What A Journey

The funny thing about packing is it seems so natural. I've packed a thousand times for various amounts of time and for various reasons and packing seems easy. Unpacking is when things get different. Unpacking is when I usually realize where I am or what's truly going on. This time was no different.

Packing for Utah was easy, everything goes in the box. Everything goes in the vehicles. When I got here and started unpacking that's when I realized this is home now, I may not be packing back up for a while. It's a strange feeling.

For me though, there is no bigger motivation right now. Other than the fact that I have so much work to do. It's the fact that although I am skating 100% for me and to achieve my goals, I have to achieve them for everyone else as well. I left a family behind: my father, my brother, my sisters, my grandmother who cried when I left and said she hopes to be here when I make the Olympics. My niece and my nephew who probably wont remember their uncle the next time they see me.

I left a team behind: a group of skaters that took their cue from me. If I hate a drill, they hate a drill. If I quit in a drill, it becomes okay for them to quit. When I show up to practice and work hard, they want to work hard. There is no better feeling then skating well and having a group of skaters want to train hard so one day they can get to where you are. At the same time, there is no worse feeling then skating poorly and letting a group of kids or people down that expect more from you. I left a team behind: a coach that has got me here, in Salt Lake City having the opportunity to train at a world class facility and train everyday, with my goals and sights set on the Games.

You might think that is pressure, but it's not it's perfect. Coming out here might help me in everything. I get that edge back. When I was young I didn't train as much but every practice I went to (4 indoor practices a week) it was 120% per drill because when I showed up to practice someone else was faster then me, and I never liked that. Right now, there are a lot of people faster then me so I have a long way to go.

When I arrive at my final destination (figuratively) it will be the most successful feeling endurable I'm sure of it. Then, and only then, can the move be considered a success. Then everyone I left behind can share that moment with me.