on TeamUSA.org. The article is about all the different things I do to make money and fundraise, and also about how the USOC helps it's athletes out by providing things like training centers. The article link includes a video and a photo gallery, so be sure to check it out! Brandon Penny did a great job on this one, and it was a pleasure meeting him during my week in Colorado Springs at the training center (I'll post more about the trip as soon as I get my pics downloaded). At any rate, check it out!

http://www.teamusa.org/news/2010/06/07/meyers-appreciative-of-the-support/36402?ngb_id=3

Here is the video BTW:

Autograph Requests

2010-06-06T23:28:00.000-04:00

Since winning the bronze medal I get quite a few autograph requests. I want to give all my fans and followers a chance to get an autograph. I have been doing several autograph signings here in Douglasville, but many of my fans don't live in Douglasville. If you would like an autograph, please send a self-addressed stamped envelope and something to sign (picture, newspaper clipping, piece of paper, etc). to the following address:

Elana Meyers
USA Bobsled
196 Old Military Road
Lake Placid, NY 12946

Please note: if you do not include a stamped return envelope I will not send you anything back! As I've stated on other blogs, unfortunately I do not get paid and cannot afford stamps to send everyone something back. Also- I do not have pictures to send for general autograph requests, I will sign pictures you send, but again, the printing of pictures cost money- which I do not have at this point. Hopefully someday I will be able to honor all requests by sending you a personal picture from me, but I apologize as I cannot at this time- but you can still get an autograph! Just send me a letter and follow my instructions!

I look forward to hearing from you!

As always, no donations are required for an autograph but greatly appreciated and accepted :)

All about the Children!

2010-05-30T22:46:00.001-04:00

Children are some of the coolest people ever! Winning the bronze has created some pretty unique opportunities, some of which have included getting to work and speak with children. These probably have been the most fun of all my adventures, as children tend to ask some pretty interesting questions. I have visited with the Atlanta Vipers 10&U softball team courtesy of my former hitting student, Bella, chatted with the softball team at Lithia Springs High School, I have spoken to many schools (in no particular order): Sweetwater Elementary, Dorsett Shoals Elementary, Beluah Elementary, Bill Arp Elementary, Chapel Hill High School, Alexander High School, Mason Creek Middle School, Chestnut Log Middle School, Mundy's Mill Middle School, Austin Middle School, and the Douglas County Performance Learning Center. I have spoken to several after school programs, including those hosted by the Atlanta Youth Project in the Walton apartment complexes, and I have had the opportunity to meet many children at events such as Olympic Day at KidsGym and the GA Kite Festival. I was a guest on the news broadcast of Chapel Hill Elementary and was interviewed by two aspiring young journalists, whose nervousness was cute. I was welcomed by my alma mater, Arbor Station Elementary, where I received a very warm welcome cause as they say "Once a bear, always a bear." I was inspired playing with the children at Egelston's Children Hospital, and was truly touched by these children. I was honored to speak at the opening ceremonies at Cogburn Woods Elementary School's Olympics and spent three days with the students of Eastside Elementary for their field day and also spoke at their 5th grade reception. All of these encounters have been so much fun and these children have truly made winning the bronze medal more special and I am honored to have been able to share my experiences with them.

I've been asked many questions, "Are you married?" "How much do you get paid?" "What else can you do?" "Do you ever get spiked?" "How many trips have you taken?" "How much do you bench press?" "Is there a Santa Claus?" "Do you ever get scared?" "What was it like to be at the Olympics?" "Is that medal heavy?" "What was it like when they put the medal around your neck?" and so on...some questions more amusing than others but all very welcomed! I have had the greatest time being asked all these questions and hopefully I provide pretty good responses!

At any rate, I have been blessed to have been able to share my medal with so many of the youth, hopefully I'll be able to work more with children and who knows, maybe I've even inspired a few to go on a reach their goals. Although working with all these children has made me want children even more now, children of my own will have to wait at least another 4 years. it's more crazy moments with children I get to return to their parents! lol

Oh btw- if you have pictures, please post or email to me- I don't have pictures from any of these events, but it'd like to add them to my personal collection! Thanks!

Pretty Cool Moment in my Life

2010-05-28T23:59:00.000-04:00

So when I won the medal, one of the things I was looking forward to most was coming home and connecting with the Egleston's Children's Hospital in Atlanta to arrange an event where I could meet some of the children and show them my medal. Well the day finally came and I had a blast playing with Wii with some of the children, even though I don't think bobsled was their most fun game. Anyway, while I was there I had the pleasure of meeting a young boy and his Dad who were actually from Douglasville! The boy (I don't have permission to use names so I'm not going to- to protect the family's privacy) and his sister attend Arbor Station Elementary (my Alma Mater), although because of his illness he has not been able to attend for some time. When I met his father at Egleston, he told me that although he had to take his son out of school, the next goal was for him to be healthy enough so he could come hear me speak at Arbor Station a month later.

So yesterday, I entered the gym in Arbor Station to the applause of many children and parents, and all I could see was a sea of faces. But then, I looked over to my left and I saw him- there he was just sitting in the chair listening to me speaking- he made it! I couldn't help but keep smiling at that point- I was so excited! I was so happy that he had made it to come see me speak- I couldn't help but keep looking over at him and smiling. He came up afterward and we took pictures and smiled his gorgeous smile, but I'm pretty sure I was the one who was most excited. Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera for the picture (so if you're reading this and you have a picture of us or me with any children, please send it to me), but it's truly a moment I'll remember for the rest of my life.

Now I've met many people throughout my travels, many celebrities and stars, heck- I even met the president- but none have touched me quite like this little boy and his family have. He truly is blessed with a loving family and he is a strong fighter and I only hope that someday I can have children as wonderful as this little boy.

Do you get paid to bobsled?

