Proving Ground

I'm excited for my next few months. All of my workouts are on my own until May, then it's back to team training: offseason summer training for ice and inline training for the rest of the inline season. I can't wait until I race next time, but really I can't wait for my first outdoor race. Since November, every time I've raced on my inlines it's been unprepared. If you ask those who witnessed it in person, they would probably tell you it wasn't that bad. But, for me it was terrible, at least to my own standards. Not again.

I feel like I'm back down a few steps, like I almost have to prove something again. First, I have to convince and prove to myself that it was the comfort issue and not me. I have and will continue to be my biggest critic. The next goal is to prove I can still do this indoor stuff, no matter how much I hate it. This might be a harder goal, specifically because I will still not be training indoor.

I'm excited for the upcoming months for a lot of reasons. First, my last residency went nothing like I thought it did which is not a good thing. Every practice here will be residency in itself, because of the talent level we have.. Just in the WHIP program. That doesn't include those who will probably skate with us too. If I am going to be training with the best, I can't imagine myself not gaining a lot of strong workouts and a lot of confidence from this.

My absolute number one goal is world team trials right now. It will remain that way, until trials are over. Last year I skated my best overall at trials then I ever had before. Maybe not my best in a certain discipline but overall definitely. This year I want my trials to be a lot better and even more well-rounded. Trials will be my proving ground (for myself) both mentally and physically so that's something I'm looking forward to.

I'm especially looking forward to racing back home sometime soon. I have regionals May 14th and 15th but that isn't really what I'm looking forward to. I can't wait to race in one of the Eastern Seaboard Series race this season, I don't know when they are going to be yet but I hope to make at least one of them. Before, when I was always at every single one (the only time I missed one was for residency and worlds) I was just another guy, I didn't bring out the best in everyone. But the person that showed up to that one, Like Cheex last year, everyone wants to skate well when someone from out of town comes.. that will be me. I can't wait to bring out the best in everyone and see what they have. When you go to everyone of the races and you know you are going to be fast enough every time you stop getting excited and then there is no adrenaline there. It will be nice to show up to one, have that adrenaline and want to be there and race. Then I'll be able to show everyone what I have, something the rarely see if they don't go to trials.