CBC-Sports

The mind: My friend, my enemy

November 29, 2009 01:23 PM | Posted by   Katie Tsuyuki  

I wake up in Colorado once again.

It seems like summer and fall were almost non-existent. I am at altitude and can feel the low oxygen content in every breath. I am waiting for the pipe to open and excitement to begin.

These are the times when I practice patience. I've been waiting for two weeks now for those 22ft walls to be built and it feels like an eternity. To fill time I read books on my Sony e-reader, ride a bit at the nearby resorts and go to Woodward in Cooper, Colo., where they have trampolines and dry-slope jumps.

All of this is entertaining, but nothing compared to the real thing of dropping in on a half pipe. I crave the feeling.

Patience.

Not only do I wait for a built pipe, but I also have to stay injury-free and healthy. One day I didn’t even go riding because I know how excited people are in the first few days of the mountain opening; in 2006 I was hit by one these people and it cost me stitches in an unmentionable area. Very uncomfortable.

There is also the whole H1N1 situation. As Olympic hopefuls, we were advised to get vaccinated and told we would not be allowed in the village, training or competition venues if we were showing any signs of the virus. Even with this threat I opted not be vaccinated, due to not knowing exactly what the long term effects are for something so new.

My best weapon

Now I use frequent washing of hands, no facial touching, natural supplements and common sense as my lines of defence. I choose my actions wisely in order to keep myself intact and in the pink. It's important to keeping not only the body functioning, but also the mind.

It's been said that a mind is a terrible thing to lose, but in these times it seems easier and easier to do so. Only three contests left before we know who will be going to the Olympics, but still many days to fight off self doubt and rev up confidence. I engage in this battle with my best weapon — visualization. My mental trainers say the brain and body don't know the difference between actually being on snow and sitting on my couch, as long as this tool is strong.

Every day I'm away from the pipe I close my eyes and picture myself floating down and up the steep white walls, hearing the edge of my board scrape along the rigid snow. Some laps I just do airs, seeing the people on the deck get smaller as I launch into the air and then get larger as I re-enter on the wall. Other laps I rehearse my planned runs spinning and flipping in the air with perfect landings. Either way, it keeps me in a calm and positive state of mind, even when away from the actual activity.

This is my life in a nutshell. I endure the wait to fill my thirst for snow. I use my wits to stay healthy and I play with my mind to trick it into believing I am already flying.

The time passes and my moments of achievements mount as I strive to get to the Games.

" Previous Post | Main
  •