Three races down and five more to go in the 09/10 World Cup campaign. Thus far it has been a mixed bag of results but I’ve been learning through the entire process, which is a good thing. Park City and Lake Placid, where I usually have a strong showing as a result of more exposure to those tracks, were lack luster performances by my standards this year. Usually we will travel to both tracks in the preseason for a few runs and then return a couple weeks later to race. This year we did not and I struggled to find my form in the six training runs we are allotted in the three days leading up to the World Cup race. I was also testing two different sleds in that time and switching back and forth. Poor excuses I know, but perhaps a small bit of justification so I don’t beat myself up too badly for performing at a level I’m not proud of. My runs were not terrible in either race but I think I was trying a bit too hard and over-driving the corners and not letting the sled run a bit more like I have in the past. This past week in Cesana, Italy I’m happy to say, I slid well. Both starts were strong and the two runs I laid down were nearly without error and consistent. That’s the name of our game, consistency, and winning in Cesana boosts the confidence and reaffirms that when I’m on my game I can be at the top of the heap. Athletes are often rather fickle about their abilities and it does not take too many poor performances to start questioning their Mojo. I’m no different and positive self-talk will only take you so far. Good results are a great kick in the pants and more fodder for future droughts and dry spells. Here’s hoping I don’t have to dip into that bag again this season and just keep rollin’ along with the solid performances. However, should I need to, I think that bag is now full enough to remind me I can get it done when it counts most, February 18th and 19th, 2010.