2010-05-28T20:29:00.001-04:00

Nope. The short answer to a question I often get asked. As an amateur sport, we are not professional and therefore do not make a salary like professional athletes. We do have the opportunity to earn stipends from the USOC, however, those stipends can be cut off at any time (like they were after the Olympics), and those stipends are not much- especially considering how much we as athletes eat (I probably spend the majority of my money on food lol). There is also the chance to win some prize money, but again, not enough to support even having house. The additional problem with these types of funds is the fact that 1/2 of it ends up going to taxes- so then you only end up with half of your meager earnings anyway. Income from bobsled is dependent on our ability to find sponsors, which at the moment is very difficult in this struggling economy. Unfortunately, I do not have the luxaury of being a full-time athlete like professional athletes, so I have to work- small jobs usually, a personal trainer, a substitute teacher, and even this summer I'm hoping to get a job in a sandwich shop- Did I mention I'm a bronze medalist? So no, the majority of Olympic athletes are not living the high life- ballin' with diamonds swinging from their necks- but we continue to compete (and even train harder than the professionals who do get paid) because we love our sports. Times are tough even for elite level athletes, so for me- that means many long days in hopes of continuing to compete for my country. GO USA!

Update

2010-05-23T23:14:00.000-04:00

WOW! It's been quite a while since I last posted! I have been extremely busy this month, trying to make all the appearances possible and I don't think I've said no yet! I'm extremely exhausted- but I've had a blast. The medal is wearing down, and the appearance requests come less and less frequently these days, which just means it's time to get back to training! I have already started training for the season and for the next four years- which I'm very excited about. Still a few more appearances to make, but I'll be spending a good majority of the summer in Lake Placid, NY, at the Olympic Training Center up there, as it gives me an excellent opportunity to train and save on costs, as well as work like a mad person! I have been working as a substitute teacher here at home- which is fun, but of course as the school year nears an end- so does the work. I often get asked- "if you're an Olympic medalist, why are you substitute teaching?" It's one way to pay the bills at the end of the day- and I suppose that's what we're all trying to do- Olympic medalist or not. I'll post more about my adventures over the past month- cause they've been a lot of them and I have so much to share- but for now- just a quick update to say hi blog world!

Converse ATL

2010-05-05T23:04:00.000-04:00

Thanks to one Jennifer Hutcheson (aka Mami2Mommy on Twitter), my boyfriend (yes the one I'm not naming and yes he was in town last week) and I attended several events hosted by Converse. First, we were invited on Friday to Atlanta to pick up a fresh pair of converse (each of us got a pair) to wear to the Converse Tip-Off party that night. Friday night, we attended the Converse Tip-Off Party, met tons of really cool people and even walked the red carpet- twice- once with Jermaine Dupri! Saturday afternoon we attended the Converse Band of Ballers, a 3-on-3 basketball tourney where the players were various vocal artists. Following the tourney, we then attended the after-party at Dallas Austin's place, where we were given another pair of fresh converse shoes! We had a fantastic weekend and Converse really allowed my boyfriend to enjoy the A! Nice showing!

Celeb status and the BF

2010-05-05T22:22:00.000-04:00

So my medal has granted me somewhat of a celebrity status. Like I've said to my mom, it's like I'm a mini-celeb though, people who know who I am really know who I am and get very excited- but then other people have no idea who I am and have ABSOLUTELY no idea- so it's really hit or miss- which is fine- I don't have a problem with it, and I've been enjoying the opportunities I've been given because of this status. Hopefully my status has allowed me to reach other people, I've spoken to many schools and children, even some churches, but I can never be sure if I'm really having an impact- but I'm having fun in the least!

Anyway, back to the topic of this blog, so if you haven't seen it on my facebook or caught it on twitter yet, yes I am in a relationship. Posting this on facebook caused quite a stir- which I didn't think it would- just wanted to use it to profess how I feel about my boyfriend. I also got a lot of questions about him specifically, and tons of questions about us. Don't get me wrong- I don't mind the questions at all, but I do want to preserve the privacy of my boyfriend, which is why I haven't put his name or his picture anywhere. No worries- he's a very special guy and he makes me happy. :)

Changing Drivers

2010-04-10T13:48:00.000-04:00

Since the Olympics, many people have asked me how teams are made in bobsled. In the U.S., the teams are created by the coaches. Living in a democratic society, the coaches try to create the best combinations in order to win gold and come to their decisions based on several factors, one of which is drivers input, and the decision is made by a group of coaches. For the Olympics, I was paired with Erin Pac, even though I raced in the first World Cup in Whistler and the 2009 World Championships with Shauna Rohbock. Much controversy has surfaced as a result of this, but I have no hard feelings against Shauna or the coaches for not racing with her during the Olympics (I suppose most of you may think that's easy to say now- but it was true even before we won the medal). Most of this past season I raced with Erin, and Michelle Rzepka and Shauna had great results as a team leading up to the Olympics, so it was only natural that I race with Erin for the games. Circumstances caused for their to be a switch in brakeman, part of which was my hamstring injury for the majority of the season, but even when the switch was made I had no hard feelings toward anyone for the change. Switching drivers is common in bobsled, but I had raced with Erin more than any other pilot in my 3 year career, so being put in her sled for the Olympics was more of a homecoming really. Shauna was one of the first people I hugged after winning the bronze, as you can see in the picture above, and she was great to Erin and I throughout the entire process of winning the medal. Like I've said before, I've got some pretty great teammates, even if we aren't always in the same sled.

AT&T!

2010-04-08T21:33:00.000-04:00

I believe in giving a shout out to those who help me- and I would like to give a special shout out to Derrick from AT&T in Douglasville- Derrick- you rock! During the Olympics, my phone bill was ridiculously high! Although I welcome the phone calls and texts and thank everyone for all the support, cell phone service is not cheap and needless to say, my phone bill was outrageous from just those two weeks! AT&T was able to help out, and although they couldn't make all of it disappear, they were able to greatly help me out- which is super awesome because as I've said in previous post- I don't make money bobsledding and the money to pay for the cell phone bill was coming out of the money I need desperately for this upcoming season. I've been an AT&T customer for some time now, and now with their help, I can continue being one...so THANKS AT&T!

