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To be honest, the past month has been difficult – a bit like a roller coaster. Without knowing my role on the team, or what I should expect in terms of playing time at the World Cup, etc., I found myself questioning a lot of things, and struggling to find motivation leading up to the departure. I was being asked to do a number of interviews, but wondered why me, and not a captain or veteran who had seen the developments of the team over the past few years. Because I hadn’t played rugby in so long, knowing that I had only played 4.5 full rugby games this summer (and in the past 2.5 years), I started wondering if I was really good enough at rugby, or just at interviews! And, to be perfectly honest, I was very close to pulling out of the World Cup because of thoughts that I was setting myself up for public failure! I know that doesn’t sound very ‘Olympic’, but I’m being perfectly honest! After a lot of thought and contemplation, I realized that I am playing this sport because I LOVE this sport! I am playing this sport because I actually WANT to play this sport! I don’t HAVE to – I WANT to!

On our travel day to the UK ten days ago, a teammate read me some posts made on a rugby forum to let me hear how ridiculous some of them were, and went on to read her post which defended my position on the team. The other posts she was reading were from critics during the summer who were questioning my selection to the CanAm tour, and my abilities as a rugby player, saying that my try was lucky. When another post reminded readers about my seven tries at the last World Cup, it was then stated that maybe I was only on the team because of my speed…

I don’t ever read posts in forums (unless it’s opinions on something I’m considering purchasing), and very rarely read anything in the papers or online about me, unless it’s been pointed out – even after major interviews I’ve done. But I’m definitely not used to reading or hearing anything negative! I didn’t think it would affect me, but it did a bit! I couldn’t get some of those comments out of my head for the rest of the night! Why? Probably because those are thoughts (or doubts, if you will) that have crossed my mind at various times, not only this past summer, but throughout my life! Was I only a starter on the varsity soccer team because of my speed? Because my ball skills definitely weren’t amazing! Same question for basketball! I almost quit sports in high school because I feeling so much pressure, but got the feeling that I was being ‘used’ for my speed!

It’s not easy for anyone setting high goals and trying to reach them. But it’s even harder putting those goals on display for the world to see if you succeed or fail! I know there are critics out there hoping to see me fail (which would make them right in their predictions), but I know there are a LOT more people out there who are supporting me and the rest of this amazing team, hoping to see us succeed because they know that that’s what WE want – not what THEY want!

I play this sport because I love it! No other reason! I know that an Olympic gold medal in one sport does not transfer to a gold medal performance in all other sports (although some people seem to forget that)! I know that I am fast and that that is my strength on the rugby field. But I’m not delusional – I know I have weaknesses as well. I have to TRUST my coach’s decisions. I have to trust that I have been chosen for a reason, despite his knowledge of my weaknesses. And, as for “lucky tries”… It’s not luck when I’ve got a phenomenal team of girls beside me, who have worked so hard and done their jobs in order to get me the ball to finish what they started! That is not luck. That’s teamwork!

I’m sorry if this entry was a bit more blunt than usual – I’m freeing up my mind to focus on beating the Scottish! I am excited about this game today, as are the other girls. Nerves will be on edge, heartbeats a little bit faster than normal… but we are ready to dominate and show the world what Canada is made of! I hope you all enjoy following the tournament, and hopefully I can contribute to making it as exciting as possible, whatever my role may be.

Smiles………
Heather]]> http://heathermoyse.net/blog/index.php?entry=37


Do not be mistaken… I did not win this medal alone! And although Kaillie was my amazing driver/pilot with whom I won, I am actually referring to all of the people who supported Kaillie and me throughout our entire journey! There are no words that can effectively and accurately describe the depth of our gratitude – family, friends, supporters, sponsors, coaches and trainers, etc. The race was for us! The medal, we won for Canada!

Many of you know how stressful the journey was, and how nothing was a sure thing until the very end. This included team selections! Following is something I had written for a blog entry right after the official team was announced, but then did not have internet for awhile to post it. I just thought it might give you an insight as to what was going on in my head at the end of our season…

“January 18th, 2010

We just finished our team meeting that announced our Olympic team members for Vancouver’s 2010 Olympic Games… What I’m feeling right now is very difficult to explain. Although Kaillie and I have had a great season, I never once took anything for granted or assumed anything.

Bitter sweet…..

I just found out that I’ve been officially named to our Olympic team for Vancouver. Why is it that I feel more relieved than excited? Don’t get me wrong… I am excited to know that I’ll be able to represent my country again at the Olympics and get another shot at an Olympic medal, but for some reason I think that getting excited now would still be a bit premature! I know that sounds crazy since we’re weeks away from the Opening Ceremonies and a month away from being on Olympic ice, but I’ve been in this sport long enough to know that anything can happen. I still have one more World Cup race to do. I could pull a hamstring or sprain an ankle at any moment, since my current career involves moving awkward heavy objects on layers of ice and mounds of uneven snow. My job is not done just because I have made the Olympic team. At the beginning of this season, my goal was not simply to walk in the Opening Ceremonies wearing a Team Canada jacket. My goal was to push someone to the podium, and then, hopefully, finally relax and be excitedly proud to listen to our National anthem playing over the speakers. But… there is still a lot of work to do!

I also think that my excitement is muted by the knowledge that some of my teammates and friends will not be going to the Games. We all knew that this would happen – that we all would not be able to make the Team – but it doesn’t change the fact that by me achieving the next step of my goal meant that others – close friends – were not able to achieve theirs. This is not an easy time. It is not easy to see the pursuit of other people’s goals come to an end…”

The team announcement was only the first step, however. I was so excited to know that I’d be pushing Kaillie at the Games. Four years ago Kaillie was a still a brakeman, and I basically ‘pushed’ her out of her spot at the 2006 Olympics in Turin, Italy. She and I only started talking again in the winter of ’08/’09 – only a year and half before the Vancouver Games. By pushing her to the fastest starts possible, I found it was a way that I could give something back to her. I was so excited at the possibilities of us competing together, especially after such a successful season. And… we had become really great friends in the process, along with our teammate Amanda Moreley!

The 2010 Olympic Games were amazing! I was proud of what Canada accomplished both in competition, as well as in the running of the Games. Everything from the Athlete Villages, to the delicious food, to the security, to the incredible volunteers, and the Opening and Closing Ceremonies!!! Every athlete from other countries to whom I spoke was so impressed with everything. Future Olympic committees will have very big shoes to fill!



We could have been distracted at every turn – the home crowd, the cheers on every corner, the unfortunate death of the Georgian luge athlete on the track that we would be later racing on, the wins/losses of friends also competing in the Games, the general excitement of everything, etc. But Kaillie and I managed to remain focused, knowing that we had a job to do – a job that we wanted to do!

And… we did it! We are now Olympic gold medal champions!!! Crazy!



Well, needless to say, since the Games things have been quite busy for me. I’m not trying to make excuses for not updating you sooner, but things have been crazy! Some days/weeks I feel like I’m just trying to keep my head above water! I have not been on Facebook since before the Olympics because I logged on once to send a birthday wish and found 400 friend requests and almost 500 inbox messages in Facebook, and another 500 email messages! I have not had time to attack them yet, but please know that I am grateful for everyone’s best wishes and congratulations!

