Greece Lightning gets baptized.....

Well, I was in Calgary this weekend, just to slide the track cause I haven't done that one yet and also, to baptize my new sled.
The whole trip was just a trial run....literally in all the senses. I wanted to see how the transport of my sled would go via cargo, I wanted to slide the Calgary track since I haven't done it before, and finally, I wanted to do it with my own sled.
So I sent my sled out a day earlier as suggested, via Air Canada cargo, and, well, it got there a day later than expected so for the first night, I slid on a 'borrowed' sled.
The ice was extremely slow, maybe 90 kms all the way, so it was like a tourist run....better for me cause I am nursing a slight muscle pull, from over training....you'd think I'd know better. Anyways, I was able to see everything, keep my head up through turns, etc..Mind you, we are sliding at night, which I think sucks, cause you don't have the same landmarks as during the daytime and to top it off, it was so warm in Calgary (that's why the ice was slow), that they draw the shades down on all the track to keep the ice from melting so you only see shadows. Nonetheless, the objective was to feel the track and that was a perfect night to do that.
The next day, which was even warmer, I got my sled. Everyone said that by nightfall, the track will be even slower....especially since the US team trials were going on the same day (same as yesterday...which was impressive to watch). So, off we go.......we were fooled....they spritzed the ice before hand and oohlala, we were flying. Here's when I realized that this track may be smooth flowing but holy smack batman, there are some heavy G's going on here. It was very difficult to see in the turns and I can feel the ache in my neck from trying to fight nature's forces. And the strangest thing was, after the night before, I quietly asked myself hypothetically, what it would feel like to go 10 seconds faster since it was so slow........I didn't think I would get my answer the next night!!
Anyways, my Baby feels real good but I was on practice runners....can't wait to see what it will do on race runners. And the best part, no bruises...a little tender, but no major pain....the most pain I felt was getting a splinter, the size of my nail, right underneath my nail....I still feel it!! Sheesh.....
Here's a highlight for you, Jim Shea, USA Olympic Gold Medalist in skeleton, was at the US team trials and on his last run, he announced that he was retiring and that this would be his last run...well, I was at the finish dock when he came down, and, I don't know him, although we both raced in Placid last January, but I walked up to him, introduced myself, and congratulated him on a great career....he was very receptive and gave me a few tips.
In the pics.....who says Turks and Greeks don't get along, that's my friend Demet who represents Turkey and is coached by her husband Jean...after meeting her last season, she has really improved and is sliding really well...she is living the same dream as I....go for it!! Then, that's me at the start...yippeekiyay!!