LASIK...or not

2010-04-08T21:25:00.000-04:00

So I was connected with this program called LASIK For the Gold- it's a program created by a group called Eye Care 20/20 located in East Hanover, NJ, and they do free LASIK surgery for Olympic athletes. Pretty cool program, especially considering the vast majority of us would not be able to afford LASIK on our own (because most Olympic athletes do not make ANY money doing the sport they love- me included), and considering how important vision is to compete at the elite level. My driver for these Olympics, Erin Pac, had it done so I owe a lot to Dr. Silverman and his staff- a bronze medal! So I was all set to go have my LASIK done, got to East Hanover and had everything ready to go, until I had the pre-op appointment. It was during that appointment that I learned I was not a candidate for the operation because I had super-thin corneas. With my contact prescription, they said the chances of that happening are 1/100,000, which of course means I was the one. Although we were both disappointed, Dr. Silverman and staff were still awesome and even gave me a pair of glasses- good thing cause I'll have to wear them for the rest of my life! lol I still had a blast in East Hanover, so if you're ever in need of LASIK or any eye surgery (I wasn't eligible for PRK either), contact Dr. Silverman- he's good people!

Here's a link to a recounting of my visit:
http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20100406/COMMUNITIES/100405144/1005/NEWS01/Olympic-bobsledders-say-thanks-to-E.-Hanover-eye-doc---even-though-one-can-t-get-surgery

Sliding Season is Officially....OVER!

2010-04-04T15:05:00.001-04:00

The sliding season has officially ended- well for me at least. In Lake Placid, the track is scheduled to stay open until April 15, but with the warm weather they've been having- who knows if that will actually happen. For me though, the season ended with my final run on Friday- driving and pushing from the top! I ended on a pretty good note, which I was extremely happy about and it leaves me excited to see what the future holds. Driving is so much fun- it's great and I love it! I have a lot of potential because of my athleticism, so it will be exciting to see what will happen next.

Driving brought with it a whole new slew of stressors: finding brakeman, sleds, runners, and making sure everything was taken care of. Although it was extremely difficult and I had way more drama than I should have had, it was nice to have my own "team"- Team Meyers. Katie Turner, a former field hockey player and graduate of American University, came up from Maryland to brake for me for two weeks. Even though our race was cancelled and turned into a "scrimmage," it was great fun and Katie was a great sport about everything- hopefully she'll train hard this summer and return in the fall- here's hoping!

I learned so much this past year- from the politics that go into an Olympics to how to navigate down a track to how to make sure you have a sled. So much work to be done for the future, but for now- I'm going to let my body recover from 6 months of sliding! WOO HOO! ALL DONE! Hanging up the spikes for a minute...until October...

Photos from my adventures

2010-03-16T15:28:00.001-04:00

Took a while, but I am finally posting some photos from my recent adventures! Enjoy!

Tony Kornheiser, Michael Wilbon, and I on the set of ESPN's PTI (Pardon the Interruption). Tony gave me a shout out and showed my medal! Oh yeah, and getting to watch the filming of the show was pretty cool too.

Hershel Walker and I. Herchel was a brakeman for my current coach, Brian Shimer, in the 1992 Winter Olympics. Two of Georgia's finest brakemen :)

Jennie Finch, Michelle Smith, and I. Jennie and Michelle are two of the greatest pitchers ever to play softball and are both Olympic Medalists.

NASCAR!!! Need I say more!

Medal Ceremony

2010-03-15T01:47:00.000-04:00

The medal ceremony was one of the happiest days of my life so far. I actually cried! Didn't think I would- I always say I don't have tear ducts because of my lack of ability to cry when I want to most- but I cried like a baby on this day- Erin hugs me to cover it- well done! But in case you missed it, here is the link to the video: http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/assetid=18d08c0a-0ce9-4113-964b-4218cf992feb.html

Driving

2010-03-15T01:16:00.001-04:00

The media circuit has slowed quite a bit (I'll update on that later), which has given me time to get back to bobsledding! As many of you know or have read, I am trying my hand at driving now! I drove a little at the end of last season and am doing the same this season, except this season I will hit two tracks. I am currently out in Park City, UT driving and will go to Lake Placid, NY, on Thursday to do more driving and prepare for a race- America's Cup on April 2- which I'm completely stoked about!

One of the toughest things about being a driver however has been finding a brakeman. You wouldn't imagine how hard it is to find brakeman that can commit to sliding for a few days. I have been emailing hundreds of colleges looking for athletes, but am striking out. I've been able to find some, but not enough- which makes it impossible to learn how to drive! We (Jamie Greubel, Jazmine Fenlator, and I) have been rotating driving and braking- which has been crazy and resulted in me taking 9 runs the other day...9 RUNS!!! Usually you take two and as a World Cup brakeman- usually you take 6 per week at most- and I took 9 in one day! NINE!!! Crazy stuff but that's what you have to do when you can't find brakeman.

I'm excited to see if I can actually do this- so we'll see. I love it and enjoy it quite a bit- so we'll see what happens. For now, if you know anyone who could be a brakeman- send them my way!!! I'm desperate!!!

NASCAR- Atlanta Motor Speedway

2010-03-06T21:32:00.001-05:00

One of the coolest things about winning a bronze medal in the Olympics is being invited to events to make appearances. This weekend, my pilot Erin Pac, myself, and gold medalist Steve Holcomb and Steve Mesler, are guests of NASCAR at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Although everyone else had to fly down from their respective homes- I get to drive around the corner to experience my first NASCAR race!!