Now… not only am I trying to train my body (which, for the past 2 years has only trained for 6 seconds at a time of pure power and speed) to be competitive for an 80-minute rugby game and try to represent Canada again at the Rugby World Cup at the end of the summer, but suddenly now I also have a new tangent career… I am doing motivational speaking for corporations, companies, charity fundraisers, schools, etc. And I am actually enjoying it!! People want to hear about my journey leading up to the winning of an Olympic gold medal – what it takes, overcoming adversity, challenges, perseverance, goals, etc., and I have really enjoyed the opportunity to inspire others. This has actually been my main source of income this summer. Apparently, if I were in the United States I would have endorsements and some major sponsors by now! LOL But that’s not how it works in Canada! The gold medal in Canada gives us the opportunity to work even harder! LOL

So, currently I am balancing speaking engagements with training for rugby. I thought that by returning to rugby I would be getting away from politics, but I guess I’m not that lucky! By the strength and conditioning coach’s request, I only started training for rugby a month and a half ago, so things are a bit frustrating. I have not played 15s rugby for almost 3 years, and I haven’t played any rugby since I broke my shoulder over 2 years ago in a sevens tournament! Oh well… another challenge for the books!

I hope you all enjoyed watching and being part of the 2010 Vancouver Games, and I hope you are all doing well now.

Smiles……
Heather]]> http://heathermoyse.net/blog/index.php?entry=36


Enough about racing…. Those are all results that you can find on the internet! How about a little behind the scenes in the life of a bobsledder on tour! And, so you all know, this is being written from the Lufthansa lounge in Frankfurt because, after driving 7 hours to Munich on Sunday to fly out on Monday morning, the flights were so delayed that a couple of us missed our connecting flight in Frankfurt back to Canada! I cannot wait to get home to be with my family for the holidays, but frustrations subsided when I saw the news talking about the volcano in the Philippines… I am safe and my family is safe! I will get home eventually!! So the good news is that I have time to update you on some of the off-ice adventures we’ve had over the past couple of weeks.

This sport is certainly not a glamorous one. On top of all of the sled-work we do – sanding/polishing all of the runners, and lifting/carrying/flipping the nearly 400 lbs sleds in/out of trucks, to the start line, in the garage to do work on it, etc., we also have to drive our sled trucks from town to town between races. On our 7 hour drive to Munich, our windshield wiper fluid wasn’t working – everything was frozen. When it got really bad in terms of visibility, while still driving on the autobahn, I leaned out the passenger window to throw water on the windshield, but it froze as soon as it hit the windshield! It only took a couple of stops along the highway before the misting turned into snow, at which point our windshield wasn’t the reason for no visibility anymore!!

The drives between races are usually long. From Cesana, Italy to Winterberg, Germany was about a 9 hour drive. From Winterberg, Germany to Altenberg, Germany it would have been a 5 hour drive if we hadn’t made a little stop on the side of the road! And by ‘little’, I mean almost 2 hours and not by choice! Until that day, I didn’t really understand how anyone could actually run out of gas while driving! I mean, who does that?! Apparently, we do! Alas…. It is possible! Although Kaillie was driving, she tried to blame me for making such a good mixed cd that we were too busy singing along to notice the light come on in the truck. Time was just flying by, and it didn’t seem like we’d been driving for that long. When she finally noticed the light, it still looked like we had enough so we just decided to stop at the next gas station along the autobahn. Well….. there weren’t any gas stations for awhile and we about 100 km away from Dresden when the truck came to a stop! We couldn’t believe it! Amanda tried to make us feel better by saying that it had happened to her before! For some reason that didn’t surprise me! LOL

Amanda and I jumped out of the truck and within 3 minutes she flagged down a car…. With a man who spoke zero English! And although I am learning a little bit of German, I quickly realized that besides ‘please’, ‘thank you’, and ‘what time is it’, nothing I had learned was really appropriate for that situation or to use with a stranger!

The man drove us about 5 km to the next gas station and waited for us. The lady behind the counter was not the least bit useful – half yelling at us in German like we understood what she was saying! We decided to get both gas and diesel because we didn’t know which the truck took. (I never drive the trucks over there because they’re standard and carrying about 100k worth of sleds and equipment!) But…. There was only one gas can left. So…. We decided to take the gas. WRONG! The man drove us all the way back (total round trip of about 20 minutes), and Kaillie sent us back because the truck took diesel! The man waved us back to his car and ended up taking us to his house (WAY out in the middle of nowhere), got his own gas can, drove us back to the gas station to get diesel, and then drove us back to our truck where he filled the truck for us so that we weren’t standing on the autobahn in the dark! Although we had already bought him a coffee (the first time ‘round), we gave him the gas we had originally bought, as well as a couple of photo cards we had in our bags. In the car I had been thinking how sketchy our situation could be, and wondered what my mother would think of this ordeal. But then I realized that sometimes one just has to have a bit of faith in mankind! Not all strangers are bad! Sometimes they’re just “friends you haven’t met yet”!

We got back in the truck to finish our drive and playing on the radio was “Angels Among Us” by Alabama! How appropriate!

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I am currently at home in Prince Edward Island. No, it’s not vacation! We were just sent home for a few days while our sleds are being shipped over to Europe for the next batch of races. The first two races were in North America, and I pushed Kaillie Humphries for both. In the first race in Park City, Utah we placed 6th (podium finish) but we shattered the start record with a push of 5.20 seconds. (The previous record being 5.25 seconds.) The second race was in Lake Placid, NY this past Saturday. Kaillie and I tied the start record and finished with a bronze medal! As soon as the medals were awarded and our sled was delivered safely to our garage, I rushed to strip out of my speedsuit and get my luggage to drive to Montreal with my parents to catch our flight to PEI. Why the big rush?



On Sunday (the day following our race), I felt honoured to carry the Olympic flame for a leg of the Torch Relay. It meant even more because I was chosen by my city to be the one to run onto the stage during the celebration and light the cauldron in front of my hometown. But I was not prepared for the crowd of people through which I had to run. I was not prepared for both the familiar and unfamiliar faces in the crowd, screaming and cheering for me and the flame as we passed by. I was not prepared for the overwhelming sense of pride for the province and city in which I grew my roots and my wings, just before lighting the cauldron on behalf of my people. I was not prepared for the lump in my throat that quickly formed when trying to answer the host’s question about how I was feeling at that moment!


Photo by: Journal Pioneer

But that’s not all! Financial assistance is often a primary challenge for Canadian amateur athletes. Last spring I decided I would throw a fundraiser dinner in PEI this fall to help raise a bit of money for living and training expenses. Over the past few years, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Bruce Rainnie – the anchor for CBC PEI – and asked if he would host the dinner for me. A few weeks later, he told me that because part of the proceeds were going to a charity/cause, CBC would take over the planning of the whole event!

Although I helped get items for the silent and live auctions, I really had no idea how amazing this event was becoming, until I was actually there on Tuesday! Bruce was a great host, keeping everything light and funny, while Boomer Gallant was a hilarious auctioneer. The brilliant CBC Olympic commentator, Scott Russell, flew in from Edinburgh to be the main speaker of the evening. His passion for the Olympic Games was inspiring, and his sense of community and the importance of family/home to success really resonated with me. His emotion brought me (and most of the room) to tears.

Photo by: Laura Yorke

Multiple ECMA award-winning singer/songwriter, Lennie Gallant, entertained everyone later in the evening. I had the pleasure and good fortune of meeting him a couple of summers ago at a charity golf tournament. He’s as amazing a person as he is talented, and I feel honoured that he rearranged his schedule to take part in this dinner for me.

