Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Monday, June 16, 2008
The Epic Of FIBArk
Most people wouldn't get up off the couch and run a marathon right!! Well although we do not run a marathon, the 26mile Fibark downriver race is just as crazy and n many ways just as painful... It also seems that there exist in the paddling world many people who seem to have no issue with waking up one morning and subjecting themselves to this grueling race without training or preparing save hydrating, and carboloading with a few bears the night before. I for some strange reason happen to be one of these strangely psychotic people. But be as that may, I take my hat off to all of you who make the 26 mile race such a blast and such an absolutely grueling event.
AS for the rest of the FibArk festival, well it is something that should never be missed. Everything from the hooligan race to a wonderfully attended slalom race, the music the entertainment and the camaraderie is something that we of the paddler tribe look forward to each and every year. This is not to say that the experience is all together an ease one. from 60mph wind that allow for the collection of dust on everything you own to the sweltering heat and long days spent doing crazy things, it is most certainly an epic event and an epic undertaking if one is to fully participate. It is wonderful it is strange, it is without doubt organized, and about first and foremost the paddling lifestyle and that is why we love it so much! Thank GOD it is over and we can recover for a year before we take the wonderful and epic journey that is the FibArk Experience!
AS for the rest of the FibArk festival, well it is something that should never be missed. Everything from the hooligan race to a wonderfully attended slalom race, the music the entertainment and the camaraderie is something that we of the paddler tribe look forward to each and every year. This is not to say that the experience is all together an ease one. from 60mph wind that allow for the collection of dust on everything you own to the sweltering heat and long days spent doing crazy things, it is most certainly an epic event and an epic undertaking if one is to fully participate. It is wonderful it is strange, it is without doubt organized, and about first and foremost the paddling lifestyle and that is why we love it so much! Thank GOD it is over and we can recover for a year before we take the wonderful and epic journey that is the FibArk Experience!
Monday, May 5, 2008
The Wheels Keep Turning.
So it has been just over a week since the conclusion of the 2008 US Olympic Trials, and things have calmed down to a certain degree. It is always interesting after trials when you take a small break from training every day. I often find that I have so much time on my hands, and nothing to fill it with, that I just end up sleeping a lot. This may seem like a welcome restbite for a lot of people, but sleeping a lot and not working out defiantly does funky things to my body, and makes it hard to get a good night sleep.
I was defiantly in a state of limbo after Trials finished up, what with getting sick and not performing as well as I had hoped, the results and what it means for the months ahead are drastically different than I had pictured in my head. To start with it means spending a lot more time at home this summer, and frankly I am not quite sure how I feel about that. For the last eight years or so, it has been summers full of travels, and road trips, long months spent in tents beside rivers and in the company of other paddlers. I guess it will be good to be home for a little while, and the great thing about this short time off from training is that I have been able to figure out some things I can do to pass the time when I am not in the boat this summer, all of which should be both fun and educational.
I am still not sure if we are going to go to the Pre Worlds in Spain, part of me really wants to go, and part of me really doesn't want to spend the crazy amount of money that travel is requiring of this Oil loving world, so I guess that one we will play that one by ear. I am headed home this coming friday, and with luck I will make it back in time to catch the last race in the High School championship series and in time to coach some of the new slalom kids that CO invariably produces, until then it is just getting packed up, moved out and studying for one last final.
Cheers!
Nic
I was defiantly in a state of limbo after Trials finished up, what with getting sick and not performing as well as I had hoped, the results and what it means for the months ahead are drastically different than I had pictured in my head. To start with it means spending a lot more time at home this summer, and frankly I am not quite sure how I feel about that. For the last eight years or so, it has been summers full of travels, and road trips, long months spent in tents beside rivers and in the company of other paddlers. I guess it will be good to be home for a little while, and the great thing about this short time off from training is that I have been able to figure out some things I can do to pass the time when I am not in the boat this summer, all of which should be both fun and educational.