For those of you who may not know, bobsled has quite a bit of ties to NASCAR. Racer Geoff Bodine created the Bo-Dyn program and creates and designs our sleds- the medal winning sleds you saw in Whistler! With the support of Geoff Bodine and other NASCAR sponsors, we are able to develop the fastest sleds in the world- complete with AMERICAN MADE TECHNOLOGY!!! Our sleds are 100% AMERICAN and 100% FAST!

It already has been quite a busy weekend and the best is yet to come! Another day at the track awaits...I'll post all about it after!

Dating While Bobsledding

2010-03-05T00:02:00.000-05:00

One of my greatest dreams in life aside from winning medals is to one day have a family of my own, you know, a husband, children, white picket fence...well maybe not a white picket fence but a house on the beach wouldn't be so bad :) Anyway, as much as some men don't want to admit it, the real point of dating is to try to find that special someone to share the rest of your life with- that someone who will love you when you bring home a Bronze medal or when you come home battered and bruised from a horrible crash or when you lose your job and the money's gone- someone who will love you through thick and thin- and a kind of love that you can't even put into words. That's the kind of love I want to have someday, a love that's forgiving and loving and true, but in my line of business (although bobsled can be business but it's also play!), dating is very difficult. I've had the great opportunity to meet some incredible men! Simply incredible! Men that will make some women very happy someday, however, that woman won't be me. It's unfortunate yes, but I meet someone incredible and then two weeks later I'm off again, trying to stay in touch, doing what we can, but nothing ever really working out- which is definitely understandable- it's very hard to feel connected to someone who is never around. Even dating other bobsledders is difficult for the same reason- in season you are so busy doing what you need to do you don't have time for dating really, and then the season ends and they go back to their respective country. Don't get me wrong-I love what I do! I've met some amazing people and I'm very grateful for what I've been able to accomplish and I wouldn't change a thing. I know my prince charming is out there somewhere to sweep me off my feet, someone who will be able to stick with me as I travel around the globe doing my thing- not an easy task I assure you. Until then, it's back to work and dreaming about my future family.

If you can't tell by now...I'm definitely a romantic :)

Hats!

2010-03-05T00:01:00.001-05:00

I'm sorry the hats have not been as easy to purchase as planned! We are reorganizing the structure that will hopefully make it a lot easier. Thanks for your patience- I'll post all the info when I can!

Fundraiser- Beanies/Touques/Hats- or whatever you call them!

2010-03-03T13:56:00.000-05:00

As Winter Olympic athletes, many of us are not professionals and because our sports are relatively small on a national scale, we usually don't draw big name sponsors and have a hard enough time getting any sponsors at all. Bobsled is a very expensive sport, for example, when I go next week to Park City, Utah, to start driving, it will all be on my own dime- especially cause I currently have no sponsorship contracts. In order to help me raise funds to cover these expenses, I will be selling beanies or touques or hats or whatever you want to call them on ebay. The headwear will also be autographed personally by me, for each buyer. Hopefully by various fundraisers and working multiple jobs this summer I will be able to fund everything I need on tour next season. Being a bobsledder often costs more than you'll ever have the opportunity to make, but I love what I'm doing so I'm going to do whatever I can to keep doing it- including work multiple jobs and fundraise like crazy. This one is the first of many- so buy your hats now!!! Here is where you can purchase them on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120538653573#ht_500wt_1182
Check it out! Note: the photo says Dad of Elana Meyers but yours will say Friend of Elana Meyers.

Closing Ceremonies!

2010-03-02T23:39:00.001-05:00

Closing ceremonies were amazing! The Olympics were definitely great, but the season it long and I was excited to go home for a brief second. Here are a few pictures with some of the athletes during closing ceremonies:

Shani Davis with Erin and I

Lindsey Vonn, the anti-Lindsey Vonn (Erin was called it in an article- we're confused as to what it means), and I

Figure Skater Rachel Flatt and I

Medical Staff

2010-03-02T23:33:00.000-05:00

One of my coaches once told me you're only as good as your medical staff. I learned this Olymipcs that he was truly correct. The difference is not the type of training athletes do, we are all essentially doing the same type of exercises, just in a different order. The difference lies in the medical staff supporting you- which medical staff can keep you healthy the longest and get you competing and training the most days out of the season. I learned that fully this season, after nursing a hamstring injury all season as well as Erin's hamstring injury during the Olympics. Our medical staff has worked so hard to get us and keep us healthy and they deserve more credit than they'll ever receive. There's so many medical professionals that worked with us this season- so thank you all for all you do- but I did want to recognize the two that were with us the majority of the season- Dr. Jason Ross and Byron Craighead. These two were the glue that held the entire US Bobsled team together- you guys are awesome and thank you for doing your job so well that we can do ours. I for one wouldn't be walking around with the Bronze medal on my neck without you.

Why are you blogging in the middle of your Olympics?

2010-02-24T10:23:00.001-05:00

Yes, you're probably thinking why is she blogging when she has so much to do with her Olympic competition going on? Well- it's probably because I've been up since 4am!!! After we got done racing we had some media to take care of and then had to prepare our sleds for the race today. Then we took the 30 minute trip back to the Whistler Athlete Village, grabbed a quick bite to eat, did our laundry, and then got some treatment to fix up our aches and pains to get ready to go for today. I feel asleep rather easily, but took a sleeping pill just in case, and then woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed at 4am!! I've been trying to watch movies online (Personal Best, a movie from 1982- before I was born lol), but then I ran out of time (these things are timed when you're watching for free- 72 minute limit), so now I've been twiddling my thumbs trying to fall back asleep but it's not working! So I opened my facebook account and saw all the well wishes and the messages of support- it really means a lot and I appreciate it greatly. All my family, friends, and aquantinces, and even people I don't really know- you guys are making this a wonderful experience and I thank you very much.

