Yooo, whats up erybody. Hope ur still stickin with me here. Its gonna get good. This competition season is gonna be really exciting. I feel so great on the ice. This basic and strength training is what I need more than anything and I need it more than anybody. I don't have enough of a "form" that is my own. This is because I have never put in these kind of hours in basic training before. It also helps to be with John-Henry and Cole who are awesome training partners. I learn from them everyday. Its weird that I owe so much to them yet my goal is gonna have to be to beat them eventually.
Enjoying the weekend already. Watchin NBA playoffs, readin, relaxing. Tomorrow I am doing a ton of school and cello and then a bunch of guys are comin in to have their skates molded by the same company (SD best feel) that did my skates.
Mrs. Krueger says her mother has a great birthday gift lined up for me. I love Badah ( I still don't know why they call her that). She is awesome. Goodnight.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
Friday April 15th, 2011
I have been here in Pittsburgh a week and a day since the break. The time is already slipping by unaccounted for, unnoticed, too general to be real. I can't tell if it feels like its been a year or a couple days. Its just hard work and discipline. However I have reached out socially a little and am going out with two Figure skaters tonight for the second time. They are cool and its so nice to have such a drastic change in environment occasionally.
The online schooling is going great. i submitted another assignment (2nd out of ten for the American History course) and got extremely encouraging remarks from my educational supervisor, the one who grades the work - the one who gave me a straight A!! woooohooo.
Got a small taste of what the summer dryland will be like today in the second practice. I am looking forward to it, but at the same time am wishing I had chosen curling or chess instead of this crazy sport. Its gonna be ridiculously hard.
The online schooling is going great. i submitted another assignment (2nd out of ten for the American History course) and got extremely encouraging remarks from my educational supervisor, the one who grades the work - the one who gave me a straight A!! woooohooo.
Got a small taste of what the summer dryland will be like today in the second practice. I am looking forward to it, but at the same time am wishing I had chosen curling or chess instead of this crazy sport. Its gonna be ridiculously hard.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Getting Back Into It...Already - Thursday April 7th, 2011
3 weeks has somehow flown past already since the end of the season. I am back in Pittsburgh feeling rested, (well, last night I was - not so much after practice this morning) revamped, and ready to move up a like a ROCKET (!!!) through the standings this year (racing starts in September). It feels good to be back. I really do enjoy training and surprisingly I feel much better physically when I am. It was so fun to be back in the Ridge for some time though. I miss it of course, but am happy all the same. I'm looking at it as going to college early...minus the partying.
Moving away from the moppy stuff, today was already brutal, mostly because I am out of shape (natural after the break). I have to get back into the rhythm of waking up at 4. It sounds ridiculous, but its not that bad. So today we did basic form training. Its sort of like the skating equivalent of a root canal which you've put off for way too long and hurts that much more. But I wouldn't want to do anything else right now. Mrs. Krueger's equivalent is "a whole body plastic surgery which leaves you sore and bruised but you know that soon, you will have the best bikini body". I am certainly sore after this morning. This kind of training will gradually increase in intensity and sessions per week until the full flung SUMMER TRAINING begins in June. SAND CAMP I believe is at the end of June.
Moving away from the moppy stuff, today was already brutal, mostly because I am out of shape (natural after the break). I have to get back into the rhythm of waking up at 4. It sounds ridiculous, but its not that bad. So today we did basic form training. Its sort of like the skating equivalent of a root canal which you've put off for way too long and hurts that much more. But I wouldn't want to do anything else right now. Mrs. Krueger's equivalent is "a whole body plastic surgery which leaves you sore and bruised but you know that soon, you will have the best bikini body". I am certainly sore after this morning. This kind of training will gradually increase in intensity and sessions per week until the full flung SUMMER TRAINING begins in June. SAND CAMP I believe is at the end of June.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Sunday March 13th Season Over!!!
America Cup Final is over here at the nationals in Wausau Wisconsin. Out of the 16 qualified skaters, I finished 8th, a result I am very pleased with. I had some good luck and some tough breaks, some exciting races and some sub par races, some crazy falls and everything else that comes with a weekend of Short Track racing. I am happy I opted to race Am. Cup Final instead of age class where I would have had much less difficulty. This very long, trying season is finally over and I can take a few weeks off from training and go home. Looking forward to that but also looking forward to the summer training in Pittsburgh.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Sunday February 27th 2011
And another week begins... time seems to be flying by to the end of the season. The air smells and feels like spring which is so refreshing. Im done with winter. Its been a good one. Lots of snow and wintry conditions, but, I'm down with Spring coming. I am enjoying workouts so much recently. K is really an amazing coach and he is a lot of fun once you get to know him. I feel strong. Just always gotta keep working the flexibility. There are three weeks until Nationals and then the season is over so now its pretty much all out - nothing left in the tank until then.
