RAIN-SNOW-WINTERBERG!

In Winterberg you learn to accept what is thrown at you in terms of the weather..it can be sunny one minute, then 10 minutes later it starts to rain, and then the snow arrives shortly after.

So when the snow started on the morning of the race it was no surprise. It stayed snowing for the first few of us that went off in the race, then, when realising the slow times we were all producing, the whole track got swept and the snow cleared, and all other athletes got down a second quicker... Unlucky us who went first off!! It was too much to make up on the second run as I had been struggling to find speed in the middle section of the track all week, and so I had to settle for 10th place in this race. Still in top ten and still ranked 5th in the World, so onto the next race!

I thought I would include a photo of my last preparations the evening before a race...sewing my bib up! Did you know us girls have to all sew up our number bibs..? "One size fits all"...means getting out the needle and cotton and making it alot smaller!!

CHARLIE BOOKER PHOTOS

This is to say a BIG thank you to Charlie Booker who is the great photographer who takes and gives me so many photos of me doing skeleton. Go to his website if you want to see more of his work. www.bobsleigh.de

CESANA PUSH PB

Since Lake Placid Arthur, my sled and I have both been home for a few days, an attempt to get some much needed rest, Arthur got the rest and I didn't. Jet lag hit me hard and I felt like a zombie for the whole five days I was back, still being awake at 3am most nights.
Arthur stayed with his maker, Rachel Blackburn and had a MOT and bit of sled physiotherapy, while I stayed in Bath and did a bit of training and tried to catch up with my parents at home.

The next trip was to Cesana, in Italy. Our team stay in a big biathlon lodge which is right near the track which is very handy, and means not quite so early starts in the morning as those teams that stay further up in the next town of Sestriere. Cesana is about 1800m high so altitude can effect you a little, but i wasn't sure if for me it was still a bit of cheeky jet lag that was making me feel quite drained!
Cesana race wasn't the best result for me 10th place, I didn't seem to be able to pick up any speed or time down the track, but I was super pleased with my pb (personal best) push on both race runs.. 5.03 and a 5.02sec. Physically I'm in good shape which is one good reason to smile!