Well, it is officially one month until the Pre-season camp that takes place in Lake Placid, NY.   One month left to train here in Minnesota.   One month left to spend with family and friends.  One month left to work.    This time of the year is always bittersweet for me because on one end I am excited to get out to NY and begin sliding and competing and on the other end I hate to leave Minnesota summers and my friends and family.    Somewhere in the middle lies my nervousness about getting back on the sled and whether or not my back will hold up after a summer’s worth of rehab.

  The National team is leaving in a few days to go to Italy for an international start competition.   Aside from the beauty of Italy in the summertime, the start competition often gives athletes a little boost of motivation because everyone has the chance to compare themselves to the international athletes.  I decided not to go and I’d be lying if I told you it didn’t bother me.   But it is the best decision and it’s the decision I made.  I just didn’t want to push my back too early in the year.  Once the plane lands in Italy, its go-time - and although I'd probably be fine I just didn’t want to take the risk.  

So I wish my teammates the best and plan on making some great strength gains over the last month I am in town.   Hopefully the USA can come home with a medal in every discipline!  

On the leisure side of life, I have been getting every motorcycle ride in I can before the snow flies!   Last weekend I went on a ride with some friends where we put on 300 miles during the day…lots of fun!   The weather here in MN has been warm and dry for the most part and although we did get hit by a few minutes of rain we were dry almost all of the day.    But even a wet motorcycle ride pales in comparison to some of  the freezing cold days on a Luge sled...and I’ll take every one I can get!

On the 13^th of September I will pack all of my necessary belongings up and make the long drive out to Lake Placid.   I have done it 20 or so times throughout the years and know the route by heart.  It is exactly 1250 miles and takes 20 hours…most of which I do without sleeping (I know, not a good idea).   I can’t help it though and after 15 hours I get into this mode where I keep telling myself “almost there!”, and usually manage to get there without a hitch.

Lake Placid is the type of place where you NEED a car.   It’s a must have.   And 20 hours of hell worth the pleasure of having a truck out there 10 times over!   But before I get too far ahead of myself, I still  have some training to do here (and a few more motorcycle rides)     Talk to you soon (before the drive!)

~Tony