Return of the LIZard!!!

Over the last few posts, I've talked about the races in this, Liz Looby's first full season of competition since her 2010 accident.  Over the winter, she'd been a little discouraged, and wondering whether and when she could eclipse the PB she set in November, and wondered if she can recover enough from the injury to be truly competitive.  The goal had become to get to qualifying time for the Olympic time trials coming this fall.

Objectively, from my perspective, things looked reasonably good:  since switching to the Evo blades, she seemed to me to be able to control the injured leg better in the turns.  The time trials she'd been running at the Oval, from November to mid-February were pretty consistent within a tight band.  Most encouragingly, her 500 time at AmCup III in Roseville had been in that same tight time band, notwithstanding the fact that is was outdoors, at four below zero before wind chill, and at the lower altitude of Minnesota, and raced within a week of her bout with the flu.  I was looking forward to seeing what might be possible at AmCup Finals in March, on her home ice, indoors, in Salt Lake City.  As it turns out, we didn't have to wait that long!

8:30 AM, MST.  Utah Olympic Oval.  500 meter Time Trial.  Starting in the outer lane, three time Olympian Allison Baver.  The same Allison Baver who, when Liz was just starting out, provided the first set of real short track competition blades we'd ever had, which Liz wore in her first Nationals and for a long time after.  Starting in the Inner Lane, Liz Looby.  It's a fast pace.  They are both moving hard, arms engaged....Liz in the inner looks like she is leading into the turn, but its the inner so hard to be sure....switch lanes, around the final curve and coming at the camera, Liz outside, Allison in both pushing hard all the way to the line.....and it is Liz!  42.91, a personal best!  Allison 43.10 a season's best!  And both of them are below the Olympic Time Trial qualifying time!!!!

The start
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B97M-NK0xAKQazE5b3RKTTNBbWM/edit?usp=sharing

The curve

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B97M-NK0xAKQeDM1Q2x1SkU5LTQ/edit?usp=sharing

The Finish!
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B97M-NK0xAKQd1lOU0dwLWFaNFE/edit?usp=sharing

I can think of no better confidence booster, no clearer way for Liz to internalize that she can aspire to top level competition again!  We're so proud of her and of how hard she worked to do what no one thought possible.  And there is no better time to thank everyone who helped her from Tom Conley and Ellen Mularkey and others on the ice that day, to the doctors, nutrition experts, chiropractors, acupuncturists, Biomodulator operators, trainers, coaches, friends, teammates,  family members, University of Utah staff and administration who's good will, prayers and friendship have helped her back to this point!  Thank you all!

Late Bloomers and Success the Hard Way

Baseball is the home of many great stories of perseverance one new one went into the books today, May 22, 2013.  Chris Colabello labored for seven long years in the independent league in New England, finally getting a chance to sign with the Twins last year at 28 and play for New Britain in AA ball. 
This season, playing first for the AAA Rochester Red Wings, he was the bright light of our early season, going yard regularly, and batting over .300 (over .400 in May). Last night after midnight on the team bus riding back to Rochester from Allentown, our manager told him, to the cheers of his teammates, that he was going to the majors! 

Chris caught the early plane to Atlanta from Rochester and joined the Minnesota Twins as #55, playing his first major league game at right field! In the same game, relief pitcher Caleb Thielbar, who was called up earlier this week from Rochester pitched to hitless innings against the Braves, before being pulled for a pinch hitter who homered. Thielbar is also a product of the independent leagues, having played for the St. Paul (MN) Saints in 2011. 

Chris' story is almost like "The Natural" without the silver bullet! Good luck up there to both of these guys, who came to success the hard way!

AmCup III Roseville MN Jan. 19=20, 2013

Liz returned to the ice for her second Am Cup of the Long Track season, this time, alas only about six days out from her two week bout with the flu.  Roseville is a truly beautiful facility, but it IS outdoors and -2 before wind chill is cold!!!   Well the bad news is that the flu did a number on her energy level, and she seemed to run out of gas in her longer race.  The good news is threefold:  while Liz has not done much outdoor Long Track yet (one of the purposed of being in the Jack Shea Sprints in December at Lake Placid) her first 500 was the best she's ever done at that distance outdoors.

The second bit of good news was that while her time did not match her indoor personal best or season's best, it was right on target with her most recent indoor time trial at Salt Lake City, which I think isn't bad given the flu, the cold, and the low altitude.  The third item of good news is that throughout the meet she held her corners very tight and well, and that I attribute to the change of equipment:  adding EVO powdered metal blades.  Finally I want to thank the Schweizer family of Mahtomedi, MN for showing up in force to be Liz' fan club at the meet!  Here (above) are Liz' mom, Jane, with three of the Schweizers:  Mark, Katie and Marin (the others were inside at the moment that I happened to snap a picture).  Thanks for your support!!!!