This week has been interesting with the Kruegers gone in Italy for Junior Worlds and my mom here to look after the house. I realized that as much as I missed my mommy, it didn't take long before I was more than ready for her to leave again. It surprised me how quickly it became apparent that it is just easier to train and go about my business in a disciplined manner when my mom is not with me. We had a couple good days in Pittsburgh touring around that bleak gray city. I mean Pittsburgh proper is pretty small and not very interesting. In squirrel hill, where I had a lesson with a member of the Pittsburgh symphony, it is nicer. The University of Pitt campus is literally right next to the Carnegie Mellon campus and mixed in there is a huuuge Museum with two halves, one Modern Art and one Natural History. Around there is pretty lively. We sat down for an awesome lunch at Union Grill where I had maybe the best burger ever. Can't wait to have the Kreugers back and training again. Its been good to have one on one with K but I'll be happy to be following the Krueger brothers and listening to Mrs Kruegers dramatic stories again.
This week has been interesting with the Kruegers gone in Italy for Junior Worlds and my mom here to look after the house. I realized that as much as I missed my mommy, it didn't take long before I was more than ready for her to leave again. It surprised me how quickly it became apparent that it is just easier to train and go about my business in a disciplined manner when my mom is not with me. We had a couple good days in Pittsburgh touring around that bleak gray city. I mean Pittsburgh proper is pretty small and not very interesting. In squirrel hill, where I had a lesson with a member of the Pittsburgh symphony, it is nicer. The University of Pitt campus is literally right next to the Carnegie Mellon campus and mixed in there is a huuuge Museum with two halves, one Modern Art and one Natural History. Around there is pretty lively. We sat down for an awesome lunch at Union Grill where I had maybe the best burger ever. Can't wait to have the Kreugers back and training again. Its been good to have one on one with K but I'll be happy to be following the Krueger brothers and listening to Mrs Kruegers dramatic stories again.
Friday, February 18, 2011
All is good.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I have found my slippers! They have been missing for days and my life has been a mess without them. World, you may start turning once again - I have found my slippers.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Monday February 14th, 2011
Hey all -
I am back from American Cup III in Midland Michigan finally having put together a consistent performance. I finished 7th overall, a vast improvement from 27th overall at Am Cup I and 18th overall at Am Cup II. There are some external reasons for the horrid results at the beginning of the year as were documented here: The skate/blade problems; also at Am Cup I, most people were bumped down who were at this competition for that was a World Team qualifier so naturally all the top skaters in the country were there. They were not present at the next two Cups. However, I have clearly improved a lot in pure strength, quickness, fitness, and technique. At Am Cup III I set personal bests in the 1000m and 1500m which is more significant now that I've skated in Salt Lake City because in Salt Lake is where most everyone's Personal Bests are set. In the 1000m, I did a 1:29.2 braking my previous best of 1:30.4 (Salt Lake) which was huge for me. I did not feel that taxed at the end of the race and I actually made an outside pass on the last corner to qualify for the next round in the heat. I thought our race would be the slowest of the four heats. I told a guy who was in the race it would probably be around 1:33 as I did not feel like we were ever going that fast. Ours was the fastest heat!
I did one 1500m at 2:20.0, I believe and one at 2:20.4. The first was a frustrating race in which I had to get top 3 to qualify for the A final (which would have been an upset anyway, but I could have done it if I hadn't slipped) I was in 3rd when I slipped and found myself in 5th. I slowed up then to conserve for the B final so the time could have been under 2:20.0. Excuses excuses, but its fun to think about. The B final was significant because... I won it. It was the last race of the weekend, the super final. I felt very good and moved into the lead with about 10 or 9 to go. Then my teammate and housemate Cole took the lead with about 5 to go and I followed him at a rapid pace. I was content to have a Pittsburgh 1 2 finish and was just trying to hold a very tight track behind Cole so that the third place skater could not pass but then Cole slipped due to his blade as I did a big crossover out of the second to last turn and I found myself in first and him in second. Videos will be up soon as my dad was there. So happy him and my uncle Steve could be there! Also glad I finally skated well when they were there. I finished 2nd in the first 1500m B final, 2nd in the 500m B final, 4th in the 1000m B final (my stupidest race) and 1st in the 1500m Super B Final. John Henry finished 3rd overall skating conservatively a week before Junior Worlds ( They leave next Sunday). Cole had a meet from hell and finished BEHIND me in the overall standings after a medley of crashes, blade problems and bad strategy. Hopefully this finish will put me in the top 16 overall in the Am Cup series rankings because then I will be able to compete in Am Cup Finals at the Nationals in Wausau in 4 weeks instead of age class division.
