Day 3 & 4...what a rush

So day 3, I had 2 runs down the track, and wow, I have to say I got a little scared, we got going sooooo fast, the track comes right at you and you have to react! So needless to say my 2 runs on day 3 weren't so hot, I wasn't controlling my sled well enough, ie understeering, so my sled would go on to the corner nice, but I wasn't preventing it from going up too high, so then we would come swooping down and hit the wall on the way out. Not the fast line for sure.

However day 4 was much better, I only took one run, and fixed most of my issues, I got early control of the sled and was having much faster and safer exits, while my top speed was only 116kmph all my interval times were the fastest - I am getting better at driving!!! and my speed will come up. I am really excited, and yesterday I noticed that the track was slowing down (I'm just reacting faster is really what that all that means) Although its definitely an intense feeling. Having been a brakeman and now sitting in the front I know what hard hits feel like from the back, so I am a lot more sensitive when I drive, as I don't want to hurt the person behind me, even though when we hit, I don't feel it up front - its definitely the money spot being the pilot -way more comfortable and natural.

Today I have 2 runs still from corner 6, but saturday and sunday we all move up to Damen start (ladies start in german) which puts us in around corner 3, and our top speed will increase from around 120kmph to about 130kmph.

All in all I am definitely enjoying myself here, even if I am stressed out of my mind haha.

Day 2, 1 run each down the track

So our track walk was over an hour long, and we didn't even do the entire track! just 16-7, there is much to learn and a ton to remember...and oddly enough as soon as you are sitting in the sled and going fast, tends to leave your brain as quickly as the sled is going.

The feeling of piloting the sled is unlike anything I've ever experienced, its smooth, and fast, and you just glide over the ice at warp speeds. Corners come out of no where and you're expected to be proactive and know what to do. I'm steering with D-rings, which are little rubber circles attached to bungy cords which are attached to my runners, its extremely primitive in the set up, and yet the steering is rather sensitive, a few centimeters of a pull and that sled is up in the roof or down in the belly of the curve. Our sleds last night got up to 120kmph which is rather fast - its like not knowing how to drive and then having your first "driving lesson" happen while you are racing in a Formula 1 race. You see these corners coming and you're not really sure which D-ring to pull, and exactly how much to pull it...its a bit panicky in places but just trying to stay calm is the name of the game. It was a smooth ride from the front, but not as much from the back, although I did a few corners fairly decently 14 needs some serious work.

But onwards and upwards for today! my runs should be much much better!

Bob School Day 1 - Sled Fitting

Okay, so we are here now up in Whistler, Heather and I. So yesterday we went and saw Jill and got fitted for our sleds, its a fine balance and mix, as well Heather and I have about 3 inches in height difference and about 3 inches in arm length difference, her being taller, and me having longer arms. So sled fitting was a bit special, all the sleds that worked for me, didn't work for Heather, and we aren't going to learn on 2 different sleds, that is just silly. So we finally got a sled that works for both of us, she's a very beat up blue sled, although according to Jill "she might not look pretty, but she is one fast lady" and really thats all you want, is a fast sled, paint is well paint.

Jill told us that we would be starting from Corner 8...so a little higher up than we had originally thought, but oh well, baptism by fire right?! We are going to eventually be going from the top so we might as well start from 8.

I'll post a new post tonight when I get home from my first 2 runs down as a pilot...YIKES! wish me luck :)