So, I really want to thank a number of people for their heart-warming generosity. I would like to thank CBC, Holland College, McDonald’s and Delta Prince Edward for making this evening possibly. A special thanks to my family and to those people from APM who were able to attend. APM has come on board as my primary personal sponsor for this important World Cup season, and it was great to have some people from the company to represent! Their assistance is greatly appreciated!

But I really need to thank everyone who attended the dinner for making it the success that it was! It was a very emotional night for me, as I was overwhelmed by the turnout of people and the things that were said and done, specifically to help me on my Olympic journey! I have attended a number of fundraising events before, but the night before my dinner it suddenly occurred to me that everyone would be there for me! – to help me! And I was overcome with emotion before the day of the dinner even arrived! Throughout the dinner I almost cried about five times, and only really cried once! Had I tried to finish my sentence at the end of the evening about how I was feeling, that would have changed my crying tally to two!

There really are no words to describe the feeling of representing home! Especially in front of home! Hmmm… I guess that’s what the 2010 Olympics will be like! If I am awarded the honour of representing my country in front of my country, I expect that that, too, will be an emotional and indescribable event.


Photo by: Laura Yorke

But although emotions will be with me throughout this entire season and, hopefully, into the Games, it is the support behind the emotion, the passion and the focus – not the emotion itself – that will get me there and get me through it! So, I thank you for your support! From the bottom of my heart! Because this journey would not be the same without you!]]> http://heathermoyse.net/blog/index.php?entry=34
Am I excited about the Games? Yes and no. Let me explain… Yes, I am excited like every Canadian that the Olympics are going to be held on our Canadian soil, for all the world to see how wonderful our country is and how hospitable our Canadians. But... it’s hard to get excited about competing in the Games, when I won’t even know until the middle of January if I’ve made the Canadian Olympic team. And I know it’s cliché, but if I only focus on the destination and the goal, and not the steps along the way, then I will not be successful in even making it there For me (and many athletes), the Olympics are not 100 days away. They are a full World Cup Circuit away. They are 8 World Cup races away. They are 8 races in 5 different countries away. They are a LOT of training sessions, sore muscles, and phone calls to home away!

And yes, representing my country is always an honour, and the thought of competing on behalf of my fellow Canadians in front of friends and family – those who have helped make me the person and athlete I am today – is definitely exciting. I know what it’s like to compete for Canada on home soil! The last Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2006 was hosted in Edmonton. It was such a great feeling, but was also very difficult not wanting to let people down, especially with them there watching! Yes, these Games will be a much bigger deal in the media, with added scrutiny. But pressure is what you put on yourself.


The idea of walking out of the start house to the starting block, staring down the track while waiting for the green light to flash, with a sea of red lining the track with thunderous cheering only somewhat muffled by my helmet… that’s exhilarating! But, for me, this excitement is muted – contained and controlled because of not wanting to get ahead of myself! As I already mentioned, there’s a long season first. And there are no guarantees! And whether people are watching or not, whether media is there or not… I still have a job to do! And, if I am given the opportunity to push a Canadian sled in the 2010 Olympics, it will be amazing! But it will also be the same job that I have to do for this whole season, one race at a time!]]> http://heathermoyse.net/blog/index.php?entry=32
I am a very warm-hearted, but cold person. And by cold I mean chilled. After living in Trinidad for a few years, I couldn’t believe the words that came out of my mouth when I asked someone at an outdoor function if they had brought a sweater I could borrow! Well, to justify my request, the temperature HAD dropped to only 29o Celsius!

My sister is not the only one who has jokingly said (unsympathetically, of course) that maybe I need to put some fat on my bones! Now, I am not a skinny/thin person. I am not a size small. I am certainly not tiny! I am a very muscular 5’10” and 166 lb healthy athlete. However, I am currently dealing with an issue that I never thought I would have to face. It’s an issue that I’m hesitant to bring up, for fear of being hated by all the women in the world who struggle with their weight… I have been officially told by a doctor who specializes in elite athletes that I need to try to put on some body fat!

As an athlete we get anthropometric testing done – a test that looks at muscle mass, fat mass/percentage, fat to muscle ratio, etc. This is the first summer that I’ve been able to train the whole summer focusing on bobsleigh. Since May I’ve put on 5 lbs of weight and my body fat percentage has gone down 5%! Normally, that would be a good thing – a good reflection of my training – but my fat to muscle ratio has reached a level that may not be functionally beneficial to my sport. It may be too low to recover properly from training sessions or competitions. I may be more prone to muscular injuries when performing in the cold weather without much insulation. And it may take me a lot longer to recover from a simple cold.

I am NOT a dieter (and am, in fact, fortunate to be able to eat what I want), but this summer I had simply tried to increase my vegetable and protein intake. Lately I’ve been trying to add even more carbs to my meals, however. Because I’ve never restricted my diet or avoided any foods, the doctor said that my training regimen would have to change instead. No more hypertrophy (muscle-building) training. Although my loving sister did offer to donate some of her body fat (of which she has very little considering the recent birth of her second son), my training is now focused more on speed and power instead – sport-specific, and I’m excited to see how it translates to the track!

I know some of you may be thinking that there are bigger problems than not having enough body fat, and you’re right in the grand scheme of things. I do realize that I am currently blessed with a high metabolism, but for me and this particular career it comes down to functional performance! My first season bobsledding was also my first season lifting weights. I have already trained more this summer than I did before I went to the 2006 Olympics in Turin. What is the ideal amount or type of training? Who knows?!

Well, when I mentioned being tested for body composition, it was during our last testing camp in September. Before the camp I was a bit concerned since I hadn’t been able to do any running or jumping for about 6 weeks because a bone scan had revealed the early stages of a stress fracture in my left shin. I was pleased with my testing results – the highest vertical jump and farthest medicine ball throw on the team, 0.03 seconds away from my personal best (PB) 30m sprint, tied my PB for single push testing in the ice house. I was pleased, considering what I’d gone through and where I was coming from, as long as I could keep things in perspective! I need to remember that I want to peak for the World Cup season, not for a testing camp in September two months before our first race!

It was a busy summer and I can’t believe that it’s over. I was fortunate to have been able to participate in a few charity golf tournaments, take part in the first week of the Canada Summer Games, be interviewed in the press box during an Argos football game, appear on Off The Record and Canada AM a couple of times, and find some downtime with my family at the cottage between workouts and public speaking events – feeding blue jays, chipmunks, and squirrels, and plunking around on my new guitar. Spending time with my family was wonderful and I will cherish every moment and take any chance I get! It was not easy leaving the peace and quiet of my cottage to head to the gym, so I am proud of my commitment and the training I did this summer. But the bobsleigh season is now moments away and the cold is settling in for the winter. So here’s to me, embracing the promise of the cold, and looking forward to a great winter.



Smiles.......]]> http://heathermoyse.net/blog/index.php?entry=31
One of the first questions that people ask me when I meet them is, where do I live?! The answer is not a simple one – from October until March I’m gone on tour with the team, and in the spring and summer I’m a bit of a gypsy, going between Calgary to train and test with the team, PEI to be back home with my parents, and Toronto, where I’ve been ‘based’ since starting my Masters degree in 2004.