Also, the other reason I'm blogging is I'm trying to keep everything pretty much the same as I would for any other world cup race or even a world championship race. It's two more runs and a lot can happen, so I need to stay calm and relax a little. Erin and I can do this, we just need to be confident but still be on our A game. 0.13 from gold is not a lot of time, and Erin, Pinky, and I, plan on making it up...so here goes! 2 more runs! GO PINK! GO PAC!

Joannie Rochette

2010-02-24T10:15:00.000-05:00

I am amazed and awed by Joannie Rochette. The Canadian figure skater tragically lost her mother the other day, days before she was set to compete in the Olympics. We were racing yesterday, so I didn't see the performance live, but I saw the replay and I was amazed. She was crying at the end of the performance, and I started tearing up to- if I wasn't so ridiculously exhausted to know up from down, I probably would have been balling my eyes out. My family is so important to me and to be able to not only compete, but compete at the highest level (she sits in second going into the next skate) is nothing short of amazing. I can't imagine what it must be like to lose your mother, let alone at the world's biggest stage and still being able to compete! God is truly looking over her and with her at these Olympics, and that makes me want to cry even more. Her mother is an angel watching her every skate. I know I should cheer for the U.S. but just this once, I hope she wins gold...so I say to Joannie Rochette- GO CANADA GO!

The Hamstring Monster

2010-02-22T03:25:00.000-05:00

The Hamstring Monster has been stalking team USA all season long and the Olympics is no exception! Todd Hays initially was sidelined due to a hamstring injury before his career ending crash in Winterberg. Valerie Fleming spent the entire Olympic season trying to over come a hamstring injury to try and make the Olympic team but unfortunately, the hamstring obviously didn't want to go to Whistler. And of course, me, as you all know from my previous blogs, I've been dealing with a hamstring injury all season that has caused some setbacks, but I still raced and made the Olympic team and felt prime and ready to go for some fast pushes when the hamstring monster decided otherwise!

My pilot, Erin Pac, just recently was attacked by the hamstring monster. Unfortunately, she is in a great deal of pain and unsure what percentage she'll be at for race day in one day's time. At this track, the push is especially important and we need every hundredth we can to win a medal and the hamstring monster wants to make this as difficult as possible. Coming into these games, we were one of the fastest push team in the world, but a hamstring injury will most likely slow us down a bit. A slower push greatly decreases our chances of a medal, but I'm not losing hope! Erin is a trooper and I know that she'll do everything she can to push as well as possible, and we'll work with it and compete. We still have a chance, the race has yet to begun, and there's always hope, as long as you still believe and I do. I honestly do.

So hamstring monster, you may think you have won yet another round, but you didn't realize that I know just who to call in this instance...WHO YOU GONNA CALL??? GHOSTBUSTERS!!! THIS HAMSTRING MONSTER IS NOT GOING TO TAKE OUR OLYMPICS!!!

Body By Milk

2010-02-19T13:16:00.000-05:00

In 2002, I was a SAMMY (Scholar Athlete Milk Mustache of the Year) Award winner, and as a result, I appeared in a milk mustache ad in ESPN the Magazine, Sports Illustrated, and USA Today. 8 years later, I'm at the Olympics and in honor of that accomplishment, I was invited to do a live facebook chat with Olympic Gold Medalist Gymnast Shawn Johnson. However, I missed the live facebook chat due to a press conference that ran late, so we shot a little video afterwards. Here is that video!

http://www.akamediainc.com/Client/Milk/ShawnJohnson_Elana.htm

You can also see the video on the Body By Milk facebook fan page.For all you high school seniors out there, don't forget to apply for the SAMMY awards! Applications close March 5!

Ridiculously busy day!

2010-02-18T01:39:00.000-05:00

Days can be pretty busy as an Olympian, and today was especially one of them! I started the day off rushing to breakfast in order to make it in time to my live chat with the Washington Post, to which I was of course late- as I forgot to account for time it would actually take me to get online and get to the site. The chat went longer than expected, which is completely ok- I welcome all the questions and fans, but I had to chat and prepare for my next task, an interview with NBC. The interview was in downtown Whistler, which was great and it was a gorgeous day, but the trip takes a minute to get out there from the athlete village. Then, I met up with the students visiting the Olympics from GW and told them about a few of my experiences as an Olympian. I'm actually in the same graduate program as all of them, although I don't actually know when I'll ever finish mine! lol (hopefully soon though!). I then rushed out of there, as I had to do some damage control for some of my less than popular tweets (our tweets get a lot of followers as Olympians so you have to be careful what you say!). After I controlled some of the damage, I then had to rush to get my workout in, and then showed some GWers around the athlete village. I then rushed to shower and get some rehab on my crazy hamstring, grabbed a bite to eat, watched a bit of Shaun White's epic run, and then burnt my mouth sipping cappuccino on the way to bible study. Finally, I finished bible study and came back here to answer all my emails and do everything I didn't do during the day cause there was no time! Definitely busy day, but it's a nice problem to have. My days are going to get a lot less busy starting tomorrow- the time that I call my "drop dead zone," it's the personal time I'm taking to prepare for my races. After my races- I'll be busy as ever again, but for now, it's getting down to the wire and time to focus. So if I don't respond to anyone on facebook, twitter, or even on this blog, please don't take it personally. I thank everyone for all the support and encouragement- but now it's time to go to work! This is what I trained my whole life for, it's time to go get some hardware!

P.S. Rebekah Bradford will be competing tomorrow so check her out!

Rebekah Bradford

2010-02-15T02:06:00.000-05:00

I've met quite a few athletes here in the XXI Winter Olympics, so occasionally I'll take the time to tell you about some of them. First- meet Rebekah Bradford! Rebekah is making her first appearance in the Olympics and is a sprint speedskater. To me- sprinting means 30m, but in speedskating, her race, the 1000m is a sprint! Rebekah is originally from Minnesota, but now trains in Salt Lake City with the rest of the U.S. Speed skating team. I met her for the first time in Chula Vista and caught up with her during Opening Ceremonies. She's an awesome person and more importantly skates for more than just herself- she is one of many of us who are competing for the God's glory in these Olympics (rock on!). Wish her good luck as she represents our country and goes for the gold on February 18! Check her out!!

