One contest left before the team is announced and I must admit I am getting excited.  My coach won't let me know where I stand with the team selection so I do not concentrate on the things that are out of my control.  Probably a very smart move, I have been known to get nervous about these things.

Right now I am in sunny California and that is exactly how the weather has been, spring-like and very sunny.  It was great weather for the back-to-back contests I just finished.   I must say that I slayed some demons during these last contests. 

Things are really starting to coalesce with my run.  I was able to put a new trick into my routine, my backside 720.  This means that I have two high scoring tricks in my run, a frontside 720 and a backside 720.  These brought me the score that earned me second Canadian in the first contest.  So pumped!  That placing puts me much closer to one of those three Olympic team spots. 

The next contest was two days later and I was somewhat shafted.  I was the unlucky person to get my bib pulled first, while in the first contest our FIS points seeded us.  Being seeded by points is a better way to set the field because it gives the judges time to warm up their scoring as there is a big difference between the girl who has 50 points compared to the one who has 1000.  There was nothing I could do.

I landed two runs that were better then the contest before and still got a score that was five points lower.  I was able to pull off fourth Canadian, but I was not happy with this placing.  Good thing only the first contest counted as a qualifier. 

Still, I had two important things happen during those contests.  First, I was able to keep loose and calm at the top of the site.  I have had trouble with that since I started competing, so I was stoked to find that I could accomplish that state of mind.  The second was that I didn't let the things that are out of my control bother me.  Sometimes I can do my best and still get shafted; it's the nature of the beast, a judged sport. 

There is only the Stoneham, QC World Cup left; I know things will get harder before they get easier as I approach my goal.  "Eye on the prize" my coach, reminds me when we debrief about the contests past.  I need to keep my focus and my strength up.  There is more then a month leading up to the Games and a lot can happen.  All I can do is prepare myself so I am ready for anything; this is in my control and that's what I must keep my focus on to win.