That being said, my training has had to vary a bit depending on where I am. For example, partway through the summer, the ice house opens in Calgary to practice pushing a frame sled. This is a building that has a refrigeration system that allows for practicing the push start of a race with timing eyes to test the 50m start. The frame sled can have weights stacked on it to practice more resistance, etc. When I’m in Calgary, I use this. When I’m in Toronto, I use a Prowler – a sled with runners that goes on grass/turf, but can also have weights stacked on it for resistance. However, when I’m in PEI, we don’t have those facilities or that equipment readily available. Sooooo…… to get a similar type of resistance training (in the same position that I would be pushing the sled), my program says to push a car! I know I blogged about my car-pushing adventure in the potato warehouse, but this summer it was actually scheduled into my program!



So yes, I have pushed cars this summer. Let me tell you…. an Echo is much easier to push than a Malibu! And no, I have not graduated to SUVs! LOL My brother likes to think he’s contributed to my training – puts the car into neutral, rolls the windows down, and blares “Eye of the Tiger” for inspiration! He’s VERY supportive! (In all seriousness, he has actually helped with training occasionally! For example, he let me pull/drag him down the track as resistance!)



There was also one day when I went to the gym and found that it was closed! It was an upper body day, so again I modified! I did not want to take the easy way out and have a perfect excuse to relax and sit on my couch, so….. I went to the playground at the school up the street (and Mom followed with the camera!). There’s actually a lot more you can do on a playground than I thought! LOL



The volume of training was pretty heavy and I wasn’t doing my sprint training on a very supportive surface! I actually ended up getting a bone scan to rule out a stress fracture in my left shin (so that I would know for sure that it was shin splints), but the test came back saying that I had a stress reaction – the early stages of a stress fracture! I had been feeling so good – strong and fast – and then I had to stop running and jumping for about 5-6 weeks! With all of the rehab that I’ve done and have been doing for my shoulder, this was NOT what I had wanted to deal with this summer! On the upside, it was caught extremely early and I didn’t have to stop the lifting part of my training. I also did some speed workout in the pool/river! My shin’s feeling great while I’m running now, still with a bit of an ache later though. My training has been going well, but I’m a bit nervous for testing next week, as I’ve only just starting doing track workouts again and haven’t yet fully sprinted or put on my spikes! Oh well….. gotta trust the process! I guess we’ll just see how it goes!

Smiles………]]> http://heathermoyse.net/blog/index.php?entry=30
We were on the red carpet with Tila Tequila, Nickelback, Taylor Lautner, and we walked by Lady Gaga and Perez Hilton. Walking the red carpet? Well… a bit awkward! People behind barricades screaming endlessly for famous people climbing out of big black vehicles onto the red carpet. My brother asked me what I arrived in. A cab at the end of the street, and then I walked through the barricade with the group. Someone asked us later if it was like walking into the Opening Ceremonies at the Olympics… although it sounded the same, it was very different. At the Olympics, the people cheering know who the athletes are. At the MMVAs, the crowd outside was wondering who we were! My sport is not high profile and I compete with a helmet on my head. I’m definitely not as high profile as Tila Tequila or the Black Eyed Peas!



While we were waiting for our interview on the rooftop for Much On Demand, I spoke with Chris Bosh for a few minutes as we share the same athletic therapist (at least while I’m in Toronto), and he joined us for a group picture. Someone asked me afterwards if I found his height intimidating. Well, I’m 5’10” and Bosh is about 6’11” – the same height as my ‘little’ brother! It was just nice to meet him. He seems like a pretty genuine guy.



To be honest, I thought we would have seen more of the show, but we had so much media stuff that we really only got to see Lady Gaga and Nickelback perform at the end of the show. I’ve gotta say that Lady Gaga’s performance was pretty entertaining! I had really wanted to see the Black Eyed Peas perform… instead, we heard them from the rooftop while we waited for our Much On Demand interview, and watched the group’s back-up dancers stretch and get ready in their black and white striped suits!

Most of the interviews were fine and went off without a hitch. But….. Ben Mulroney tried to spice things up with some interesting questions and got very little in terms of responses. I mean, what were we supposed to say when he asked us to interpret the lyrics: “I want to ride your disco stick”?! Brad came up with something to say regarding the lyrics, “Boom Boom Pow”, relating it to snowboarding, but the rest of the interview?... I can’t say I was too impressed with Ben’s interviewing skills, but what do I know? He must have gotten the job for some reason!



Joannie and I were the only two of the group up to going to an after party at Ultra. Although we had VIP bracelets, there was a long line of people with VIP bracelets. We were about to give up and head home until one of our CTV hostesses waved us over to the other side of the door. We skipped the line by walking a mini red carpet, giving another photo op, and doing a couple more interviews! Done! We were in!



I think the funniest part about this whole experience is that I really don’t know who any famous people are! I am known for not knowing the names of singers/bands or actors/actresses! I’m terrible with names and would probably only recognize them if I saw them behind the glass of my television! I just know what music I love when I hear it! So all night people were pointing people out to me, and for all I know, they could have been pointing out their neighbour! LOL

The media behind the scenes seemed actually excited to have us there and it was great practice leading up to Vancouver 2010. Needless to say, I had an amazing time. I got to hang out with some other Olympians at an amazing event, and would do it again any day! And let’s be serious… They had a candy bar! Who wouldn’t want to go back?!

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Well, needless to say, things have been pretty busy lately. My parents are visiting from PEI to help out with the new baby (which is wonderful to have them around), and, talking about the start of a new chapter, I am now a few weeks into my new training program, starting the Olympic season! Yikes! I feel like time is going to fly by now! After taking some mandatory time away from physical training, we started Phase I of our training. Although my body is feeling pretty good these days, I’m also getting regular treatments to help with the ongoing rehabilitation of my shoulder and to make sure that my body is aligned and functioning well during these early stages of training. (But it takes me about an hour to an hour and a half each way to go to and from therapy here in Toronto! Hmmmm…. Downfalls of living in a big city and not having a vehicle!)

What was I up to before that? Well, I was in Toronto for one week, trying to catch up on email, then I was home in PEI for two weeks with my parents. During my stay I had an interview with the Occupational Therapy Department and Human Resources at the hospital, discussing opportunities for work at times when I’m home. I also did school visits at Greenfield Elementary School and the Leadership class at Three Oaks Senior High School. Both schools had approached me in the spring and asked if they, as a school, could ‘sponsor’/ ‘adopt’ me. The schools would hold some fundraisers for me in exchange for school visits, speaking to some of the classes, and simply being a role model that’s better than Britney Spears! Now, I’m not taking this opportunity to put down Britney, but I understand the difference when it’s someone who’s tangible, visible in the community, and not just someone seen on a screen or in a magazine! Needless to say, I’m thrilled to be able to do what I can and give back.

Kaillie Humphries and I were asked to speak at a couple of schools in Vancouver for the Community Outreach Program, put on by Petro Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee. As the theme leading up to the Olympics is “Paint the Town Red”, it was great to see the schools decorated and the kids dressed in red with maple leafs painted on their faces. Both sessions seemed to go really well. We actually had 2 students from each school wear our racing speedsuits and run into the gymnasium as though it were the Olympic stadium, with all of their fellow classmates cheering them on! The energy was great and the smiles were abundant!