IOC regulations and blogging

2010-02-13T18:26:00.000-05:00

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has strict regulations on blogs that occur during the games for all athletes. We are allowed to blog, but it must be written in the first person. We are allowed to post pictures, but they must be of people, not of events. We're not allowed to post any video from any areas that you need accreditation to access- aka- all the areas that I'm in. Finally, you can't go sponsor crazy on your blogs either. That being said, I'll post all my great Olympic video after the games is over :)

Opening Ceremonies

2010-02-13T03:13:00.000-05:00

Opening ceremonies was amazing! Words can't describe what it felt like hearing the entire US team chant "USA, USA" in the waiting areas- it was amazing! The day was a long one, it started out with breakfast and then I rushed over to the P&G House, where they did my make-up and made me look fabulous all for free!!! Then I rushed back to the Vancouver Olympic Village for lunch and to quickly get dressed in my white pants before heading out the door to meet Vice President Joe Biden and his family. It was amazing to meet him, and his speech almost made me cry. After meeting VP Biden, the we waited...

And waited, and waited, and waited...

During the wait, people were trading pins, and because I didn't know about this big pin trading tradition, I didn't have my pins! However, our physio, Jason Ross, had a pin and asked me to trade it for him- for something really good. I went on a mission- and traded it with the one athlete from Ghana- the Snow Leopard- which I consider a big achievement for the night. While I didn't have pins to trade- fellow brakeman Emily Azevedo and I spent a good majority of the evening collecting as many US signatures as we possibly could on flags and other items- which allowed us to meet a lot of people from all the U.S. sports- so many great people and great stories!

Finally, we lined up to walk into the stadium. We were in line for what seemed like forever! And even though our Ralph Lauren gear looked great (the white pants looked much better than expected), we were SOOO HOT!!! Those wool sweaters were furnaces! We were burning up! They offered us water, but no one wanted to drink cause we didn't want to go to the bathroom!

Finally, they started calling the country names and we were almost ready to roll out. Being the United States, we were one of the last countries to come out, shortly to be followed by host nation Canada. We all tried to strategize where to stand to get tv time- everyone like little kids so excited! The big winners were the ones who stood by the snowboarders and Shaun White, definitely should have been more strategic- but I'm super glad I walked in with my pilot Erin Pac, I was so happy to share that moment with her after all we've been through.

Walking through that stadium was nothing short of amazing. Walking up the ramp all you could see was thousands of people and bright lights- I imagine that's what entering the gates of heaven looks like (if it were on an earthly scale)- it was beautiful. We were so excited and I never wanted that walk to end- but it did, but luckily the show was amazing too.

Another Busy Day!

2010-02-12T02:18:00.000-05:00

Day 2 here in Vancouver is complete! We arrived yesterday and went through team processing where we received 3 huge bags worth of items- including our opening and closing ceremonies gear, which was altered on the spot for us. Then we were told we had a box to ship items home- and that's when the real decisions came into play. I was up until 1:00am trying to decide which items to keep with me and which to send home- trying on clothes and thinking about what items I'd like to trade with other people for their swag, and also which items I want to give as presents and to whom. It was a intense night!

Then- because the time difference is 3 hours, I woke up at 3:40am to be a live guest on the Bert Show on Q100 in Atlanta. It's a show that I personally listen to in the morning and have been trying to get on for a while now to tell them about bobsled- so I was stoked that I finally got on. I was so tired I don't think I realized that I accomplished a life goal by being on the Bert Show, I did the interview and fell right back asleep- very tired. I have a follow up interview with the Bert Show on Monday...should be loads of fun!

When I finally woke up for the day it was a mad scramble to finish packing and ship my box off. Then we worked out and had lunch with children from Vancouver College. Always nice to hear children chant "USA, USA!" when you walk into a room! Such a great experience!

Finally, we had a press conference and then I rushed to a hotel in Vancouver where I was supposed to meet Shawn Johnson for a live facebook chat on behalf of Got Milk? Well, the press conference took longer than expected and the car they sent couldn't get to the building I was in because of all the extra security. Long story short, I missed the chat but shot some footage promoting SAMMY (Scholar-Athlete Milk Mustache of the Year Award) and chatting with Shawn Johnson that will hopefully be used soon. Such a cool experience and I was honored to be involved. (Shawn Johnson had just released Project SHINE and her Milk Mustache Ad). I felt bad that I was late, but was happy the people there were great and excited.

After that busy day, I finally checked into the athlete Olympic village in Vancouver which is amazing! I've been able to get so much video for my Olympic movie- it's been great! I've already met a curler on the women's team, an aerialist, and a hockey player on the women's team (all US athletes). The village is awesome- but more importantly- everyone I've met has been amazing! Everyone- all the volunteers who are so willing to do anything for you- even move all your luggage into your room- have been great! The support from all my family, friends, peers, and fellow Americans across the world has almost led me to tears. Tomorrow's opening ceremonies and I don't know if I'll keep it together- but there's a good chance I will because I'm not sure how to wipe the smile off my face.

Thanks everyone for all that you do!!! I appreciate it!

Vancouver Bound!

2010-02-10T06:39:00.000-05:00

I have heard that being an athlete at the Olympics is one of the best experiences of your life. We are on the way to the airport right now to head to Vancouver from Park City, Utah- and yes it is 4:30am. The reviews from our men's team is that everything is amazing. I'm eager to get there and begin this new adventure. I don't know what's going to happen or how I'm going to feel, but I'm excited right now. This is a huge moment for me and all those who have supported me all these years so- here we go! Onto Vancouver!!!

