GOLD MEDAL

I did it...I won a Gold Medal in the skeleton Vancouver 2010. I still cant believe it has happened. It is big shinny and heavy and doesn't leave my side!! It has been a whirlwind ever since I got off my sled, media, interviews and TV. An adventure is about to begin when I get home to England and my home town Bath...
I'm dashing off now to the bobsleigh so I will write more about my win and what it felt like when I'm back.

VANCOUVER JOUNRNEY BEGINS

Just a quick word to say Im sat in the airport in Calgary about to board the plane to Vancouver...the real advanture is about to begin....there are about 32 of Team GB athletes here all on the flight together. Tonight we have a reception and the flag goes up and then tomorrow night the 12th Feb is the opening ceremony...So excited, cant wait......

TEAM GB HOLDING CAMP

Having had a very very long journey to get to Calgary yesterday it feel good to be here and around some other Team GB athletes and staff.
We left Lake Placid (take a look at the amazing cake the staff made for us there, thank you Susie) at 8.30am and got to Calgary about 8pm....long flight delays....the usual airport hassle!!
The hotel looks great with posters and British flag stickers of athletes all around, we have our own dinning area and lounge to relax in and get to know each other.
I will still e doing some physically training sessions the few days I'm here to keep my legs ticking over and my body moving, but I will also try and use it as a chill out few days before the madness of the Games begin.....cant wait to be standing in the Opening Ceremony behind our flag.

MOVING ON...

Hi there
Well, right now I'm in Lake Placid preparing and training ahead of the Olympic Winter Games and it's great to have the time and space to do everything I can to be in great shape for the biggest event in our sport. From here we move on to Calgary where for once we'll be spending time with athletes from other sports and with the guys from the British Olympic Association.
I normally travel with quite a small team, but now it's much bigger and there's a great feeling of being part of Team GB and representing my country. Of course, I still spend a lot of time with the skeleton team and with people like Adam, Shelley and Kristan.
Over the past couple of years, a lot has been written about the relationship I have with Shelley - too much has been written really. Read some of the papers and you'd imagine we're at each other's throats, but that's really not the case. The problem is that people have tried to build our rivalry into something all engrossing. If I say anything about Shelley, it gets written up as being a dig against her. But that's not what I'm interested in doing and always annoys me when it's presented that way - so let's clear things up once and for all. Shelley and I are team-mates, but we're also rival athletes. We're both going all out to win races and slide as fast as we can. True, we're not close friends, but we don't have to be, and I don't think either of us see that as a problem. We rub along just fine. Both of us share the same ambition - to be the fastest skeleton athlete in the world. We're both totally focused on performance, and on chasing success at the Games. Yes, Shelley is my rival, but so are lots of other women athletes. I want to beat Shelley just like I want to beat Mellisa Hollingsworth or Kerstin Szymkowiak. I want to beat everyone! So that's it. No wars, no fights, no big rows and no back-stabbing. Just a normal, healthy rivalry between two athletes.
Now I've got that off my chest, I want to turn my whole attention on to the Games now. If I'm going to fulfil my potential, I need to be a hundred per cent focused on getting my preparation perfect and peaking at the right time. If I can do that, I know I can deliver one of the best performances of my career!
See you soon

IM GOING TO VANCOUVER 2010 OLYMPICS

Today was the official skeleton team announcement in London. The media were all there to question the team, as the names were said out loud to the world... my name was on the list... I'm going!!

I have known for a few weeks now but my mouth has been painfully sealed!! So I'm am glad to now be able to tell you all.

I picked up the Olympic kit on the way back from Austria last Sunday, such an exciting moment as the realisation of my life dream has now come true...I am competing at an Olympic Games! As you can probably tell I have to keep telling myself! Adidas has done an amazing job in kitting out the whole British Team with enough kit to last a life time...thank you.

All the hard work over the years, especially this last year has payed off. There is still alot to be done as its not over yet...I have the hardest race off my life only weeks away. None of my preparation could have been done alone though...Iv had such a great support team around me, my coaches, physio, sled tech, friends and family who have helped and guided me every step of the way...I'm doing this race for all of you .. I will give it my all, and will do everything in my power to make this Olympic Skeleton Race the best and fastest of my Life!

Women's skeleton race is on the 18th and 19th February 2010.

CANT WAIT FOR A BRITISH CUP OF TEA

I'm finally off home tomorrow, I cant wait to sit on the sofa with my feet up and have a good British cup of tea..It never tastes the same in any other country!!

A DISSAPOINTING LAST RACE

Well..that's it, last World Cup Race of the 2009-10 season is over, done.

I wasn't happy with my result from yesterday race in Igls, Austria. I'm still trying to work out why I was so slow and way behind in the times.

I had great pushes again a 5.40 which was 4 100th faster then any other girl, (but its now getting a little frustrating having the best push times and not getting down in the same position, id rather be quicker at the bottom then top!!), I had good lines especially on the first run, maybe I was just trying too hard...When you train alot faster then race, this isn't the right way round!! Training had been great again, I was working out my steers everyday, getting a respectable time of 54.86sec on one of my days, so when I saw my race times of 55.55 and 55.25 you can see why I wasn't happy!

This race needs to be parked behind me now as the slate is cleaned for this 2009-2010 World Cup season. I finished ranked World Cup overall in 5th place again, same as last season. Was 5th in the Europeans a little lower then anticipated... Iv had 4 top 6 finishes and all others minus one in the top 10 positions.

Must be positive and look forward to what may happen next... :-) The British skeleton Olympic selection is on the 29th January....lets wait and see if I'm selected on the team to go to Vancouver Winter Olympics.....