Both 2man races are now finished for team trials and Team Spring had a good start to the season. Race number 1 went well, 2 fastest pushes of the night with Derek Plug on the back fired up as per usual. Unfortunately I didn't drive as good as I would have liked and Team Rush ended up winning by 28/100ths of a second. Our 2nd run was much better, posting a time just 5/100ths behind Team Rush but the damage had been done on the first heat.
Race number 2 was much better. Derek and I equaled the fastest push on the first heat and I drove the track much better than the previous day. We were first off in the heat so I had to wait until some more sleds cam down to figure out how good the run was. Turns out it was good enough to be in first place after run number 1 but it was close...we were only 3/100ths in front of Team Rush.
I knew my first run was a great run and I would have to pull out a near perfect run to maintain my lead and win this race. Derek also knew the importance of the run and we both stepped it up. We pushed 7/100ths faster on the push, an amazing effort from Derek and the drive down the track...amazing. It wasn't a perfect run but it was much better than the first, one of the best runs I have had on this track in a long time. We ended up going faster on our 2nd run and winning the race by 39/100ths of a second. Derek and I were pumped at the bottom and really happy with the start of the 2man season.
The best part about this race though wasn't the winning, it wasn't out pushing the competition or driving better than the rest, it was a conversation I had in the start house before the 2nd heat. Lyndon Rush came up to me with about 5 minutes to go and spoke to me about how to handle myself, how to handle my emotions and how to lay it down when your in the winning position. He spoke about the pressures he was feeling during the 2010 Olympics before the last run where he and his team won the bronze medal and what worked for him under such pressure. Now this was definitely not as much pressure as a bronze medal position at the Olympic games, but the act of him speaking to me, helping me and wanting me to do well...that was amazing. That's what I want to feel on team Canada, that was something that was missing for a long time on team Canada and I'm not sure if it's my influence or the fact that Lyndon and I get along well together, but regardless, it was refreshing to see and hear and I am excited to race this season alongside such an amazing athlete as Lyndon Rush. Thanks buddy.
4man results to follow
Race number 2 was much better. Derek and I equaled the fastest push on the first heat and I drove the track much better than the previous day. We were first off in the heat so I had to wait until some more sleds cam down to figure out how good the run was. Turns out it was good enough to be in first place after run number 1 but it was close...we were only 3/100ths in front of Team Rush.
I knew my first run was a great run and I would have to pull out a near perfect run to maintain my lead and win this race. Derek also knew the importance of the run and we both stepped it up. We pushed 7/100ths faster on the push, an amazing effort from Derek and the drive down the track...amazing. It wasn't a perfect run but it was much better than the first, one of the best runs I have had on this track in a long time. We ended up going faster on our 2nd run and winning the race by 39/100ths of a second. Derek and I were pumped at the bottom and really happy with the start of the 2man season.
The best part about this race though wasn't the winning, it wasn't out pushing the competition or driving better than the rest, it was a conversation I had in the start house before the 2nd heat. Lyndon Rush came up to me with about 5 minutes to go and spoke to me about how to handle myself, how to handle my emotions and how to lay it down when your in the winning position. He spoke about the pressures he was feeling during the 2010 Olympics before the last run where he and his team won the bronze medal and what worked for him under such pressure. Now this was definitely not as much pressure as a bronze medal position at the Olympic games, but the act of him speaking to me, helping me and wanting me to do well...that was amazing. That's what I want to feel on team Canada, that was something that was missing for a long time on team Canada and I'm not sure if it's my influence or the fact that Lyndon and I get along well together, but regardless, it was refreshing to see and hear and I am excited to race this season alongside such an amazing athlete as Lyndon Rush. Thanks buddy.
4man results to follow
