Skating to Become Better

It's been awhile since I wrote a blog and I figured I should write one now that I am at residency. I have meant to do this but have gotten somewhat lazy when I am not skating and have spent most of my spare time laying on my bed. Well here it is:
Residency should be one of the most difficult times of the year for anyone. You should be tired and sore. That is the bottom line. You are meeting up with the top 24 athletes from their respective divisions and training to each others strengths and weaknesses. At no point should that come up as easy.
When you get to residency, or even well before you get there (unless you have an ego issue) you normally are well aware of exactly how good you are. If you are that 5th or 6th person then you come here and you should have one goal: skate everything and skate like hell. If you get a blister you skate through it, if you fall down you get back up and keep going, if you are sore you shrug it off. But sometimes I don't see it, and I don't understand.
This year I am a senior man. I will not try to lie to anyone and tell you that I can skate with Joey because time in and time out he has destroyed me as long as we have been here, but that has not stopped me from skating with him. This is where I am getting with this: in my case, every time I skate with someone better then me I am chasing them. I am chasing and chasing and chasing. If they are going 80% i'm going to go 100% if that's what I have to do to keep up. If I go 80% when everyone else does, but do not stay with them because I am set on 80% what good does that do me? When am I getting better?

In 2007 I made my first world team. I was the 5th some cases 6th guy to make the team. When I got to residency I did not ask questions I just skated. I skated whatever and whenever because I was not the guy that knew he was going to race at worlds or the guy that new he could turn it on and be flat out better. I chased and I chased and I went all-out all the time.
This year I chase and I chase and I do it because I am not the best. If someone is better then you, then chasing them does nothing but help you.

I could write that everyone is giving 110% every single time they tie their skates but I would be lying. I don't get it, if you are not the best you chase the best because it makes you better. How can you ever expect to become the best, or get better when all you are doing is staying in your comfort zone?

If you are the best skater and you get a little injury or something you can sit out and by all means if it will help you be faster then you have nothing stopping you. BUT if you are not the best skater (FYI there can only be one skater that is the best) then you skate through pain and you skate through absolutely everything because not skating does not earn you respect, or races, or medals.