I was also in Whistler for a couple of days for a Lululemon photo shoot, and then spent a few more days in Vancouver for the Olympic Excellence Series – a symposium put on by the Canadian Olympic Committee at which 92 potential 2010 Olympians gathered to listen to motivational speakers, participate in workshops, and talk to the media during a full day and a half media summit. It was a busy few days, but was well worth it! Throughout the workshops there was a lot of self-reflection about the goals we have for ourselves, for our teams, and what we want to get out of this whole process. Although there are a number of things that I came up with – reaching my potential, standing on the top of the Olympic podium, etc. – the phrase that kept flashing in my brain was (and continues to be) “live to inspire”! I want to live my life (both in sport and out) to inspire greatness in others! I may only inspire my ‘little’ brother or my nephews, a neighbour or a client. But I may also inspire one lost teenager, a classroom full of children, or a whole generation of youth….. Maybe that inspiration will come from standing at the top of the podium, or maybe it will come from my drive and determination in the attempt, or the things I do outside of sport. I just know that I want to inspire other people to reach their potential in whatever passions they have. Because no matter where you come from, everyone is good at something!

Wow…. That was a lot of catching up to do! I’m sure I’ve forgotten to mention something, but will make sure to bring you up to speed when I think of it. I hope you’re having a great spring so far, wherever you may be.

Smiles……..
Heather]]> http://heathermoyse.net/blog/index.php?entry=28


We were in Whistler for the past two weeks training on the Olympic track and ‘preparing’ for Canadian Championships. Now, this was a very anti-climactic event for most of us, as we haven’t done any physical training since World Championships four weeks ago! Some of you may be wondering why that is, but it’s basically because we need to take time off at the end of a long season for our bodies to fully recover before building it back up again to peak at the right time(s). At this level of competition, the goal is not to peak for Canadian Championships at the end of March, but to peak at the World Championships or the Olympics in February! That is the plan!

Sooooo…… it felt really weird to be racing with only having done 4 track warm-ups in the previous month to warm up for sliding. Therefore, we were really pleased with our start times in relation to what we pushed at the Whistler World Cup race – 5.26 seconds versus 5.18 seconds – considering our lack of physical training! The results, however, were somewhat off. Technically, Kaillie and I are Canadian Champions! But Helen didn’t race because she had crashed a couple of times during training and aggravated her ribs a bit (with a mild concussion?), and Amanda Stepenko (another Canadian driver), although definitely faster than us down the track during the race, was disqualified because they were overweight by 2.5 kilos. I think it would have been easier to accept gold if we’d had a couple of really good runs down the track, but they were not Kaillie’s best runs. I think it was really unfortunate that Amanda was disqualified, and even Kaillie had to congratulate Amanda on her driving! I must also say that Amanda knew before the race that she was most likely going to be disqualified, but raced like a champ anyway! BCS (Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton) kept her sled in Lake Placid because she’s going back to slide there for a bit, and she was told that she could use a different sled in Whistler…. It just happened to be a LOT heavier than her other one! So I just want to say congrats to ALL the girls (and guys) for a great season and jobs well done! Next season should be very exciting!



Well, although the competitive bobsleigh season is technically over for this year, I’ll definitely try to keep you up to date on training, testing camps, and….. summer stuff! It was a very strange year for me, starting as Helen’s brakeman but finishing as Kaillie’s brakeman…. It wasn’t the easiest season physically or mentally! But it was also a good season – realizing that I just want to do well in the things I have control over! I’m looking forward to getting faster and stronger this summer, and posting even better results next year. I have a feeling that this will be a very busy summer as it is the last summer before the Olympics! Like I said before, it should be VERY exciting.

Smiles……..
Heather]]> http://heathermoyse.net/blog/index.php?entry=27
While I was home, Mom and I sorted through lots of drawers and boxes, feeling very productive. But, part of my reasons for going home this time was to make my mother relax a bit and chill out with me! So, can you believe that I had to teach my mom what a pyjama day is? (Without being sick?!) Technically, it wasn’t a REAL pyjama day because we did get dressed to go out to the movies, but I think it was beneficial nonetheless. We actually got a lot of sorting done in our pyjamas! (Hmmm… I wonder if she minds me telling everyone that I made her stay in her pyjamas until 6pm?!)

While I was home there was a huge freezing rain storm which left the Island looking like it was encased in crystal. Everything glistened in the sun. It was spectacular. I took so many pictures, but I’m not sure any picture can really do it justice. You’ll just have to take my word for it. It was amazing!







Although it was a pretty relaxing week, I had an interview with Bruce Rainie for his CBC Rewind segment while I was home, which (I believe) will be aired on March 24?! It was fun being in the studio that I’ve seen so many times from my living room. We had a great time catching up.





Oh. Talking about PEI….. I thought I’d tell you about my craziest training session this year. When I was in PEI last month to see my grandmother the week that she passed away, I, of course, still had to train as the next week was World Championships. I did my normal training stuff, however, although I wasn’t scheduled to race in Park City, I would have been doing training runs anyway. Sooooo……. To get a little pushing action, my coach told me I needed to push a car! Yes, that’s right. A car!

I decided to push in the parking lot behind the medical centre on Saturday, but then we got a ton of snow the day before so it was too slippery outside. What to do? There is no indoor parking lot, no parking garage. So, I did what I’m sure any other athlete-in-need would do. I called the city Mayor, Basil Stewart! After explaining my interesting training requirements, he gave me a contact name and the number for the potato warehouse on the docks. He also had someone from the Wellness Centre call me and offer the main lobby! As well as one of the display cars! VERY funny! You never know…. You may see me someday pushing a car through the lobby of the Summerside Wellness Centre! Only in PEI! Do you know what else would only happen in PEI? Having the Mayor of the city hook me up with the inside man of the warehouse, signing a liability waiver for access, and then pushing my brother’s car while in neutral with my brother and nephew sitting in the front seats, cheering me on (with “Eye of the Tiger” blaring from the radio)! Although inspired by the music, pushing and accelerating a car for 25 meters is actually harder than you might think! But REALLY funny for those watching! Only in PEI! I love it! I have to thank Basil Stewart, my inside man at the warehouse, my contact at the Wellness Centre, and my brother for steering and braking – my brakeman!

I also want to thank my sponsors who have helped to support me this year: RONA and APM. You have helped alleviate some of the financial stresses of being a Canadian amateur athlete, and I appreciate it very much. It is a tough journey, but one that I am prepared to take. And this upcoming year is going to be a very exciting one, and I am glad that you’ll be taking it with me! Every bit helps. I also want to thank Entertainment Partners and the Shea Insurance golf team from the Digby Golf Classic for supporting me in my endeavours. You are all part of this adventure with me! Thank you.

Smiles……
Heather]]> http://heathermoyse.net/blog/index.php?entry=26
Fifth place….. well, what can I say? Kaillie and I pushed the 2nd and 3rd fastest start times, and Kaillie had a great first run, getting the track record for the fastest ever downtime! However, just like the Olympics, World Championships consist of 4 heats – 2 heats over 2 days – which makes the race a competition of consistency. Kaillie has proven to be a good driver, but consistency comes with time and experience, and with one bad 2nd heat which dropped us in position, I have no doubt that she’ll improve on that over the next season! I really enjoyed racing with her and look forward to more great results from all of our Canadian sleds!

Well, I guess the season is not quite over yet. We have two weeks off and then we fly back to Whistler for two weeks of training and Canadian Championships. It feels a bit anti-climactic, however, because nobody will be doing any physical training and our World Cup Circuit and World Championships have already happened. So, you may be asking, what am I doing for these two weeks? Well, Kaillie and I hopped on a train a couple of days ago and headed for New York City. Yesterday, we walked half of the Brooklyn Bridge, went to the 911 Memorial Site (although it’s closed for construction!), did a bit of shopping, went to a show, and then ate at a restaurant/bar while they blasted great music and celebrated Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras). We ordered a Manhattan drink because we’d heard about it on Sex and the City, and seeing as we were in Manhattan, thought it was very important. It was TERRIBLE!!





