An Interview with Olympic Athlete, Erin Hamlin

This week I had the great pleasure of interviewing Erin Hamlin, who has pre-qualified for the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver by virtue of winning the 2009 World Championship in Luge.

Erin hails from Remsen, N.Y. which is located near the western edge of the Adirondack Park. She is an impressive individual who we’ll be watching and rooting for as she competes in Vancouver in 2010.

Hamlin is headed to her second Winter Olympics after being the Gold medalist at the 41st World Championships in Luge. This will be her second Olympic berth, after finishing 12th in the 2006 Olympics in Torino, Italy.

She was in NY city with the USA luge team appearing on the Today Show after returning from Lillehammer, Norway, site of the 1994 Winter Olympics. Hamlin added a World Cup medal to her collection, winning the bronze on December 13th in Lillehammer.

Erin to begin, congratulations on your selection to the U.S. Olympic team. It is an honor to be able to interview you. The Luge is a not your ordinary sport. Can you tell us how you got interested in it and what it is like to be flying down the track flat on your back?

I didn’t really know much about the sport at all when I first started. USA Luge does a recruitment tour around the US every summer and I attended a clinic in Syracuse New York. From there I was invited to Lake Placid where I learned all the basics of how to slide and got to go down the track for the first time. It was a lot of fun and once they pulled me into the program my competitive side took over and I just wanted to go far in the sport and do well. Going down the track is an adrenaline rush you can’t get from anything else. Like a roller coaster (but faster!) and you are in control. It can be very challenging sometimes, but that makes it more satisfying when you make it down really well, really fast, and you know you have done well.

Erin, the Huletts Current has a number of young readers. Could you tell them what your daily training routine is like and how you managed training while you were in school?

During the off season (April-September) I spend at least 3 days a week in the weight room, focusing mainly on core and upper body strength work along with a variety of Olympic lifting (cleans, dead lift, jerk, snatch). On other days I do agility, medicine ball, and physio ball workouts, focusing mainly on balance, quickness and coordination. At least 2-3 hours a day is spent on strength and agility training with another 2 hours usually spent on sports specific exercises, including training on my start (we have an indoor refrigerated facility with a part of a luge track inside to practice on).

During the sliding season (October-March, roughly) we slide for at least 2 hours every day, sometimes two 2-hour sessions. It varies between training weeks and weeks that I race. I also continue to weight train three days a week, and the team usually plays some sort of game (volleyball, soccer, bandi-a form of floor hockey), or any other type of physical activity we can, often times agility workouts, on the days we are not in the weight room. Sliding and racing really takes the energy out of us, so the level of intensity of weight training sometimes drops a little bit during the racing season.

When I was still in high school I was very lucky to have very understanding and supportive teachers and staff members behind me. I managed to collect as much work as I could ahead of time and bring it along (we usually had a tutor with us on the junior team) and send it back as I finished it. There was always a little catch up to do at the end of the season when I would come back to school, and it was a lot of hard work. Being disciplined enough at 16 years old to do your homework with nobody to tell you to do it is sometimes a huge hurdle to get over!

You’re headed down the track at some very fast speeds. Can you tell our readers a little bit about the protection you wear in the event of a crash?

We don’t wear any extra padding actually. A helmet made out of kevlar (so its pretty light) and a shield over our face is the only real protection. Of course our entire bodies are covered, but with nothing that will help you out when you crash going 90mph! A spandex-like suit, small racing shoes that are actually made to keep your feet in a pointed position, gloves with spikes on the fingertips, and a layer of long underwear are the only things between my skin and the ice.

For our readers who are unfamiliar with the Luge, can you tell us what goes through your mind as you prepare for your run and what you are trying to do as you steer through the course? I know the idea is to get to the bottom in the fastest time but can you explain the strategy of accomplishing that?

On every track there is an idea ‘line’ to get down the smoothest and fastest. Our goal is to drive our sleds within one inch of that line the whole way down, at speeds around 90+ mph, while being completely relaxed at the same time. We have complete control over the sled the entire time, steering with our feet/legs, shoulders/body weight, and hands, which most people don’t know at first glance. So really when preparing for a run, it is best to focus on exactly what you have to do, but not think too hard. You have to be able to react quickly, because you are going so fast, but being relaxed is very important as well so I always try to not think too much in order to avoid psyching myself out, or making myself nervous. The sport is so much fun, so it’s always important to just chill and have a good time. 

You train at the Olympic training center in Lake Placid. This may be a funny question but can people witness the Luge training there during the summer? If so, does the track have ice on it in the summer also? If not, how does it work?

We do most of our training at the training center yes, but most of it is not actual sliding. Because there is no ice, we spend our summers in the weight room, gymnasium, and an indoor facility we have in Lake Placid where we can practice our start. It is the very beginning piece of a track that is refrigerated year round. Our start is very important; it’s the only time during a luge run where we can propel ourselves down the track so it is crucial to our success. We do put wheels on our sleds and train on the track when is concrete just to have the feeling of sliding, even though it a little bit different. That you can probably come watch, since they have tours and wheeled bobsled rides at the track all summer. You can also tour both the Olympic Training Center and the Luge facility.