I am back from American Cup III in Midland Michigan finally having put together a consistent performance. I finished 7th overall, a vast improvement from 27th overall at Am Cup I and 18th overall at Am Cup II. There are some external reasons for the horrid results at the beginning of the year as were documented here: The skate/blade problems; also at Am Cup I, most people were bumped down who were at this competition for that was a World Team qualifier so naturally all the top skaters in the country were there. They were not present at the next two Cups. However, I have clearly improved a lot in pure strength, quickness, fitness, and technique. At Am Cup III I set personal bests in the 1000m and 1500m which is more significant now that I've skated in Salt Lake City because in Salt Lake is where most everyone's Personal Bests are set. In the 1000m, I did a 1:29.2 braking my previous best of 1:30.4 (Salt Lake) which was huge for me. I did not feel that taxed at the end of the race and I actually made an outside pass on the last corner to qualify for the next round in the heat. I thought our race would be the slowest of the four heats. I told a guy who was in the race it would probably be around 1:33 as I did not feel like we were ever going that fast. Ours was the fastest heat!
I did one 1500m at 2:20.0, I believe and one at 2:20.4. The first was a frustrating race in which I had to get top 3 to qualify for the A final (which would have been an upset anyway, but I could have done it if I hadn't slipped) I was in 3rd when I slipped and found myself in 5th. I slowed up then to conserve for the B final so the time could have been under 2:20.0. Excuses excuses, but its fun to think about. The B final was significant because... I won it. It was the last race of the weekend, the super final. I felt very good and moved into the lead with about 10 or 9 to go. Then my teammate and housemate Cole took the lead with about 5 to go and I followed him at a rapid pace. I was content to have a Pittsburgh 1 2 finish and was just trying to hold a very tight track behind Cole so that the third place skater could not pass but then Cole slipped due to his blade as I did a big crossover out of the second to last turn and I found myself in first and him in second. Videos will be up soon as my dad was there. So happy him and my uncle Steve could be there! Also glad I finally skated well when they were there. I finished 2nd in the first 1500m B final, 2nd in the 500m B final, 4th in the 1000m B final (my stupidest race) and 1st in the 1500m Super B Final. John Henry finished 3rd overall skating conservatively a week before Junior Worlds ( They leave next Sunday). Cole had a meet from hell and finished BEHIND me in the overall standings after a medley of crashes, blade problems and bad strategy. Hopefully this finish will put me in the top 16 overall in the Am Cup series rankings because then I will be able to compete in Am Cup Finals at the Nationals in Wausau in 4 weeks instead of age class division.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Friday February 4th 2011
Hey there, if anybody is still checking here...
I am training hard. Not much new. The Junior Trials was a rocky ride. I had to be consistent and I was the opposite of that as I fell twice in the first two distances taking myself out of the running for. I finished 7th overall though I was 5th fastest in the Time Trial. Given how crazy the beginning of the season was, it was good to raise some eyebrows which I was told I did when I stayed on my feet. All the videos can be seen if you go to Vimeo.com and type in Fred Gilbert.
I love living in Pittsburgh with the Kruegers and I love the coaching of Coach K. All is good. Just very tired and training hard. I will try to keep it going here. Goodnight.
I am training hard. Not much new. The Junior Trials was a rocky ride. I had to be consistent and I was the opposite of that as I fell twice in the first two distances taking myself out of the running for. I finished 7th overall though I was 5th fastest in the Time Trial. Given how crazy the beginning of the season was, it was good to raise some eyebrows which I was told I did when I stayed on my feet. All the videos can be seen if you go to Vimeo.com and type in Fred Gilbert.
I love living in Pittsburgh with the Kruegers and I love the coaching of Coach K. All is good. Just very tired and training hard. I will try to keep it going here. Goodnight.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
New Year's Day 2011
Back in Pittsbuuuuurgh! I took a very last minute bus here from New York. I was supposed to get here last Sunday but because of that crazy snow storm, my flight was canceled. I was ticked enough but then my rescheduled flight Tuedsay was also canceled. I was ready to get to Pittsburgh if I had to crawl at that point so I ended up taking this very cramped Chinese bus. With the city in complete disarray and the bus leaving at rush hour anyway, it took forever to get out of the city and I did not get to Pittsburgh until 1:30am, having endured an eight hour ride. Mr. Burkholder was pinned with the chore of picking me up. Thanks soooooooo much to him.
So that's how I got here. The next day I skated in the camp and the camp ended yesterday morning. It was mostly a technique camp but we threw in some pretty quick laps too the last days. I missed the first couple days of the camp but i am still sore. We skated and did dryland twice a day for a total of about 7 hours of training a day. Can't wait to start next weeks training. I'm guessing it will be very very hard.
Happy new Year!
So that's how I got here. The next day I skated in the camp and the camp ended yesterday morning. It was mostly a technique camp but we threw in some pretty quick laps too the last days. I missed the first couple days of the camp but i am still sore. We skated and did dryland twice a day for a total of about 7 hours of training a day. Can't wait to start next weeks training. I'm guessing it will be very very hard.
Happy new Year!
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