Nationals

What can I say, it was awesome!! We were there in Cleveland for 4 days, the first day was the 1500m, which was interesting. These races are completely different from what im used to, these other girls I was racing were faster than me and had way more experiance, most of them have been skating for 5+ years to my 11 months!! So at the start I was VERY confused, because everyone started out slow in a bunch, everyone was hesitating to take lead and I got bumped and shoved half a dozen times by elbows, so I ended up last, .005 of a second off my PB. Day 2 was the 500m and I was so hungry that 54 or 55 sec. After Marty told me one time that I have the potential to skate low 50's or even high 40's Ive just been trying so hard for it. After this race, there is no doubt in my mind that someday soon I can break 50 seconds. I finished with 55.587, a PB by a whole second!!!

That day we had an AMAZING lunch/dinner at this place called the Mongolian Barbeque, where you pick out what you want for a stir-fry, then pick from millions of spices and sauces, give your food to the cooks and they put it on this round stove and give you a cool show, kind of like Hibachi. I Finally got Alaina (a young skater) to try some Calamari! She wanted to like it but I don't think she did...

Marty introduced me to some amazing skaters. Cherise Wilkins was very cool, very fun to watch. She signed my hoodie!! I also met Allison Baver, my favorite Elite skater since Torino. She was real, I dont know what I expected her to be like, but she was very nice to me and I have a new respect for her. I also met Jordan Malone, and another girl on the world team but I forgot her name (DOH!), they were both very nice people. I used to think these skaters were a huge deal, high and mighty like gods, but after meeting them, they are real, normal people who worked very hard to get to where they are now. What he showed me was that it is very possible for me to be one of them someday. Its not impossible bacause they were like me one time. This is why Marty is such an awesome coach! :D

The 3rd day was the 1000m. I have NEVER felt so ready for a race in my life. I was off the line first which surprised me...alot...and I led for what had to be the greatest 2 laps of my entire existance. I knew I was not going to place, but I was completely confident that I could stay with the pack the whole race. Then somethin' funky happened with my blades and I wiped out. That was ok with me though, I was probably the happiest girl on the face of the earth that day, it gave me so much confidence leading like that and feeling like I could finally keep up. I am allmost certain that the reason for the fall is because I was getting used to a new speed, it happens sometimes when Im skating faster.

Next year im skating for the win, better watch your back!


Craig and Dace got a picture with Apolo!












Rochester's 4 Masters National Champions!



Me after the races.