I am still not sure if we are going to go to the Pre Worlds in Spain, part of me really wants to go, and part of me really doesn't want to spend the crazy amount of money that travel is requiring of this Oil loving world, so I guess that one we will play that one by ear. I am headed home this coming friday, and with luck I will make it back in time to catch the last race in the High School championship series and in time to coach some of the new slalom kids that CO invariably produces, until then it is just getting packed up, moved out and studying for one last final.
Cheers!
Nic
Monday, April 28, 2008
Now that it's Over
Well after 3 days of intense racing, with a lot of ups and downs in all the different aspects of the competition, I'm exhausted and ready to take a short break before starting my training for the rest of this year, as well as the year to come (it's never to early to start training for another year, and next years trials in my eyes). As a whole I feel alright about my own personal performance, as there were certainly some very good aspects, and some aspects that could use a good deal of work. I had a few spectacular sections and moves, but it was so hard for me to put together a full day of really solid boating, and this is going to be one of my largest focuses in the upcoming year, putting together two solid runs. On the other hand though, I had a good deal of large mistakes, that were all very costly, and I had a tough time moving past them mid-run, so thats another thing I'll be working on.
Throughout the rest of the competition though there were a lot of ups and downs for everyone, and it was most definitely a nail biter finish to the whole thing. Going into the final run on the last day of competition the top six boaters were within one second of each other with the top three boaters with in 1/10 of a second, and nothing had really been decided concerning the team in the first two days, so there was a lot riding on that final run. The spot check also seemed to give a lot of people trouble, causing JP Griffith to get disqualified, as well as several prominent Canadians, causing them to loose potential Olympic spots in the process.
Well that's that, and it was a good couple days of really hard racing, and I look forward to next years trials where I hope to do much better, as well as taking this past weekends racing experience to heart, using it to my advantage as much as possible.
So till next time,
best wishes and training,
Dodge
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
In the think of it!
After months and months of training and preparation it's finally here. This week has been good, we've all had a very good week of training here in Charlotte, and are doing our best not to train as hard as I know we all really want to. However I can feel the tension rising as the day approaches. Everyone around the course is slowly getting a bit harder to approach and the joking is slowly becoming less and less frequent as we all start to crawl out of our skin. I'm doing my personal best to keep the mood more or less stress free and joke with everyone, even though sometimes its met with a harsh backlash its always worth the try. Having all of the set up crews around too, putting up the tents and speaker system is certainly not helping me either. Having all of the speakers scream "testing, testing, testing 1 2" as you round the corner into big drop, is certainly distracting to me. On the other hand though its probably good for me to experience this during training before everything gets under way. With only a day and a half left before the racing begins and roughly 5000 tickets sold I'm certainly feeling the tension too, and certainly starting to get some serious butterfly effect going on in my stomach. I'll do my best to keep everyone updated as the days progress though, it'll probably be some good venting.
Till next time,
Dodge
Sunday, April 20, 2008
TRIALS 2008
Well, It is that time of year once again, and it looks like it is going to be one hell of a party. With literally everyone and their mothers coming to Charlotte this week, the 2008 US Olympic Trials for Whitewater Slalom should be a bast. Of course it is a whole lot more fun and less stressful on those people who get to come and enjoy the race, as compared to the athletes, but it is going to be great fun all around. Dodge and I arrived in Charlotte yesterday. After a series of car breakdowns, Dodge's car no longer starts, and apparently it is impossible to get anyone to work on a car on the weekend in Gettysburg. So with we loaded up the Volvo, and headed back to what has become for me, almost a second home.
After arrival we jumped out for a quick session on the water, which was excellent, and a great way to get loosened up again after the 6.5hr car ride. After that it was off to the airport to pick up Sarah Dodge and then our traditional Red Bowl sushi haunt for dinner.
Today will see the arrival of Mark, and a bunch of people from the front range. I am very excited to see everyone and catch up, as well as to take pictures of the inevitable working that will take place on the course. We Will keep you posted on how the week is going as it unfolds!
Cheers!
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
A Letter From The US Olympians Association
April 11, 2008
As President of the U.S. Olympians Association, I oppose any attempt to boycott the Olympic Games in Beijing and thereby single out athletes to pay the price for the political agendas of others. Frankly, I am a victim of a boycott and know first hand how painful it is to have my hopes and dreams plucked from my heart because of political pressures outside my control. I am sure that those Olympians affected by the 1980 and 1984 Boycotts share similar sentiments.
