The other day on the ice, right before practice started, one of my coaches said something that really stuck with me. We had a lot of laps to go through that practice and, as simple as it sounds, he said "think about what you're doing while you're skating these laps."

Of course we have to think while we're skating, but usually with a long, tough program our minds are just set on finishing the laps with the group in the set time. He knows that it is easy for us to sometimes go off into space while skating, just hoping that the practice will end soon.

He then brought up the fact that there are only about 70 days before our Olympic trials. That may seem like a long time, but when you know you have to be in the best condition possible and ready to make your dream come true -- in just 70 days -- it starts to make you think.

Instead of getting nervous and worried, you just have to make every single one of those 70 days count. Which means for every practice, just like the other day, I have to be focused on something I can work on to get better. In short track there are so many aspects that a skater can focus on, so luckily it's not as hard as it may sound.

Another little saying that I like to remind myself of when training gets tough is something that my dad liked to say when I was growing up: "If it was easy, everyone would do it." It definitely gives me some extra motivation when I am at the point of almost giving up. When I reach that point, when the only thing helping to keep me going is the little things that I can say to myself, that one saying is what usually pulls me through.

As athletes, we commit a great deal of our time to our sport, and so when the training gets hard it's nice to remind ourselves that not everyone has the ability -- or the will power -- to do what we're doing. It's something we should feel proud of, no matter what the results are in the end.

Biking through a blizzard

Last week, my group had an afternoon training session at Nose Hill Park. It was a beautiful day outside and we were going for a 60-minute run. For anyone who isn't familiar with this park, it covers a huge area of Calgary's northwest end, and has some pretty challenging hills. My group, consisting mostly of guys, starting heading up the first big hill. The girls and I did our best to stay close, but for the most part we were trying to chase them through the ups and downs. Near the end of the run, when I thought I had already given everything I had, I had to make a decision. Stop to rest and walk back to the parking lot, or just keep pushing.

As my dad's saying -- "if it was easy, everyone would do it" -- popped into my head, I chose to keep running, one step at a time. Another thought popped into my head right away. With the heat and dirt trail, I thought about Ray Zahab. What I was trying to get through was nothing compared to running for 111 days straight through the Sahara Desert, and obviously our purpose was a little different, but the same mental decision had to be made: just push yourself one step at a time, and eventually you will reach your destination.

My group has been on the ice almost every day this season, so my coach has decided to switch things up a little. At the end of the week we are driving out three RVs, parking them at a campsite and having a bike camp.

We biked at this same location, Highwood Pass, last year and found it very challenging. Not only were the hills long, but at the top, halfway through our ride, it started snowing. Our hands and feet, legs and arms were frozen for the last two hours of the ride. We couldn't believe we were biking in a snowstorm. But at one point we had to decide to just keep going and get through it.

As they say, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going."

Of course this year we are hoping for nice, sunny days! But whatever the weather, we will be prepared!