Final Race

After many weeks of phone calls, emails, crying and paddling I have decided it’s just time to return to Colorado. On top of all the political red tape I’ve been running into, my hip has been giving me lot problems.  There is likely a serious issue but I was hoping to be able to push through. I need to see my surgeon and honestly probably give my body as a whole a break.  I’m struggling with this decision but I figure if my hip isn’t as bad as I think or the pieces fall into place with the paperwork, Burton and will return. 

Before leaving I wanted to do at least one more race. The whole team traveled up to Bellingham for the Bellingham Regatta 2015. Lake Padden is beautiful and the Kenmore~Cascade Team had a WONDERFUL time. I raced hard and fast. I raced the 2000m, the 1000m, the 500m, and my favorite the sprint 200m!  I had so much fun racing able-bodied athletes and walked away feeling so blessed!

Back in the USA

After Germany, it was very difficult to know which way to turn. I didn’t know if things were going to work out for me and Paracanoe but I felt all I could do was keep trying, keep training and hope that it would all come together in my favor. My fellow paddlers there were so happy to have me back and everyone helped me hold my head high and not give up. I continued to train and paddle with the Kenmore Cascade Canoe and Kayak Club. 

Not long after my return to Seattle there was a race at Green Lake. I had spent several extra days off the water at home in Colorado and I did not feel prepared for the Ted Houk Regatta. I decided to enter because you can’t win if you don’t try and “no time like the present” right?

When things warm up in Seattle, it generally means it gets windy. The weekend of the Ted Houk Regatta, was no exception. There was warm, sunny weather with high winds, and therefore rough water.  

During my 500m race I was paddling really well, digging deep and was going to finish very strong. Unfortunately, I got caught off balance with a cross wave, wasn’t able to recover and went for a swim ~20m from the finish. DNF. Bummer.

The following day was my 200m races.  The morning had gorgeous, flat water but by my afternoon race time it was rough once again.  My practice with Time Trials at Green Lake paid off. I did not have any personal best race times but I had two really good 200m races and had my personal best times at Green Lake. Good enough for me.  

Things are not always as they appear

I worked very hard in the weeks leading up to the World Cup in Duisburg, Germany. Heavy intense workouts on the water, gym workouts off the water, all pushing my body to the limits I could push.  I wanted to not only do my best but I wanted a faster time than I had gotten in OKC. Every time I dumped myself into the water, every time I wanted to stop the workout early, I reminded myself that I wouldn’t get faster if I didn’t keep pushing! My usual training partner wasn’t able to train during this time and so one of my fellow paddlers from the Kenmore~Cascade Canoe and Kayak Club, Monika Armitano volunteered her time and energy to being on the water with me while I shrived to get faster.  She was amazing and helped me tons.

When I left for Germany I felt prepared and ready.

We arrived very early with plenty of days so that we could get equipment sorted and go through classification. The classification process is how it is determined what disability class you will compete in, KL1, KL2, or KL3. Up to this point, nationally I had been put into the KL2 category.  

The Regattabahn  is a beautiful venue created specifically for fast paddling. It was incredible; I was so excited and couldn’t wait to get onto the water. The following days we had to share boats so we took turned doing our workouts and getting our race plans dialed in.

Then came classification day.  (dun dun dun da dun dun)

Everything got turned upside down for me.

There had been several rule changes for international competition earlier in the year and part of that was a change in the classification system. We knew things were different to years prior and this was exactly the reason we needed to go to World Cup, was to get classified in the new system to make sure things would go smoothly at World Championships.  Well, things did not go smoothly in Germany. I was told that I was not eligible to compete in Paracanoe. :(

I had read the rules, I had my medical forms and I meet the requirements for minimum eligibility… except apparently I don’t!?!  I was devastated!!

I spent the following days crying, reading rules, making phone calls, going to the venue and basically doing whatever I could do to help myself so that I could race. Things did not go my way and I ended up sitting the sidelines. I watched some amazing paddling from world class disabled and able-bodied paddlers. I was able to see friends from Finland and make new friends from other countries. I cheered on my Team USA teammates and tried to make the best of the terrible situation.