Today we have another show and the New York Knicks game tonight planned, and then tomorrow Kaillie will go back to Lake Placid to support our men’s team and I will fly back to PEI to spend the next week and a half with my parents. In my last blog from Whistler I mentioned going home to PEI for a week because I wasn’t racing in Park City…. Well, it was because my grandmother (96 years old) had found out a couple of weeks before that her cancer had returned, and she had had a very bad couple of days. Because she had perked up quite a bit, she insisted that my parents still go and support me in Whistler because of how important family is to all of us. I had a pretty tough time with that decision, worried that something would happen while my parents were away, but I should have known that my grandmother would wait!

My parents arrived on Tuesday and that night I spoke with my uncle back home who told me that she was doing better. I asked him to tell my grandmother that I was “being sent home by the coaches to rest and train before World Championships” – NOT that I was leaving the tour to go and see her! She was a woman full of pride and grace, and everyone who knew her was blessed and had the utmost respect for her. She loved her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren very much, and kept up with everything we all did! She was proud of all of us, and I miss her terribly!

I flew home on February 8th and was able to spend a couple of hours with her that evening. The next day my mother and I spent most of the afternoon and evening with her and then she asked if someone could stay the night with her. I stayed with my grandmother all night and was blessed to be sitting up with her at the side of the bed when she died! It was a very tough week for me, and difficult to deal with fact that it was I who was with her when she died. However, I realize now that I wouldn’t have had it any other way! My grandmother – Florence Manuel Smith – was an incredible woman and an amazing role model, and died peacefully on February 10th, 2009. May she rest in peace, and may her family and friends remember her as she wanted to be remembered – strong, witty, graceful, proud, and loving!



Smiles…….
Heather]]> http://heathermoyse.net/blog/index.php?entry=25
It felt so good to be back competing on North American soil, and it was SO exciting to be racing in front of so many friends and family! Apparently tickets were sold out at 2500 – which was limited based on the number of porta-potties that the track had rented!!! I’ve gotta say, the energy in the air was electric with pride and excitement, and it was awesome to be part of it!

It was at the start of the week when I found out that I would be racing with Kaillie again, and I was pretty eager. After our crash in St. Moritz, Switzerland a couple of weeks ago when we were sliding to a silver, it feels pretty good to have redeemed ourselves a bit with this race on home soil! As we just starting sliding together a couple of weeks ago, we’re still working on our timing at the start, but we were really pleased with how this race went. We had the fastest start in the first heat (5.20 seconds) and the second fastest start in the second heat (5.18 seconds, with the fastest being 5.17 seconds). We literally had family cheering for us from coast to coast! We were both pretty happy to be standing in front of our family, friends and supporters to accept our trophies. Hopefully, these results continue for the rest of this season and into the next (although nothing can be taken for granted)!

Oh, and if you’ve seen any pictures from the race with me holding a 2 ½ year old little boy, he is NOT mine! He is my nephew, Charlie. My teammate had to correct someone who was telling someone else that that must have been the reason why I took the year off after the last Olympics!! LOL Wow, how quickly rumours can start! I took the year off after the Olympics to finish my master’s degree in occupational therapy! (I just thought I’d set the record straight!) 

Now, I was originally supposed to be sliding with Helen Upperton in the Park City race next weekend, but she is taking the week off to get some rehab on her ribs. Therefore, as I have not been scheduled to slide with anyone else, I am flying home to PEI for the week – a little rest and training before the World Championships in Lake Placid in a couple of weeks. There’s no place I’d rather be than with my family on ‘my’ island. You never know how much time you may have with those you love!!

So, if you were cheering for us during the race and sending us ‘fast thoughts’, I thank you. And, hopefully, I’ll be able to continue on contributing to the maple leaf being on the podium!!

Smiles…….
Heather]]> http://heathermoyse.net/blog/index.php?entry=24

Well, let me look on the bright side… A crash gives me something interesting to write about in my blog! (LOL) I just wish it hadn’t been me. Or that it hadn’t happened in the race when we were doing so well!

Let me start by explaining a bit about bobsleigh crashes in general. Well, depending on how high up the track you crash, the better or worse the outcome will be in terms of injuries, etc. The higher up you crash, the longer you have to ride down the track on your head. But, the farther down the track you crash, the faster you are going which means more friction! Usually, the pilot is able to see as they’re about to crash and are, therefore, able to tuck underneath the cowling (the hood/shell) of the bobsleigh. Although they can sometimes be knocked around a bit in there, they tend to be protected from direct contact with the ice. The brakemen, however, have their backs exposed to the elements and are often sliding down the track on their backs/shoulders with a 150 kg sled pinning them against the ice. Sometimes the sleds will barrel-roll down the track which looks terrible, but sometimes saves the brakemen from getting a friction burn on their backs from sliding down on the same area of their skin.

Now, crashing is, unfortunately, part of the sport of bobsleigh. I am extremely fortunate, however, to have only crashed 3 times in my career so far (knock on wood) – once a season. So, the good news is that I should have filled my quota for this season. The bad news is that this time it was in a race during the second heat when my pilot, Kaillie Humphries, and I were sitting in 2nd place after the first heat! Yikes! I’ve never crashed in a race before! And, come to think of it, I’ve never ejected, or kicked out of, the back of the sled before either! This time I did! Some bobsledders believe that it is always bad to kick out after a crash because one can get injured. Others believe that one should always kick out because there’s less chance of getting burned if you kick out (depending on how far you have to go down the track). However, normally, everyone agrees that during a race one should never kick out because the sled automatically gets disqualified. The sled must cross the finish line (on all 4 runners or upside down) with everything in it with which it started the race!

So, why did I decide to eject during the race? Well, St. Moritz is the oldest and only natural track in the world. That means that it is build every year from scratch with snow! This makes the ice itself very different from other tracks and making burns happen a lot faster. When we crashed during the race, we were just coming out of “horseshoe” corner (almost halfway down a very long track). I stayed in the sled for the next corner to see if we would pop back up on our runners but we didn’t, and I wasn’t sure if I’d even be able to hold on for the rest of the way down if I’d wanted to, so when I felt the G-forces trying to suck me out of the sled on the next corner I simply let go and slid out the back – mind you, sliding out the back also means sliding down the track on my bum at about 100 km/hr until I slowed to a stop. Needless to say, I was a little pink but no burn blisters, so all was good! I actually slid my gloved hands under my bum cheeks to protect it, and still have a bit of dulled sensation on my finger tips (although they’re much better). It all could have been much worse! Everyone agreed that I did the right thing by kicking out even though it was a race – I would have been mangled and eaten up on that track! I think the worse part about the whole crash was just that we had been doing so well! Kaillie and I had placed 5th in the race the day before – the make-up race from the cancelled one in Cesana, Italy before Christmas. And sitting in 2nd going into the last heat…. Oh well… I guess that’s why we all love sport! There are no guarantees! It keeps us on our toes!



Well, I just flew back to Toronto for a few days before meeting up with the team again in Whistler. It’ll be a very interesting couple of weeks – the first international training week on the Whistler track for all the nations, as well as Whistler’s first World Cup race. I’m just hoping it won’t take long to recover from the food poisoning I got a couple of nights ago. Oh, the joys of being on tour! LOL

Now, I know that a 5th place finish is nothing to sneer at as it’s a podium finish - top 6 finishes are podium finishes, while top 3 are medal finishes - but I realize it seems to have been over-shadowed by our crash the next day. I am pleased with how Kaillie and I competed together. Prior to those races, we had only practice together for one day! Hopefully, I’ll have some more exciting news next time. Keep posted.

