Almost X Time

It's Saturday January 22, 2011.  On Monday January 24, 2011 I will be dropping in to the superpipe at Buttermilk for Winter X-Games XV for the first night of training.  This is my 7th (believe it or not) X-Games but it's my first time returning as defending champion.  Being in this position makes me respect the athletes that have achieved back-to-back  gold medals.  Like Sarah Burke who had back-to-back-to-back gold medals in superpipe until last season.  Her ability to always focus on what she needed to get done is amazing, and to never be thrown off course because of the added pressure from "expectations" is even more admirable. That being said, I am so energized to get in that pipe at Buttermilk.  I have done all of the preparations that I am capable of outside of that pipe.  I need to get in there and get going- only then will we be able to see what the possible outcomes will be.  It is a really exciting year to be involved in ski halfpipe because for the first time the world is aware of our push for the Olympics.  Previously it was just us in our industry who knew what we were working towards, now everyone will be paying attention- hopefully the IOC will take note.

Tomorrow I will be driving to Colorado and staying with a friend in Avon.  My skis need some special attention for X-Games to make sure they will be fast enough, so I will get those dialed.  Then Monday morning I will head to Aspen for registration and at 4 pm I will drop into the best halfpipe in the world.  Ready to charge, ready to push myself to max capacity, ready to watch everyone else do the same.  That is where the motivation comes from, the inspiration.  It is what I live for right now- it completes me.

I encourage you to get out there doing what you love and find the motivation to stick with your goals.  Be inspired by those around you who might be your biggest competition, but look at what they are doing right and figure out how to apply it to your life.  But most importantly stay true to yourself and make sure you are in it for the right reason- because you love it and you want to be doing it.

That's all for now, but stay tuned for updates from X!