U.S Canoe/ Kayak Sprint Nationals

Since I did not make it to World Championships this year I decided to attend U.S Canoe/Kayak Sprint Nationals. It was an opportunity to represent Paracanoe on the national level and possibly improve my times.

I had about 3 weeks to train and work on my boat set up after Lake Placid. With the help of some great friends I had some good quality training and finally figured out a boat set up that worked. I didn't know if I was ready for the races in Georgia but Burton and I loaded up and headed south. Our travels were uneventful and we arrived to fairly calm and warm waters on Lake Lanier. I had a couple days until my first race so I took advantage and paddled, rested and worked out.

I raced my first 500m race on the 1^st of August. We didn't have many Paracanoe paddlers so we were mostly racing together. I didn't break any records but I paddled really well winning the women’s race and didn't finish far behind the guys. I was the 500m Paracanoe K1 National Champion!! I was really pleased with my paddling and I wanted to use the momentum for the next day for the 200m races.

The following day the weather was in our favor again, with warm temperatures and only a slight wind, that was mostly a tail wind shifting occasionally to the side.

Being classified as a TA I can race both the TA and LTA divisions of Paracanoe. The first race was the K1 200m LTA race. I came off the start okay and paddled strong to the end. There is plenty I know that could be improved but I gave it everything I had and I was 3^rd of 5 racers! I won the women’s race and even beat one of the guys. Best part was that made me the 200m Women’s LTA National Champion! I was very pleased and my time was much improved from the Lake Placid race. I still had another race to run; I had 2 hours to come up with a way to improve my time even further.

Paddlers ready…set… HORN (go). I got a decent start but the wind direction had changed. I really needed to push. 
I sat up straighter, dug my paddle in as much as I could and really tried to move the boat forward. 
With 50m to go I was right with the guys and knew the opportunity for an improved time was at my fingertips, literally. 
I dug just a little too deep on one paddle stroke and nearly dumped myself... BUMMER! 
I didn't stop but I had to regain my balance in order to finish my race as strong as possible. 
I crossed the line well behind the men but knew I did my best. I didn't better my time but I was happy, and best of all... the 200m Women’s TA National Champion! Not a bad week of racing and the results were good! :)

I was really glad I went to Georgia! I had an amazing week with wonderful people and paddled well. Now it’s time to train harder and improve more… always striving to be the best!

Group shot

Paracanoe Women 500m K1 TA National Champion!

Paracanoe Women 200m K1 LTA National Champion!

Lake Placid International Regatta

I was so excited after my trip to Finland to show off my new found skills but unfortunately things just didn't go as planned.

The days leading up to the race I had some nice days on the water and enjoyed getting to know other paddlers. I was there with an excellent group of people and it was great to be on the water twice a day. We also had a few very strong rain showers that tested our strength but ultimately Mother Nature with the power of lightening won and we fled the water.  I took the time on and off the water and to try to use other people’s experience and worked on different seat and paddle adjustments.  I felt like I made positive changes but nothing fit  perfect.

Come race day the sun was shining and we had gorgeous water with a strong side wind. I was eager to race and hopeful for good results. I had one race to paddle as fast as I could to qualify for the World Championship Team and go to Moscow one month later. In that race, I had troubles in the start and just couldn't make it up. I finished strong but just not very fast compared to the winner. 

I had two other races to improve my time but that didn't work out either. My second race I tried another boat that was lighter but had a malfunction with my rudder and zig-zagged down the course. My third race was the best of the day, but I only improved my time by a few tenths. Click here for results

Overall, I enjoyed my time on Mirror Lake and in the town of Lake Placid but I didn't qualify for World Champs. The silver lining was that at least I paddled decent and met the emerging time standards.

Kisakallio

I would have never guessed that getting into the right that boat would make my life so much better! From that moment on I felt like a different person! The next days at Marjanienmen were spent getting time on the water paddling rather than struggling to balance. 

