Diary
 Olympic quiz
  2nd entry

  This is my first entry for my new web site diary. I'll be updating it every week and archiving past entries. Thanks for your support!

  Susan at Nagano with her brother and coach Derrick

Just a week ago I was walking on the beach with my parents at their cottage on Lake Winnipeg-it's hard to believe it's already the beginning of another Olympic season. In less than a week I'll be leaving for Salt Lake City to train for ten days before our first World Cup.

Fall training is always the hardest time of the year for me. It's a time when we try to do everything; we work at getting stronger and more fit while at the same time perfecting our technique and getting comfortable and confident at racing.

  For me it's also been a time when I try all sorts of different boots and blades until almost the last minute before I leave for the World Cups. In 1998 everyone was doing this because of the new Klap skates-for me it's a yearly reality. The fact that I've been doing this now for the past month is both frustrating and satisfying. I 'feel' enough to want things to be just perfect but

Susan tying up skates
  sometimes it makes training a little more stressful.

  I have now found the perfect set up and am focusing on feeling fast and confident. The training is all done and now, the rest is up to me and how I deal with racing. After all the training is done technical and psychological strength is what will take an athlete to the podium. I can't wait to see what the next couple of weeks will bring. More later....