“Ain’t nothing going to break my stride. Ain’t no one gonna slow me down. Oh no. I’ve got to keep on movin’.”

Smiles…..
Heather

PS. (Does one write a “P.S.” in a blog?) I just wanted to congratulate Barack Obama on his presidential inauguration. Much hope is being held in the hearts of many.]]> http://heathermoyse.net/blog/index.php?entry=23
Let me get you all up to speed…. As you know from my previous blogs, our race before Christmas in Cesana, Italy was cancelled because we got 7 feet of snow in less than 3 days. I was supposed to race with Lisa Szabon in that race. The first race this half was in Konigssee, Germany this past weekend and, although I was supposed to race with Helen, everything got switched around because of the previous race cancellation and schedule changes and I actually didn’t race at all. I haven’t raced on that track since 2006 – 3 years ago – and I was a bit disappointed because I think it’s my favourite track (or at least my top 3). It is absolutely gorgeous there and the fans are awesome! There was a great band playing music and dancing at the finish dock. Lots of fun! Although the race is called Konigssee, that is actually the name of the lake at the foot of the track. It’s actually just outside Berchtesgaden – so much history! You can actually see Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest from the bob track!



Anyway, we are now in beautiful St. Moritz, Switzerland. The docs think that in the last race Helen may have torn part of her rib cartilage and, as of this moment, it is undecided as to whether she’ll be racing this week or not. That being said… the rest of the team slid today, we have sliding tomorrow and Wednesday, and then race on Thursday. Then we have the make-up race from Cesana on Friday! Two races in two days! Should be fun! However, we, the brakemen, still haven’t been told who’s racing yet! But really…. What’s the rush? The race is a whole 3 days away! LOL

Well, last week we didn’t have any internet and this week there are 2 plug-in cords for about 50-60 athletes. So now I’m going to go wait in line and see if I can post this!

Smiles…….
Heather]]> http://heathermoyse.net/blog/index.php?entry=22
Christmas was wonderful! My whole family was home this year – my sister, her husband, and my 2 ½ year-old nephew, my brother, and my parents. For Christmas dinner we also had my 96-year-old grandmother, 2 aunts, 2 uncles, and 2 more cousins, tightly fitting 14 people around the dining room table.



It was great waking up Christmas morning and experiencing everything through the eyes of a young child! The biggest excitement? That Santa ate the cookies and Rudolph ate the carrot! So much fun!



The gift I was the most excited to give… my parents went to Paraguay in September to help build two houses with Habitat for Humanity, and my mother had mentioned how she didn’t want much this year for Christmas. My brother and I decided to buy “10 Fruit Trees” and “Immunizations for a Community” in their names through World Vision, and I don’t think we could have chosen better! The looks on their faces and the tears in their eyes said it all!

Okay. Although I’m loving being home for the holidays, it does not mean a vacation from training! We did go to a small gym in Munich, but nobody got much done because of the size of gym and type of equipment. I trained on Boxing Day (2 days ago) and, for some reason, my quads are still sore! I guess almost 2 weeks of not sliding, one week of not lifting, and jet lag all take a toll! Oh well, it’ll all pay off in the new year!

I wish you all a happy holiday and hope you ring in the new year with style. Take care of yourself and those around you, and stop to enjoy the little things.

Smiles…….
Heather]]> http://heathermoyse.net/blog/index.php?entry=21


Well, the race is over! My soul-searching paid off. I know I am currently not at 100% and still have lots of room to improve, but it was definitely a good start for my season. It was a long time since I’d pushed behind a sled in a race – the end of last February, to be specific – and after such a long and frustrating injury, it became very easy to doubt my ability to do a good job again! Helen and I ended up having the 2nd fastest start time for the 1st heat and the 3rd fastest start time for the 2nd heat (although she and I could both have fun a cycle further)! The Igls (Austria) track is known for the start times being extremely important for the final results because it’s such a short track, so I was very nervous having this track as my first race back! Helen drove great and we ended up winning GOLD! Feels good to return to competition with a race like that! Yeah!



Yesterday, we couldn’t stick around to watch the 4-man race because of the estimated 6-hour drive to Cesana, Italy. It started snowing for the last hour of the drive and by the time we almost got to the Olympic Training Centre where we’re staying, we had to put chains on our wheels and help push our van part of the way up the hill! One girl driving and six girls pushing and then quickly ‘loading’ into the side of the van as it picked up speed! So funny (although very cold and snowy).

This morning we woke up to about 4 ½ feet of snow outside our window! And…. It’s still snowing. There was an avalanche between where we’re staying and Sestriere (where most of the other teams are staying) and the roads are closed. We weren’t supposed to slide today, but now tomorrow is even looking questionable! It’s amazing! A winter wonderland! We’re just deciding when we’re going to go out and play in the snow and build a fort… it’s amazing how a snow storm can bring out the inner child in everyone!



I hope everyone is enjoying getting ready for the holidays. I’m counting down the days until I’m home with my family. I hope you’re all doing well.

Smiles………
Heather



December 18, 2008

Okay….. with about 7 feet of snow down and another couple of avalanches blocking the road from Sestriere to the track in Cesana, the FIBT decided to cancel the race. Although sometimes races are cancelled due to weather, it usually happens the day of the race, not 4 days ahead of time! There wouldn’t have been enough training runs, and apparently some of the corners of the track were completely covered in snow and weren’t even visible. So….. the Canadians decided to make due and have a competition anyway! An announcement was made over the speakers during dinner that there would be a “snow battle” at 9pm out in the parking lot. Nation against nation! It was the biggest and best snow fight I think I’ve ever been a part of – between Austria, Russia, Great Britain, Japan, Latvia, and Canada about 50 people took part (with no major injuries except for a few bruises to show for it)! It also snowed another couple of feet after the battle! So fun!





So with only a few hours sleep and a few HOURS of digging our vans and trucks out of the snow (I only wish I were exagerating), yesterday we drove about 8 hours to get to Munich. We are now desperately hoping for changes in flights, although this close to Christmas it may prove to be an impossibility. Oh well….. I’ll be home soon anyway. Can’t wait!

Smiles…….
Heather]]> http://heathermoyse.net/blog/index.php?entry=20
Last weekend, the second World Cup race was in Altenberg, Germany. Again, the Canadian girls did well. Pierre crashed on one of the training days and hurt his neck. The doctors told him he needed to take a few days off, so he and his guys didn’t race last weekend. Lyndon finished 15th in the 4-man, although final results were based solely on the first heat because it started snowing so badly that the second heat was cancelled with only 4 sleds left (after the 5th ranked sled crashed). And, as always, we were there supporting our guys in the freezing cold!



Our girls, however, all remained in the top-10 again. Lisa and Sabrina (in her first World Cup race ever!) placed 9th, while Kaillie and Amanda placed 8th (only beating Lisa by 1/100th second). Despite a great run, Helen and Jenny were tied for 6th after the first heat. They both commented on hearing dragging noises at various points along the run, and realized that there must have been so much pressure in some of the corners that it pushed the brakes a bit, grazing them against the ice at points! Yikes! The second run – with Jenny staring at the brakes for the whole run – was money! Helen drove great and they moved up a couple of spots to 4th place (just barely missing a medal). A good finish and… lessons learned!