I was fortunate enough to borrow the Viper 55 to go to the training camp at Kisakallio in Lohja. This was an opportunity of a lifetime. I joined the camp of paddlers from all around Finland including the Finnish National Teams for kayak and rowing. The best part was that an Olympian and former Finnish National Team member, Anne Rikala personally coached me. She is an incredible person, terrific paddler and a wealth of information. My week in Kisakallio was incredible and I made huge leaps of progress with my paddling in my time here. I am truly blessed for these opportunities!

My next step is returning to the USA to attend LakePlacid International Regatta in the beginning of July. That race will serve as a qualifier for the 2014 U.S. Paracanoe team as well as a selection race for World Championships in Moscow, Russia. No matter what the outcome of the race next month, my big goal is going to the Summer Paralympic Games in Rio 2016 and that is where my focus lies. I will take everything that I have been so fortunate to learn here and apply it to being a better paddler, athlete and person in the future. Dreams don’t come true without the support of many people and my road to Rio just got shorter with the help of everyone here in Finland. Kiitos!

Below are some photos by Katja Saarinen from the camp:

Happy Day!

Start practice- photo by Anne 

Anne with the boys

Learning

Paddling in Finland

Had such a good day at the Marjanienmen today. The weather was not in our favor so the gentleman that I was supposed to work with thought I’d be better off working on the Kayak Ergo. This was a good way of working on my technique without the balance issues and concerns of taking a swim in the almost dangerously cold Baltic Sea. This session went really well and he was pleased with the progress I made. Although I must admit I wanted to push harder and go faster, but apparently that technique equals speed and speed does not equal technique so we worked on my stroke.

My day got a lot better as it turns out that the club does indeed have “my boat” the Viper 55. I was able to try a back rest that Katja’s dad had fashioned for me to try to help my muscle control and balance. I simply paddled around the dock but already felt LOTS better than the previous days. We then worked on some different strokes in the water for positioning. I had a huge smile on my face leaving the boathouse today!!!

With my back rest in the Viper 55

Helsinki, Finland

I had a long winter of skiing, snowshoeing, gym time, and school.

It seems like forever since I have been on the water! Today was my first day back! Ironically I am in Helsinki Finland (Suomi). This trip was a graduation present from my parents. I am so fortunate that I have parents that are so loving and kind to help me and my dog to skip the country for a month!! 

The ideas started to flow in January when my dear friend Katja was staying with us in Winter Park while training and racing. She thought I should come visit her this summer… and amazingly here I am… with Burton!

I came here with the expectation to have fun, spend some time with her and maybe put my paddle in the water a few times. Now it seems I have training on and off the water arranged for many of the days that I’ll be here. Marjanimen Melojat is a club here in Helsinki that I went out with yesterday. They do not have too many sprint paddlers left in their club but they are gracious enough to help me get on the water and offer some advice to improve. Also while I am here it sounds like I will be traveling to Lohja for a short camp. In addition I will be working with Katja’s conditioning coach in her studio doing Pilates.

Below are a few photos from my first day ever paddling in the Baltic Sea!

Be Brave Enough to Be...

…AWEsome.
I recently decided to become part of a very strong group of women- Team AWE-Able Women Empowering. We came together to help each other as well as other athletes to excel in whatever they chose to do.

As World-Class athletes with disabilities, our mission is to provide support to women brave enough to pursue specific athletic goals for themselves through financial opportunities, education support, inspiration, and motivation.

In the process of establishing this wonderful team I have also decided to take another leap, I am trying to find another sport. At this time I am pursuing the sport of Paracanoe. Below is my latest blog post at www.teamawe.blogspot.com

Be Brave Enough To…

… Try.

Everything in life is a challenge if you aren’t good at it or don’t know what you’re doing. The catch is that in order to master anything at some point you have to take that first step and try it. New adventures and activities can be very humbling and my latest task proved no different.

Inspired by my good friend from Slovenia and the great ladies that are part of Team A.W.E I decided to try out the sport of Paracanoe. I packed my blazer up and drove 1200 miles to Seattle with my puppy in the passenger seat. I knew when I left that it was very likely to be tough and that there was a real possibility I’d be no good at all. You can’t win if you don’t try so I was going to give it a solid attempt.

