We unload our cargo at the hotel and go to the track for a track walk. A track walk consists of walking in or beside the track and looking at the profiles of the ice. The most skilled and successful athletes in this sport are the ones who can read the ice and know automatically how to adjust their steering. Because, let's face it, at 120 km/h, lying on your backside three inches off the ice, not even God himself can have a perfect run.

What separates good sliders from great ones is that they know how to react in a split second to an error or misjudgment. And believe me, Oberhof is the truest test of that. So we run to the track, partially to fight jet lag and partially because it's a mere kilometer away, to walk the track as a group. Although all 10 of us had been there dozens of times before, the track in Oberhof demands a respect that everyone seems to acknowledge. Any talking or laughter diminishes once we arrive as all of us pull out our soggy loose-leaf with track lines scribbled down and wait for Walt and Robert to lead us. Robert, who won the Junior World Championships here in 1999, enlightened the group on alternate ways to steer the curves - German ways!

The weather averaged between 14 and 20 degrees Celsius, a tad warm for ice. Needless to say, we continued to slide twice a day no matter how much frost accumulated on the track. Let me say, sliding in Calgary for two weeks and then getting on Oberhof, is like turning on the bathroom lights in the middle of the night - uncomfortable and a tiny bit hurtful. If it was a competition between the track and us, I'd have to say the track won.

During the first couple of sessions I was having problems in the bottom of the track with a three-curve combination where I had earlier in my career crashed and got a concussion. I knew it was a mental block and after some re-focusing I seemed to have it licked and the rest of the week went relatively smooth. My teammates however, weren't as fortunate.

Ian had the most "crashes," but veterans Albrect/Pothier were struggling all week to put down a clean run. Madison and Meaghan were fighting for better position (referring to body position for aerodynamics) as well as clean runs. Madi also managed to dislocate her left shoulder during a mid-week workout. Jorgen, who no doubt was under the most pressure with the upcoming race-off, was hot and cold on the track but extremely poised off it. Jeff, Sam, Gwyn and myself seemed to have the most productive week.

The coaches were understandably disappointed in the team's performance, but tried to stay positive and optimistic about the long season ahead. A long, tough week in Oberhof and we were all ready for a change of scenery, or at least a day off. We haven't had one since October 12th so I suggested it to Walt. He seemed empathic so I guess we'll see.

At the end of the week, Jorgen raced to a second-place finish behind Jeff. Now he needs to race well next week in order to remain with the team for the rest of the season. He makes a big contribution to the team and we all want him to do well.

I am extremely excited to slide in Konigsee, Germany. It is technically challenging AND fast. Plus it's situated in one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen, Bavarian Germany.

PS - one of the strangest things happened to one of the Austrian women. She hit a DOG in the track when she was going down. She didn't break her ankle, but was injured enough to be sent home. No-one could find the dog!