ODN

Well I'll probably post a blog or two during ODN for those at home. They will have a live feed on July 1st I believe and there is a USA Roller Sports twitter page you can follow too. If I make the World Team I will be blogging through residency and worlds much like I did last year.
Alright ODN 2009. Man it's here already. I guess you could say I have a few jitters which is very uncommon for me but I'm not really sure if jitters are the correct term. I'm glad it's here. I love ODN it might be my favorite event as a spectator and as an athlete. As an athlete it's the only time I am racing 9 distances in 6 days and as a spectator you get to see a lot about skaters by the way they skate. I like it because right off the bat you know it's going to be hard. You know that every race is going to test you as an athlete. And you know the person next to you or in front of you or behind you is dead tired just like you are. In the elim race when there's only like eight of you left and you know you are tired but you don't really know it then you see a picture of like eight guys just rolling through the line dead tired mouths open facial expressions asking why the hell they haven't sat down that.. that's what I love. It's hard to say why but I like those tired guts moments. I know that I am well trained and prepared so i know when I get tired it's the race. But the thing is, I want the race to be hard and tiring. I want to test the people in it and myself.
Alright the jitters! This year is very very different for me. I am now Senior World Class, I definitely think I am ready for it but it's different racing all together. I watched the video of just about every track race from last year's ODN and with respect to everyone I raced, for the most part I was just flat out better then the majority of people. There were 4-5 of us in every race (not the same 4-5 in all distances but usually about 4-5) that were just better. When you are just faster you can afford to make a mistake because you have the speed to make up for it but now I'm senior so even if I'm a little bit faster then most people it's only going to be a little bit. Everyone is so much closer so the execution of races must be flawless. Like a 1000m. When you make it to the final 9 times out of 10 every person in that race has a ability to win it but the person with the best strategy/execution/ or the person that just flat out catches a break wins.
Sometimes you can win because you are talented and fast. But once you get surrounded with people that are of your ability or close to it you have to learn how to race and I don't think you can be taught it until you really need to learn it so that's why I think it's different.
I've heard that the numbers are down considerably this year which is almost to be expected but I've heard the world class men is down over half from last year. Half the number of people from last year are even trying out. That's tough to believe but I don't think the field will lack talent, it might lack the usual number of participants but I doubt it lacks talent.
Well safe travels to everyone, if you are going to ODN. If not be sure to keep up with the action and check back for updates!