I decided to make this page to thank as many people as I could that helped me chase my Olympic dream.On the one hand finishing 13th in the nation is a good accomplishment. On the other hand, I was trying to make the Olympic team and I didn't accomplish my goal. So it was failure to some extent. Not total failure, but somewhere in between.
So how did the Olympic Trials go? Well it was sort of a mixed bag. Over the last 2 years I figured that the main problem was that I needed to ski faster. So in the time leading up to the Trials I made myself faster. I did some incredibly hard workouts. Workouts that made me sick afterwards, but going fast is not easy. And in the end I did what I set out to do...ski faster. All the hard work and hours analyzing my technique by video, I made myself faster. But here�s the kicker. I've always been known as a Shooter . The bigger the race, the better I shoot. But at these Olympic Trials I was in a shooting slump (it actually started 2 weeks before the Trials). I tried to shoot conservatively (that didn't work). I tried to shoot aggressively (that didn't work either). It was frustrating. The last thing that I thought I would need to worry about ended up being my downfall.
It didn't work out for me, but its not the end of the world. Sure I'm disappointed (some days really disappointed), but I knew what I was getting into. When you train for the Olympics you set yourself up for the likelihood of failing. The odds are very bad. Lots of talented people don't make it. I know lots of deserving people that have to watch the Olympics on TV. But everyone who does make it to the "Show" deserves it. I know everyone that made the Olympic team and I know for a fact that they worked very hard. Harder than most people can even imagine.
If after you read this you feel sorry for me for not making the team... DON'T . I am quite possibly the luckiest person you have ever met (I'm at least in the top 5). I got to chase a dream. A dream to represent my country in the greatest sporting event in the world, the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City. How many people are given the opportunity to chase their dream? And of those people, how many take the chance? Not many, so I think that I'm incredibly lucky. If you think that I was "unlucky", then I say, more people should be as "unlucky" as me.
I've also made countless friends. Sure on race day we try to beat each other�s brains in but after the race most people that do biathlon are pretty cool. Actually this year I spent x-mas in Utah with my team and most of the National Teamers.
Like I said I have been very lucky. How lucky? Well besides all the friends that I've made, there have been some fun experiences. I got to go to KARE 11 for a Backyard BBQ (my step-dad was psyched he got to meet Belinda Jensen) and did a Perk at Play episode about biathlon. Plus I went to the State Fair to play games on the midway with Belinda Jensen. That was fun.
So What's Next?
Well I'm back at the office catching up. Also I am going to go to SLC for the first week of the Games. I'm still a big fan of the Olympics (that won't change), so I want to go see what it�s all about. Plus a lot of my friends are racing. So I'll be there along the trail waving my American flag and screaming at all the U.S. guys. Good Times!!!
So read on and see all the people that helped me...and be sure to realize that this isn't everyone...Thanks.
I found a quote by Teddy Roosevelt several years ago and have tried to race by it:
Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure,
than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.
1998 Olympic Trials [3rd Place]
There are countless people that have helped me get where I am, but I wanted to name a few.
The List:
My Family -Especially my Mom and step-dad Frank. They have made countless sacrifices for me. My Mom has been my biggest fan, ever since that first race back in Traverse City. After that race (I finished 52nd out of 63) I'm sure they never thought that I would ever make to the Olympic Trials and stand on the podium there.
+ Also my sister Kim, she�s come to cheer me on at past Olympic Trials (and bought tickets ahead of time to see me in these Games)
Piotr-My coach and good friend. Every Don Quixote needs a Sancho Panza. Whenever I wanted to slay a dragon, he wouldn't hesitate to follow me. Somedays I wish he would have told me that I was fighting windmills, but...
Also not too many people know that he would get up at 5AM and stand out in the cold, or rain, or snow, simply to help me train before work. Plus countless hours spent behind the video camera and spotting scope all to make me better. You should all have a friend like Piotr.
+ And a special thanks to Laura (for letting P come out and play with me), not to mention all the moral support.
