2012 Paralympic Games - Take #2

Wow - where did the time go.... it has been 6 weeks since I left
Fairmont (home - not that I would know that these days). I promised to
start a blog & keep those interested up to date on what I am up too.
Obviously the blog has been a little slow to get going - but here it
is. I hope to keep it up dated more regularly. Honestly - I have
barely had a moment to do anything "extra" since leaving home on Oct. 9.

A little background......
For those of you who may or may not know - I am back on the Campaign
trail for the 2012 Paralympic Games in England next September. Back in
June 2011, my previous sailing partner & I split up the team. It came
as a shock to me & I was devastated for sometime. I had invested 3
years of time .... then it was all gone. But in all honesty - it was
the best thing that ever happened to me. We all know that life is full
of changes - some we like & some we don't - but they all have a
reason. I can't control what happens to me - but I can control how I
respond to it.

So what does one do when they have a "crisis".... well they go to Vegas
baby!!!

4 days of non-reality was exactly what I needed. Had a great time
with my friend Richard.

Bellagio - 2 hours of water show & a few beers

Wee nap after lunch after hike in to Top of the World

Then back to reality - back home to East Kootenays. I forgot how much I
LOVE the valley. Nice little hike to make me rethink priorities.

Top of the World

Okay - back to sailing story.... At first I decided I was DONE with
sailing. But then I started to realize I was
not finished with what I started & needed to stay on the Canadian
National Team & continue sailing. Looking for some closure I guess.
So I decided to get back in the circuit - I participated in one of my
FAVORITE regattas in Chicago at the beginning of August. I was sailing
a boat called the 2.4m. It is a boat sailed by one individual (little
old me) - requires me to do all the sail trim (I am fine with that);
all the steering (ok - that was new & a stretch for me); and all the
tactics (wow - a really big stretch for me). Anyhow, first race I
pulled off a bullet (i.e. first). Well then I was sewered - my head
got too big & I started to over analyze EVERYTHING. So all the rest of
my races I was in 4th or 5th - but I had a good time & it was good to
be back on the water. Got to hang out with some old friends & even
better, got to meet a some new ones (sparky!!!). Long story short -
the best part of that event was the support & encouragement I received
from sailor friends to get back in the SKUD (the class of boat I have
been sailing since 2006 & the one which I was hoping to go to the 2012
games in) and sail with a new skipper - Ken Kelly. What the heck -
how tough can it be to pull together a 4 year campaign in under 3
months???

Ken & Brenda - 4 hrs on the boat - Larchmont, NY Sept, 2011

Fast forward to Oct. 8th - Ken & I packed up our lives in Canada & both drove down to Punta Gorda Florida to train full time until our
Canadian Trials - Jan. 7 - 15, 2012. Outcome of this event determines what I am doing & where I am going & where I will be living from
January to September 2012. I know it is cliche but honestly "it is what it is" and I just plan on doing my best & let life unfold the way
it is suppose. I do know that the last 5 months have probably provided me with the most change in my life & I know I am a better
person for it.

 
Brenda