Media attention

2010-02-09T11:45:00.000-05:00

As a result of being named to the 2010 Olympic team, I've been getting quite a few media requests. It also doesn't hurt that I'm the only winter Olympian from Georgia, coupled with my ties to softball and Washington DC, and my strong christian faith. It's been pretty hectic keeping up with everything and conducting all the interviews and I'm sure I have driven some of the media insane by my hectic schedule and trying to find times to fit them into it. I am very happy to do all the media- I enjoy it and feel honored that people want to interview me. We have our last major team press conference when we arrive in Vancouver on Thursday at 2:30pm, so we'll see what happens with the media after that point- not sure how it works- it's all new to me! Like I said, I love the media attention, just feel bad that I'm not as prompt as I'd like to be with getting the interviews done and getting back to the media. So if there's any media reading this- I apologize!!! In the meantime, here's two recent articles to enjoy:

http://www.ajc.com/sports/georgia-bobsledder-slides-into-294646.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/08/AR2010020803497.html?hpid=moreheadlines

Park City!

2010-02-06T00:06:00.000-05:00

This week the entire U.S. Olympic Bobsled and Skeleton teams are in Park City, Utah, for a little pre-Olympic training. This is our last opportunity to test anything with our sleds and runners (the blades basically- but they're rounded- not sharp) before we head up to Whistler for the Olympics- THE SHOW!!! Park City so far has been a giant blur- it's been go-go-go since the minute we got here! Today was a little more relaxed- I actually have a little time to blog! I didn't have a workout today and Team Pac didn't slide- so it was nice to have a little time off. We got our Olympic gear from Under Armour today, which looks amazing- although the jackets create some interesting problems- they're cool- but not at all practical for our sport- so all of us are quite confused what we're going to warm up in during the games and what we'll actually wear for the various parts of our sports- guess we'll have to figure it out!

Today I actually had the great opportunity to hang out with my friend, who is a spare on the British Olympic team. Not only is he a great guy, but it's also nice to see a spare with such a positive attitude. Team Pac has been blessed this season to have a wonderful spare- Jamie Greubel- who has helped our team so much and also helped me keep my sanity. Unfortunately, Jamie won't be with us in the games, but she will be there in spirit. Jamie is currently in Lake Placid, New York, with my other good friend Jazmine Fenlator driving and honing their skills to make the 2014 Games in Sochi- I'm excited to see them again and I wish they could both be in Vancouver.

My friend also reminds me about the international nature of our sport. I have met many amazing people from all over the world- one of which is now one person I consider one of my best friends- Shelley-Ann Brown- who will race with Helen Upperton in the games. I'm so happy to be sharing my Olympics with her- I couldn't imagine anyone more amazing than her. She's awesome and I've never met anyone who can find the good in everyone- and she truly lives her life this way. I'm so happy to have met her- and truly blessed as well.

Well- tomorrow is another busy day so that's all for now!

Staying Busy!

2010-02-02T00:09:00.000-05:00

It's been such a crazy year my blog has suffered greatly! I've barely blogged all season long- but I'm going to try to be better during the games. Every day now there's something else, that ends up taking up wayyy more time than it should. I'm definitely not complaining, I love my life right now, but I am definitely running out of hours every day and just piling things on the to-do list. I had no idea I'd be this busy, answering emails, interviews, and still doing all the things that will allow me to peak at the games- it can get quite busy! We've been in Chula Vista this past week for some R&R but I feel like it's been go-go-go the entire week! Now we're headed to Park City and my schedule's already booked and I haven't even left yet! It's crazy hectic- but I'm going to live in the moment and enjoy it all! I'm going to the show!!!

2010 U.S. Olympian

2010-01-17T01:58:00.000-05:00

I haven't blogged in a while but there is no better time than now! I will be racing with Erin Pac in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver! Thank you to everyone who has supported me over the years- none of this is possible without you. Most importantly- none of this is possible without God- as He has led me here and has shown that through Him all things are possible. I'm so excited!!! More later...

Hamstring

2009-11-06T12:04:00.000-05:00

So we've been in Whistler for almost two weeks now and I've been struggling with a hamstring injury the entire time. I first hurt my hamstring in Calgary during push championships, and then with team trials and racing so much, it wasn't given the proper time to heal and now it's really quit on me. The World Cup season starts next week with the first race in Park City, Utah, and I was scheduled to race with Bree Schaaf, however, with my hamstring injury I have been advised not to race. As an athlete, it's a very difficult decision to make- I always think I'm invincible when it comes to this sort of thing and believe I'll be ready to race next weekend. However, there's always the chance that I'm not 100% and end up doing more damage then anything else- which will set me back for a long time. Injuries are one of the most difficult things to deal with in sport, but I'll just have to give my hamstring some time and see how I'm feeling.

World Cup Team Announcement

2009-10-26T20:04:00.000-04:00

The World Cup team has been announced and I have made my third consecutive World Cup team! We are currently in Whistler for a week of training on the Olympic track! Here's the press release: http://bobsled.teamusa.org/news/article/28560

News Spot: 11 Alive News Atlanta

2009-10-23T19:35:00.000-04:00

Team Trials

2009-10-20T23:43:00.000-04:00

Team trials have officially begun! Team trials consists of a series of four races, two in Lake Placid, New York, and two in Park City, Utah. We are currently in Park City, Utah, about to begin the second round with the final races this Friday and Saturday to decide the World Cup team. Last week in Lake Placid I raced the first race with pilot Jamia Jackson, where we placed second and pushed a new start record- a 5.46, smashing the previous start record by .08 (a huge margin in bobsled)! The second day, I raced with pilot Erin Pac and we pushed the fastest start times of the day, with starts of 5.49 and 5.48, and finished second as well. The top 2 women's pilots will be named to the World Cup team (pilot Shauna Rohbock has already been named to the team), and the races are very close! This week I will race with pilot Bree Schaaf and then with Shauna Rohbock as a pilot sled (not officially in the race). Someone's Olympic dream may begin, or end, this weekend- so stay tuned for the finale!