Johnny Ingdal -the first friend that I made when I moved from Michigan to Minnesota. Johnny was (is?) my mentor when I could barely stand on my skis. The Ingdals (Johnny, Leisha, Linnea and Anders) have become my adopted family in MN...Mange Takk Johnny
Work The list is long...here are a few.
- Mark Cherniack and Dean Junkans gave me the time off to train. Without the time, I wouldn't even have tried. Tim Leach and Tim Traudt for making it so that I could afford to train for the Show.
+ Edwine, KG, Mike, Justin, Jake, Jake, Kate, Hannah, Joy, Dodd, Glenn, Dan, Chuck, Mick, Tom, Marilyn, Beth, Pat, Heather, Lynn, Maggie, Tomi, Aimee, Stef, Jia, Steve, Tammy, Tycast, Stacia... [Insert WFC employee here]
MN Biathlon:
-Gary Colliander, Vladimir Cervanka, Bill Meyer, Bill Kremer. We have the best club in the country and its a testiment to these guys (and Piotr). At big races they are testing wax all day long so that we can have fast skis on race day. (And we always do). Most people don't know how important a strong team is to success in racing. I'm lucky to have the guys that I do. Thanks.
+ Also thanks to Jeff Thielen, Larry Myers, Roger Frank and all the members of Minnesota Biathlon.
My Teammates:
From my teammates back in high school at MCC, to my boys at St. Cloud State, to the all of my current teammates with MN Biathlon. One of my best biathlon memories was anchoring the MN Biathlon relay team to the national title last March in West Yellowstone (and I'm sorry I made it so nerve-wracking for you guys).
Friends:
-I'm incredibly lucky to have as many good friends as I do. There are a few special ones that I want to thank. Everyone from TEAM FUN (my coed football team) has been incredibly supportive. The girls (seen below, in red) actually threw me a fundraiser last winter at Elsies bowling alley. Good times from what I remember of it...
+ Many thanks to all that came to my fundraiser!
Team Fun
+ Amy, Cori, Jen, Jody, Stacie, Tracy, Kate, Mollie, Roger, Woody, Dave, Jorgy, Mirviss, & Dan.
Past Coaches:
Jerry Genter and Bruce Krieger my high school x-c and track coaches. Dan Hostager "Hos", my college x-c and track coach, and Steve Gaskill my first ski coach.
Sponsors:
Thanks to Jim Fredericks and Pete Moran from Rossignol. And thanks to John Dewall and Pat Lorentz with Infinity ski poles.
More:
Jamie- Believed in me when I couldn't ski or shoot...;-)
Shelli- One of my best friends ever since high school.
Derek- A good friend from back in Michigan.
Dave Bacharach - Thanks Dr. B
Randy Hill - I have a funny story. The picture at the top of this page was from the 10km National Championship last winter in Lake Placid. (It was also used in a World Cup Poster) Well in that race I finished 4th, about 1.5 seconds from the podium. So Randy came up to me in the cafeteria afterwards and showed me several times on his stop watch just how long 1.5 seconds was...he got a real kick out it.
There are many more people that have helped me, but I don't have the disk space to list several thousand names...
Top 10 list of things in the past year
10 -My own poster...well sort of.
9 -Helping Jill pick out a x-mas tree...priceless!
8 -The fundraiser...so many people!
7 -Canmore in March.
6 -My Mom, Rog, Jody, and Kate coming to Trials
5 -The Everclear concert in SLC
4 -The first annual Biathlete Only Golf Scramble
3 -Winning the U.S. Nationals Relay last March
2 -All the friends I've made.
1 -Chasing the dream...
Well thanks again....
My Family -Especially my Mom and step-dad Frank. They have made countless sacrifices for me. My Mom has been my biggest fan, ever since that first race back in Traverse City. After that race (I finished 52nd out of 63) I'm sure they never thought that I would ever make to the Olympic Trials and stand on the podium there.
+ Also my sister Kim, she�s come to cheer me on at past Olympic Trials (and bought tickets ahead of time to see me in these Games)
Piotr-My coach and good friend. Every Don Quixote needs a Sancho Panza. Whenever I wanted to slay a dragon, he wouldn't hesitate to follow me. Somedays I wish he would have told me that I was fighting windmills, but...
