The Crash

Damn - the site just ate my post about this, so here I'll try to recreate what was written...

So, last night was one of the more memorable skeleton training sessions I've had thus far.

First, a bit of background. This week, Brad & I are training for the National Championships Qualifier race, to be held this Friday and Saturday. If we place in the top 4, we'll get the opportunity to race in the National Championships next week! Granted, we know that if we qualify we'll place down near the bottom (if not dead last) in the Championships, but it will still be an awesome opportunity.

And we stand a fighting chance. There are about 7 women and 7 men racing, so we only need to be faster than three each. So far, that's about right where I am, as long as I don't recreate the events of last night.....

Run #1 wasn't the greatest. In training the night before, I had had one stellar run, and a couple "train wrecks" where everything went wrong, and my hips had vanished. In place of hip bones, I had puffy, tender, black bruises. And as I learned in run #1, the slightest vibration of the sled caused acute pain. Instead of focusing on the run, I focused on the pain and ended up skidding all over the place.

Run #2, I was determined to ignore the pain for the 60 seconds I would be on the sled. (I had also, ahem, added extra padded protection to my hips.) Turn 1, I realized I was on the sled crooked, tried to fix it by wiggling into place. In turns 2 and 3 I was still off. Thought I'd fixed it in 4, but hadn't. Looped high in 4, funny into 5, which resulted in an early (or late, can't remember really) into 6, the big meanie. In 6, well, let's just say my timing was off and I steered myself so high that I hit the wood on the ceiling. Dragging my toe on the exit wasn't enough to save me, and, travelling at 70.6 miles an hour....

...crashed down out of 6, went so high into turn 7 that I perpendicular to the ground. Without any G forces in 7 to hold me into the sled, I started to come off.

Wham! So high in 7 that coming out, I crashed into the wall on the entrance of turn 8, which knocked me farther off my sled. Trying to get the sled back under me, I slammed into the wall on the entrance of turn 9 and looped so high in 9 I thought I would flip. Suddenly, it went eerily quiet and I was alone.

My sled sped away down the track, the sound of the runners on the ice receding in the distance. I, also, kept moving. At high speed, I tumbled and slid down the track, rotating onto my back when I realized that my right butt cheek was burning. I suppose it isn't necessary to point out that wearing just a speedsuit and tights isn't the best idea for this sort of thing!

Random thoughts went through my head as I slid along. "This isn't so bad." And, "Why didn't I scream?" And, "Oh God, I hope my sled is alright!"

Finally, I came to a stop in the straightaway between turns 10 and 11. At first I was disoriented - the track looks different at slow speed on your butt! Then I figured out where I was, turned around and gave the camera a big thumbs up so the Tower would know I was ok, and walked down to the tourist start by turn 11 (where tourists and little kids start from) so I could walk out.

Walked up the road, climbed into the EMT truck that was racing towards me, drove down to the finish dock, calmly telling everyone that I was ok and just a bit embarassed. Brad was there, holding my sled, regaling me with tales of how confused he was when Brady handed him my sled, and I was nowhere around. "Where's Kimber?" "I think she's at the Junior Start." "What?" Hee hee.

Brady later told me what a beautiful line through turn 12 my sled took, absolutely perfect, and how my sled had made it up to the finish. All. By. Its. Lonesome. Craziness, good sled!

Anyway, it was back up to the top for another run.

Another one you say? Are you nuts? Well, you see, last night was the last night of training before the race, no training today, so if I didn't get a safe run under my belt, I'd be so nervous that my first race run would be pretty much f*cked. I had to slide again. Yay.

Didn't want to.

Spent 10 minutes trying to relax and do a mind run - couldn't focus enough though.

Was almost in tears, shaking. Can't believe it affected me that much! People crash all the time, it's no big deal. But it was the first time completely off my sled for me, so I was shaken.

Walked up to the start line, a knot in my belly, water welling up around my eyes. What a wimp. ;)

Then Brady & Felicia, who knew just what to do, came up and started joking around with me. He put his coat around my shoulders since I was so cold (wet from melting ice in the slide, so chilled), and she encouraged me, and together they got me to relax. By the time they cleared the track for me, I was laughing and relaxed and ready to go.

Run #3: stellar. Thank you B & F.

Now I'm ready for the race tomorrow. Wish us luck!