I spent a total of 6 days on the water at Green Lake with Robert Picardo and Vadim Kin from the Seattle Canoe and Kayak Club (SCKC). My first day was almost comical as I completely embarrassed myself. I had been traveling for lots of hours with very little sleep and my body was not happy. Vadim and I spent some time setting the boat up so I could try to paddle and no sooner did I get away from the dock, and trying to stay balanced than I was tipped over and taking a swim. The air temp was about 63° F and the water a whopping 55°F. It wouldn’t have been so embarrassing if a former US Canoe/Kayak team member hadn’t been there on the dock to watch the whole thing and then I was so worn out and cold that I couldn’t stop shivering enough to get back in the boat. Not the start I was looking for, but I’ve never been easily deterred, so I showed up the next day to try again.

All but one of days I was on the water I tipped over and had to swim back to the dock or to shore with my boat and paddle in hand. Sometimes it was a long swim and the water didn’t warm up but my drive to improve kept me going and motivated me to get back in the boat cold and wet whether it was sunny or rainy. My boat handling skills progressed and was assured that I have potential to be a good racer. I might not be ready to enter a regatta tomorrow but I got better each and every day. I was brave enough to try & I might have just found a new sport!

Moving forward

"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning but anyone can start today and make a new ending." ~ Maria Robinson

No I can’t go back and change anything that has happened, so I try not to dwell on the events of the past, I am happy to have today. This past year and a half has been anything but easy but I feel like I’m finally moving forward once again. The U.S. Adaptive Ski Team denied a medical leave from the team last year so I am no longer with them. I will be skiing for myself this season with the NSCD Alpine Ski Team. Due to my physical and financial situations I was not able to attend any camps this summer and won’t be doing any camps this fall either. I’m trying to look ahead towards the snow fall and training here in Colorado.

The beginning of July I got the screws removed from my pelvis. Of course nothing ever goes as expected and that was not any different but I’m doing well now and focusing on getting stronger. My legs feel so much better than they have in a LONG time. My strength and range of motion still are not what I want them to be, so I keep working. I’m not sure if I will be able to regain all the function I lost but I won’t quit trying. I have a new found hope that I will be strong again. I have been on my bike, playing tennis, taking light hikes, and back in the gym. I had ambitions to climb a 14er before the snow came, but that might be a little much to ask of my body yet.

I have every intention of ski racing this season, with my focus being on going to my third Paralympics in Vancouver, Canada in March! My first race of the year is in December at Copper Mountain and that’ll be a good litmus test.

Summer Fun

As I said before, my recovery is NOT going as planned. It's only been about 3 weeks now that I've finally been without crutches- yeah! The reason I was finally able to get off my crutches is that they changed my medication from Valium to Neurontin (yes I’ve really been on Valium since surgery.) I don't know why the Neurontin is working but it is, even my fever is being kept at bay. That was a long time coming. This whole thing has been one big challenge. Fever, nausea, vomiting, pain, and spasms for months, not fun.

Now that I'm off crutches it is very obvious that my muscles just don't seem to want to work with the pelvis now in a new position. In theory it should be a lot better but it just hasn't really worked out that way. So I'm still trying to work on it and trying to get back to normal, but still not working.

Because of all this I didn't get much of a summer but I was lucky enough to get out to the east coast and NYC. I had a great trip with my friend Annie and then my Dad joined us and we went to a Yankees game. Annie went home and Dad and I drove up to Gloucester, MA where my mom joined us and we visited some long time family friends. Here are some photos from that trip!

Next adventure

I've decided that I'm not going to be skiing much this summer, if at all. I could really use the break mentally and physically. Time off the hill will also give me time to do other things, like work on the ambulance, going to a cycling race that I want to attend as well as doing as much hiking as I can.

Three girls that I race and train with and I have decided we are going to hike Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa in September. I don't know exactly how this all came about but we’ve decided we're going to do it to raise money for the NSCD. It's going to be a lot of work and a lot of fun. We have been working out the details and setting things up. We actually have a blog for it if you want to check it out. http://disabilitieswithoutborders.blogspot.com/