Also not too many people know that he would get up at 5AM and stand out in the cold, or rain, or snow, simply to help me train before work. Plus countless hours spent behind the video camera and spotting scope all to make me better. You should all have a friend like Piotr.
+ And a special thanks to Laura (for letting P come out and play with me), not to mention all the moral support.
Johnny Ingdal -the first friend that I made when I moved from Michigan to Minnesota. Johnny was (is?) my mentor when I could barely stand on my skis. The Ingdals (Johnny, Leisha, Linnea and Anders) have become my adopted family in MN...Mange Takk Johnny
Work The list is long...here are a few.
- Mark Cherniack and Dean Junkans gave me the time off to train. Without the time, I wouldn't even have tried. Tim Leach and Tim Traudt for making it so that I could afford to train for the Show.
+ Edwine, KG, Mike, Justin, Jake, Jake, Kate, Hannah, Joy, Dodd, Glenn, Dan, Chuck, Mick, Tom, Marilyn, Beth, Pat, Heather, Lynn, Maggie, Tomi, Aimee, Stef, Jia, Steve, Tammy, Tycast, Stacia... [Insert WFC employee here]
MN Biathlon:
-Gary Colliander, Vladimir Cervanka, Bill Meyer, Bill Kremer. We have the best club in the country and its a testiment to these guys (and Piotr). At big races they are testing wax all day long so that we can have fast skis on race day. (And we always do). Most people don't know how important a strong team is to success in racing. I'm lucky to have the guys that I do. Thanks.
+ Also thanks to Jeff Thielen, Larry Myers, Roger Frank and all the members of Minnesota Biathlon.
My Teammates:
From my teammates back in high school at MCC, to my boys at St. Cloud State, to the all of my current teammates with MN Biathlon. One of my best biathlon memories was anchoring the MN Biathlon relay team to the national title last March in West Yellowstone (and I'm sorry I made it so nerve-wracking for you guys).
Friends:
-I'm incredibly lucky to have as many good friends as I do. There are a few special ones that I want to thank. Everyone from TEAM FUN (my coed football team) has been incredibly supportive. The girls (seen below, in red) actually threw me a fundraiser last winter at Elsies bowling alley. Good times from what I remember of it...
+ Many thanks to all that came to my fundraiser!
Team Fun
+ Amy, Cori, Jen, Jody, Stacie, Tracy, Kate, Mollie, Roger, Woody, Dave, Jorgy, Mirviss, & Dan.
Past Coaches:
Jerry Genter and Bruce Krieger my high school x-c and track coaches. Dan Hostager "Hos", my college x-c and track coach, and Steve Gaskill my first ski coach.
Sponsors:
Thanks to Jim Fredericks and Pete Moran from Rossignol. And thanks to John Dewall and Pat Lorentz with Infinity ski poles.
More:
Jamie- Believed in me when I couldn't ski or shoot...;-)
Shelli- One of my best friends ever since high school.
Derek- A good friend from back in Michigan.
Dave Bacharach - Thanks Dr. B
Randy Hill - I have a funny story. The picture at the top of this page was from the 10km National Championship last winter in Lake Placid. (It was also used in a World Cup Poster) Well in that race I finished 4th, about 1.5 seconds from the podium. So Randy came up to me in the cafeteria afterwards and showed me several times on his stop watch just how long 1.5 seconds was...he got a real kick out it.
There are many more people that have helped me, but I don't have the disk space to list several thousand names...
Top 10 list of things in the past year
10 -My own poster...well sort of.
9 -Helping Jill pick out a x-mas tree...priceless!
8 -The fundraiser...so many people!
7 -Canmore in March.
6 -My Mom, Rog, Jody, and Kate coming to Trials
5 -The Everclear concert in SLC
4 -The first annual Biathlete Only Golf Scramble
3 -Winning the U.S. Nationals Relay last March
2 -All the friends I've made.
1 -Chasing the dream...