Bobsleigh is definitely not a glamorous sport. I forgot how constantly exhausted one feels when on tour. And my hands… are so calloused and sore that they are looking forward to the Christmas break and holding a mug of hot chocolate in front of the fire (instead of dumbbells and sleds)! I must inform you, however, that the Canadian girls try to make things interesting and fun along the way….. I’ve gotta say that we’re definitely the most fun team on tour!!! LOL During the break between runs of the men’s race last weekend a few of us decided to build a snowman and named his Gustof! We asked random people with original hats if we could use them for our snowman, including a German police hat and a bright orange security vest. So funny! We had so many people coming over and taking pictures of us!



After the men’s race, there were 6 of us in a van leaving the track, when we decided to do a drive by! We gathered a bunch of snowballs into the van and opened the front windows and slid open the side door and we tried to playfully pelt the Americans and the Austrians. It was such a good plan! It would have worked too, had someone not stepped in front of the van while we were ‘escaping’. At that moment, we were so concerned about closing the door and windows that we were blindsided by one American guy who…… opened the trunk door! There were snowballs hitting the inside of the front windshield! Our stuff was soaked! It was hilarious! And again… lessons learned!

Now….. we are currently in Igls, Austria (actually staying in a town called Patsch very close to Innsbruk). It is absolutely gorgeous here, in the midst of some of the most amazing mountains in the world. And, it actually gets sunny here, unlike the rare bouts of rays we glimpsed in the previous few weeks. This track is particularly known for needing a fast start. This will be my first race of the season – my last race being in Altenberg at the end of last February! Sliding has been going well enough. My shoulder is holding up, although my load into the sled is not as fluent as before. Yesterday, I actually gave myself a charlie-horse (deep muscle bruise) in my bicep while loading! I know… I’m an idiot! Oh well… these things happen! LOL



Yes, I am nervous! Usually, nerves are good for me on race day, although these nerves feel a bit different. Everything is always a test and future races depend on previous performances. That’s normal in sport! But although I know I am fast right now, I just have high expectations of myself and know that I’m not as fast as I can be yet. It’s hard to know that I’m about to compete when I’m not at my best! Oh well… maybe it’ll also be a test of character?! I just need to remember not to think! Just extend my legs and dig!

“Behind me is infinite power; Before me is endless possibility; Around my is boundless opportunity. Why should I fear?”

Smiles………]]> http://heathermoyse.net/blog/index.php?entry=19


We got about 2-3 feet of snow over the first couple of days here in Winterberg, then we had lots of fog for training. But on race day, besides a bit of snow during the race, it was a pretty clear day (which is actually a surprise for Winterberg!). I did not race. I’m not sure when my first race will be since I really just started sliding this week – one day last week and three days this week – but I’m hoping it’s soon. My shoulder has been holding up well, although it’s been a bit sore and fatigued the last couple of days because of the volume. I’m hoping it won’t take much longer, because I’m itching to race again!

The Canadian girls did great!!! Helen and Jenny won the GOLD. Helen drove like a champ and had her best 2 runs on this track ever. Last year we placed 5th, so this was redemption. Also, Sandra Kiriasis (Germany I) has won 9 straight years in a row in Winterberg because it’s her home track! What a great feeling! The other girls did really well too. Kaillie and Shelley-Ann placed 6th, and Lisa and Amanda placed 8th. And…. Sabrina and I did a great job at the behind-the-scenes (if I do say so myself! LOL). Three Canadian sleds in the top 8….. not too shabby!! It feels great to hear our National anthem played over the speakers. I’m hoping that every nation will soon know the tune (and maybe the words) by the end of the season and leading up to the 2010 Games! Our boys did pretty well too! Pierre and Dave came 5th, and Lyndon and Lascelles placed 13th in the 2-man event. The Germans also live up to their reputation in terms of awards…. A massive glass of beer for the winners!! Also, Helen and Jenny each got a set of rims for their cars! Maybe it’s good I wasn’t racing since I don’t even have a car to put them on! Hahaha.



Oh, did I mention the waffles? Winterberg on the bobsleigh circuit is known for it’s waffle stand in corner 5! They are delicious!!! I invite you all there to try them for yourselves. It is well worth the trip! And….. there’s nothing like a little team picture – true high fashion at the bobsleigh track! LOL



Well, I’m pretty tired. Yesterday, after watching the men’s 4-man race, we drove the 5-hour trip back to Altenberg for the next stop on the World Cup circuit. Today is going to be a very busy day! But, on the bright side…… it’s December! I can’t believe it’s already December! We’ve already started singing Christmas carols in the garage while doing sled work!

I hope you’re all doing well and starting to enjoy the holiday preparations (for whatever holiday you may be celebrating). I’m going to sign off by saying something that my high school coach said in an email……

Make a great day!

Smiles……
Heather]]> http://heathermoyse.net/blog/index.php?entry=18


Now, where do I begin? Well, why not start with an injury?! It's been a pretty frustrating summer for me (and for my teammates, I'm sure). As soon as the bobsleigh season ended at the end of last February, I took 2 weeks off and then started training (cardio/interval training) to get ready for rugby. I was selected for the National Rugby Sevens Team - only 7 players on the field and a much faster game - and played in the Hong Kong Sevens tournament in March. I was also selected to go to Amsterdam with the team in May.

Unfortunately, towards the end of our last game on the first day of the tournament, I tackled an opponent out of bounds but was almost simultaneously landed on by my own teammate. As I landed, my shoulder got 'pushed through' from the back and I instantly knew that I couldn't finish the last few minutes of the game! I thought I injured my rotator cuff (as did 2 team therapists), and so strapped it up for the second day and played in a couple of games (although quite obviously hesitant)! It wasn't until I got back to Canada a couple of weeks later that I found out I had actually fractured my shoulder - an avulsion-type fracture of the head of the humerus, and a partial tear of the supraspinatus tendon!!

It took over 3 months for the fracture to heal, and then I had to deal with 'frozen shoulder' (or adhesive capsulitis). I've had 2 therapeutic arthrograms done at the hospital - a procedure whereby the doctor inflates the shoulder with saline and the blasts out the scar tissue! I also had a cortisone injection and a plasma injection (with my next injection tomorrow)! I've had amazing therapists and doctors working with me, and have made a ton of progress!

As frustrating as this experience has been, my teammates and coaches have been very supportive. I have, however, missed a few weeks of sliding during the pre-season, which means that I will start pushing over in Europe in a week and a half! It's hard to find the balance between returning too early and potentially taking a step backwards, and not getting enough practice before the season starts! I am looking at this as yet another challenge! I am determined to be pushing stronger and faster than ever before, because I know that I have not yet reached my full potential as an athlete! I know it will continue to be frustrating for awhile as I may not be as competitive as I know I can be, but I'm excited to start sliding again and to see what the season brings!!

I was lucky, however, to be able to fly out to Whistler for one week to help the team out prior to, and during, selection races. I tried to help out as much as I could to take away some of the stresses of pre-season. It was just good to be with the girls again. Helen, Jenny and I went and got manicures the day before selection races, with red (for Canada) being the colour of choice!



Well, I hope you enjoy the stories along the way..... I'd like to thank everyone who has supported me, and continues to support me, throughout this amazing adventure. Nobody can do it alone. So sit back and follow along.... it's going to be a good ride!

Smiles.....
Heather]]> http://heathermoyse.net/blog/index.php?entry=14