Ciao Italia!!

Italy. The land of my vices... chocolate, espresso, wine, siesta, and high-end fashion (specifically shoes!) I honestly do not see how anyone can be mad when they wake up in Italy. I've attached a few pictures taken from the balcony of my hotel room. It's absolutely gorgeous here!

Our days go as follows: 7:00a.m. breakfast. Leave for the Track at 8:00 and slide at 9:00. We usually take 3 runs and by the end of that I feel as if my body is going to explode. We are at altitude here and between the lack of oxygen and the intensity of the track I can feel my heart pulsing through my body! Around 11:00 we are back at the hotel and it's Cappuccino time/video. Lunch is at 12:30 and every other day we switch between weight lifting or a second session of sliding. Around 5:00 we are done and I usually throw in my ipod and go for a walk around town. 7:30 dinner is followed by a back treatment from our trainer Jimbo and then it's time for bed! I really do live the life! Especially this week... ;0)

Being in Italy though has kind of put a perspective upon the Games for me. It seems like forever ago but it was only 4 years that I was at Opening Ceremonies in Torino and then walking through the security checkline at the track to watch Erin, Sam, and Courtney compete in the 2006 Olympics. Its completely surreal to know that in 22 short days I'm going to be the athlete. I'm going to be the one actually walking into that stadium, competing on the Whistler track, sporting the red, white, and blue all over the TV. I cannot wait to feel the intensity that is going to be exuding from athletes, coaches, and fans alike. Maybe it's the extra strong espresso that is making me buzz but I'm starting to feel alive...!!!

Flip or Fly

It has been decided that I have a love hate relationship with the track in Konigssee. After a week of training it was a little rough going into the race, but what can you do. Over the week I finished about five out of nine runs on my butt. I am being literal here -not facetious at all. I flipped off of the last curve before the timing eye five out of nine runs. When I did have a clean run and finished on my steels instead of my butt I had some decent times. Therefore I decided that Konigssee is a flip or fly kind of track.

So come race day I did both. I flipped (every run) and I flew (by my self standards). I raced team competition which is when each country takes one junior girl, guy, and doubles team and combines all three times. Each person takes only one run. On that one run I flew! My trouble spot was out of the last curve before the timing eye (there are two more curves used for bobsled and breaking). I made it through and was so excited that I completely forgot to drive the last two curves. I barely made it through the first one then as I came out I absent-mindedly sat up to break. I quickly found out that this was not a good idea. I went from the top of the curve to the side of my body very fast. But at that moment it didn't even matter. I had flown where it counted and flipped where it didn't. The junior women singles race went a little differently. Lets just say that I crossed the finish line both runs on my butt. No flying was done in that race.

Tomorrow the junior and youth boys have their race. Then we will drive to Munich for the night then to Oberhof. We are planning on getting to Oberhof in time to see some of the senior race. I personally can't wait to be united as Dos Sweenos again!

European Flair

So these past two weeks have flown by and we only have 3 more left in Europe for the entire season! It's sooo crazy! I'm not complaining by any means, I love Europe, but more than Europe I LOVE America. So I've decided to list the things about Europe (which I've noticed these past two weeks especially!) that make it so unique. Here goes:

1. We arrive at 7:30 a.m. into Munich airport and they've already got the fresh bread, cheese, and MEAT upon MEAT upon MEAT ready to be served...

2. NO ONE takes American Express

3. I've slept two hours over the course of 24 and after one sip of coffee I'm ready to take on the entire day! Until two hours later when I literally fall asleep standing...

4. Fireworks are legal in Germany for three days and THREE days only... imagine a child having the freedom to buy and set off their OWN fireworks (and legit ones! not just these puny little sparklers) in the middle of town with no consequences. Now! Imagine that child 20 years down the road, drunk, and celebrating the year 2010 along with thousands of their closest friends who also have a "Free Fireworks!" pass... it was war.

5. Rules? What rules? Do what you want, but know that whatever you do is your own fault. There's no suing in Europe.

6. ALL WATER IS CONTAMINATED. Not really, but they like to tell you that and proceed to charge you for a bottle of water... Order one Liter of water it is 7 Euros. Order one Liter of wine its 12 Euros. Order an entire "Normal" (which means it's about the size of a Medium delivered pizza in the US) and it's 6 Euros... so eat, drink, and be Merry! Just forget the water....

7. Sidewalks don't mean anything. They are just an elevated part of the road. Which means you walk wherever you want, whenever you want. You're the pedestrian! You've got the right-of-way.

8. If there's an excuse not to work, it's taken. I was severely misguided in thinking that Americans were the first to jump on the bandwagon when it came to giving National Holidays or lunch breaks or paid vacations, but these guys know how to live! And it's not just individuals; everyone and I mean EVERYONE capitalizes on time off.

9. Vegetables? Was ist das schiez?

10. My favorite! Bathrooms... first off you pay. Whenever you stop at a gas station or a restaurant you pay 50-euro cents to use the restroom. When you're at a hotel (like where I am now) your toilet, sink, and shower are enclosed in ONE room. No shower curtain, no recessed drain, just a showerhead stuck on the wall. That is if you actually HAVE a shower and not just a tub with a shower hose attached...

I'm sure that when the Europeans come to America they notice special quirks of ours... but these are just mildly amusing to me lately and that is what makes Europe so intriguing time and time again....

1+2+9+8+8+2=30

Bradley+Flight+O'Hare+Flight#2+Munich+Drive= Finally in Igls!! This was perhaps the longest traveling experience I have had, but we finally made it. I'm now with the junior team and we have a training week in Igls, Austria. Junior World Championships is here at the end of January so they have a week of just training for the big race. Yesterday we slid for the first time and that was the first time it actually hit me that Megan and I were not traveling together anymore. I was getting ready and it came to the point for someone to zip my suit and Megan wasn't there. She always zips me! It was a sad realization. But I one of my fellow juniors stepped up and got the job done. It has also been weird going from the Senior team to the Junior team. There is a complete different vibe. The seniors have a lot more freedom in the schedule, but they also know exactly what they need to do to train and race. The juniors have a structured schedule and are still figuring out their routines.