I believe it is the responsibility of every Olympian to protect the rights of all accredited athletes to compete in the Olympic Games. Athletes do not participate in the Olympic Games as warriors, politicians nor activists. They are, and should be, athletes exercising their God given talent to compete on the world’s greatest stage. We who have gone before this new generation of gifted talent pledged to compete “in the true spirit of sportsmanship, for the glory of sport and the honor of our teams”. That Olympic Oath continues today and gives us the basis for becoming Olympians. There is no political or social message in that Oath. All we did and all we can expect from every competitor, is to compete fairly for the glory and honor of sport.
Our athletes deserve to compete in these Games and to represent our country. The time to influence the politics of China was 7 years ago when China bid for the Olympic Games. While others may chose to debate whether the Olympic Games will have a political effect on China that is not the athlete’s focus. There are many organizations that are engaged in efforts to affect change in China. If anyone sincerely feels compelled to send a message to the Chinese government, please direct your attention and send your donations to these groups. But, let’s take athletes out of the socio-political arena and keep them in the sporting arena where they belong.
The future of the Olympic Games is hanging in the balance. Every Olympian is inextricably tied to the Olympic Movement. It is our duty as Olympians to protect the stature of the Games, defend the honor of sport and protect the sanctity of the Olympic Creed. I will not naively turn my back to abuses that are the province of politics but I will not let people who do not share my Olympic family tie twist the meaning of the Olympic Games to suit their political or social agendas. The 2008 Olympic Games must go on and they will. They will because Olympians, as guardians of the Games, carriers of the Torch, and keepers of the faith will not yield to those who wish to prevent the youth of the world from competing with dignity beside their brothers and sisters in sport.
Sincerely,
Willie Banks
President
U.S. Olympians
As President of the U.S. Olympians Association, I oppose any attempt to boycott the Olympic Games in Beijing and thereby single out athletes to pay the price for the political agendas of others. Frankly, I am a victim of a boycott and know first hand how painful it is to have my hopes and dreams plucked from my heart because of political pressures outside my control. I am sure that those Olympians affected by the 1980 and 1984 Boycotts share similar sentiments.
I believe it is the responsibility of every Olympian to protect the rights of all accredited athletes to compete in the Olympic Games. Athletes do not participate in the Olympic Games as warriors, politicians nor activists. They are, and should be, athletes exercising their God given talent to compete on the world’s greatest stage. We who have gone before this new generation of gifted talent pledged to compete “in the true spirit of sportsmanship, for the glory of sport and the honor of our teams”. That Olympic Oath continues today and gives us the basis for becoming Olympians. There is no political or social message in that Oath. All we did and all we can expect from every competitor, is to compete fairly for the glory and honor of sport.
Our athletes deserve to compete in these Games and to represent our country. The time to influence the politics of China was 7 years ago when China bid for the Olympic Games. While others may chose to debate whether the Olympic Games will have a political effect on China that is not the athlete’s focus. There are many organizations that are engaged in efforts to affect change in China. If anyone sincerely feels compelled to send a message to the Chinese government, please direct your attention and send your donations to these groups. But, let’s take athletes out of the socio-political arena and keep them in the sporting arena where they belong.
The future of the Olympic Games is hanging in the balance. Every Olympian is inextricably tied to the Olympic Movement. It is our duty as Olympians to protect the stature of the Games, defend the honor of sport and protect the sanctity of the Olympic Creed. I will not naively turn my back to abuses that are the province of politics but I will not let people who do not share my Olympic family tie twist the meaning of the Olympic Games to suit their political or social agendas. The 2008 Olympic Games must go on and they will. They will because Olympians, as guardians of the Games, carriers of the Torch, and keepers of the faith will not yield to those who wish to prevent the youth of the world from competing with dignity beside their brothers and sisters in sport.
Sincerely,
Willie Banks
President
U.S. Olympians
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