Vancouver 2010

2009-10-05T21:42:00.000-04:00

Back on the Ice!

2009-10-05T21:33:00.000-04:00

Today was the first day back on the ice as the bobsled track opened in Lake Placid, NY, for the season. I slid today with pilot Jamia Jackson and we took two trips, down and safe! As always, the track in October is a little bumpy and slow- as it's pretty warm for bobsledding, but I'm so excited the season has started. We race next week on October 14-15 and I'll be sure to re-post all the details. As of now, I'm scheduled to race with pilot Jamia Jackson on Oct 14 and Erin Pac on Oct 15. As exciting as it is, there's other things coming up sooner- like my 25th birthday on Saturday.....

In the meantime- here's some push video from today.

Push Video

2009-09-26T22:13:00.000-04:00

This video is from a training session in the Ice House in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. I am pushing on the brakes with driver Jamia Jackson.

It's Been a Longggg Time!

2009-09-26T22:02:00.000-04:00

I know it's been a while since I've blogged, but I hope to be more consistent once again. So much has happened, but in some areas so little has happened! First, I'd like to give a shout out to my new manager, Frank Johnson. Frank has worked very hard on sealing up some sponsorship for me and getting my name out in the media. He's a great guy and a welcome addition to the team!

I've been training hard and working hard and the season is almost upon us! We had our push championships Sept 14-20 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, which included our combine testing. I finished the combine testing setting personal bests in every event and finishing first overall in the combine by one point! Just a testament to how talented all our brakeman are this season! I also accomplished one of my goals for this year and defended my title as the U.S. National Push Champion, and set an ice house record in the process. The previous record was held by the Canadian brakeman Shelley-Ann Brown, who I had the pleasure of staying with in Calgary, along with her roommate and teammate Amanda Moreley.

I have been home this past week, and if you follow the news, you know that Douglas County was torn apart by massive amounts of flooding and has been named a disaster area by the president. My poor county has had more deaths than any other county due to the flooding and we are still under a boil water advisory as there have been sewage leaks into our water. Much of the county has lost everything- homes and other possessions, I count my blessings that all that was flooded at my house was the back yard. Many trees have fallen as the ground is too saturated, creating further damage. All the creeks, rivers, and lakes have overflowed and many roads around the county have completely disappeared- not under water- but just crumbled from all the flooding. I was unable to leave the county until Wednesday or Thursday as there was no way out- all the roads out in every direction were flooded! Luckily, people are kind and they have come to the rescue of Douglas County, providing assistance and bottled water to all those in need. Please keep us in your prayers, as I can imagine this is going to be a long recovery.

I leave for Lake Placid in the morning and team trials start soon!!! Wish me luck...

Colorado Springs

2009-07-15T22:42:00.000-04:00

It's been a while since I blogged, but in that time we had a team camp out in Colorado Springs, Colorado. During that time- all the bobsled and skeleton athletes come together to have an annual board meeting and to do some team bonding activities, including a Gala- which is an award's ceremony and a chance for everyone to get dressed up. The picture above is from that event. Although it can be nice to see everyone, it brings the reality that the season is almost here. Time to buckle down and get to work!

Hang Clean- 82.5kg

2009-06-20T00:56:00.000-04:00

Part of our testing is an exercise called a power clean. This exercise is designed to develop power, and it's important to do this exercise quickly and explosively to maximize all potential gains. Here, I am doing a hang clean (a power clean is the same exercise done starting from the floor vs a hang clean which is completed by starting just above the knee). Our testing maxes out at 100kg, which is the weight needed to get 100 points on our testing scale. Here I am doing 82.5kg for a set of three. My goal is to get 100kg from a power clean by September when we test.

Lex Gillette

2009-06-09T23:22:00.000-04:00

Lex is my friend that I met here in the training center in Chula Vista. He is a blind paralympian and is the current American record holder for the long jump for totally blind athletes. Not only is Lex athletically gifted, he is also very musically gifted. Listen for yourself- he's awesome!

Bobsled 101

2009-06-04T01:36:00.000-04:00

As bobsled is not popular in the south- and really not anywhere in the states- most people don't really know what the sport actually is. I usually get asked if it's like the movie, Cool Runnings, and have even been asked if I'm on the Jamaican team (Cool Runnings will give you a rough idea of what we do- but it is fiction and no- I'm not on the Jamaican team). Anyways, bobsled traditionally has two disciplines, 2-man and 4-man. Only men compete in both disciplines, while women only have 2-man. There's many reasons why this is- but I'll save those reasons for another post. In a 4-man sled, you have 3 brakemen and one driver. The 3 brakemen are actually two side pushers and a brakeman (the person who sits in the back and pulls the brakes at the end- usually the last person in the sled and in 4 man- the one who feels the most pressure). In a 2-man sled, which again is the only discipline in which women compete, there is just a driver and a brakeman. The brakeman is responsible for the initial velocity- pushing the sled at the top of the hill to get as much speed as possible to start the run. Brakeman are judged on 'start times' or the time from the first timing eye to the 50m mark. Start times vary per track- with some tracks having start times around 5.20s (Whistler) while others have start times sometimes in the 6.00s (St. Moritz). The U.S. team has some of the fastest push times, and as a brakeman, you make the Olympic team by pushing fast (and by being able to play the game- something I'm not very good at and another topic for a later post). The driver, the person in the front of the sled, is responsible for making sure the sled makes it down on all 4 runners (the blades that are on the ice- they're not sharp but actually curved) and for making it down as fast as possible. Drivers or pilots drive the sled onto and off of curves in order to reach the bottom the fastest. Our sport is a sport where time is critical, and races can be won or lost by hundredths of a second. For World Cup races, the fastest time after two combined runs is the winner, while in the Olympics it's the fastest time after four combined runs is the gold medalist. There's more to bobsled- but I think we've covered the basics for now.