Finally, the readers of the Huletts Current will be rooting for you to accomplish your Olympic dreams in Vancouver in 2010. Please know that you have lots of friends in the Adirondacks who will be following your quest.

(Big Smile) I’ll be giving it my all!

To see a slideshow of Erin in action, check out the USA Luge site.

Bits of Everything

Who Are The Most Influential People in Adirondack History?

John Warren at the Adirondack Almanack has a great idea for a list.

End of Stimulus Means Schools Must Cut

See how much funding may be lost by the Whitehall school with an end to stimulus funding in the Capitol Confidential blog.

Bolton to Get Started on Wastewater Upgrade

The Post Star reports on how technological advances can clean the environment without taking people’s property rights away.

Bits of Everything

Ground Broken on Bolton Pier

Even though it’s a bit cold outside, work started this week on improving the pier in Bolton Landing. The renovation will include 10 more dock spaces. Read about it in the Post Star.

Why Can’t The Cell Phone Companies All Get Along? (and share a tower)

The Capitol Confidential Blog has a great picture of a cell phone tower that looks like a tree and some great commentary on cell phone towers in the Adirondacks. I agree with the Adirondack Council on this one. There’s no reason why numerous carriers can’t share one pole.

Meeting Matters: Washington County Board of Supervisors

The Post Star reports on garbage stickers, tourism and the Sheriff from the Washington County Board of Supervisors.

Bits of Everything

Boathouse Hearings to be Held

The Adirondack Park Agency is going to hold a series of hearings before revising their boathouse regulations, the Adirondack Almanack reports.

Salt Alternatives to Protect the Environment

This is an interesting piece I ran across regarding alternatives to rock salt from the Mother Nature Network.

This is What Happens When You Overspend

David Paterson announced the budget mess is so bad, he’s withholding 10% of school and local aid, it was reported by the NY Post. Why not start tying school aid to enrollment figures?

Cool Pictures of Lake Champlain Bridge Design Concepts

The NY State Dept of Transportation has released different design concepts for the new Lake Champlain Bridge between Crown Point, NY and Addison, VT.

Bits of Everything

West Brook Project Awarded $2.5 Million

The Village of Lake George has been awarded a $2.5 million by the state Department of Transportation to be used to complete the public park elements of the West Brook Conservation Initiative, Denton Publications reports.

“The park will consist of walking paths, an extension of the Warren County bike trail, restrooms, a children’s play area, fitness trails and interpretive educational areas. The conservation initiatives will dramatically reduce the nutrients and solids reaching the lake that has contributed to a large delta at the foot of West Brook.”

Read the whole piece.

Washington County Taxes: 2008-2010

Nick Reisman at the Wash Blog takes a good look at Washington County taxes from 2008-2010. The Post Star has done a great job covering the tax problems of many local jurisdictions.

Girl Scouts Split over Sale of Camp in Fort Ann

The Albany Times Union reports that the Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York want to sell Camp Little Notch, a 2,300-acre Girl Scout camp in Fort Ann. However, another group wants to keep the camp open. The Friends of Camp Little Notch have organized to try to buy the camp. See their website here.

Bits of Everything

Post Star Notices Adirondack Park Agency Craziness

There was an editorial in the Post Star about new proposed Adirondack Park Agency regulations regarding boat houses. Everyone is noticing how fast the APA is killing communities. Read the whole thing.

“The APA apparently has a lot of free time on its hands, now that half the land in the Adirondack Park is protected by statute and the other half is being abandoned faster than an underage drinking party during a police raid. Lacking a sufficient number of puppies to kick and left to its own gluttonous impulses, the agency has decided to extend its regulatory reach to telling lakeside property owners what they can do with the roofs of boathouses.”

Washington County Sales Tax Revenue Up This Month

Nick Reisman at the Wash Blog reports some good news and bad news.

Bridge Must Go

The Addison County Independent has a story about the need to demolish the Lake Champlain Bridge spanning Lake Champlain at Crown Point and Addison, VT.

No Deficit Deal So Far in Special Session

More of doing nothing, makes the deficit go up. Read the Associated Press article.

Vermont Catamounts Open Season at Loyola Friday

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEz2ozOzFqE

Cool Science Website Shows How Small Things Really Are

This is for anyone who loves science. Here is a cool website from the University of Utah that I stumbled upon which shows how small things really are at the microbiological level. Use the scroll bar to zoom in on the bottom.

The Judicial Candidates

New York Supreme Court races have gone largely under the radar so far, namely because judicial candidates really can’t say how they’ll decide individual cases. Huletts Landing is in the the fourth judicial circuit, comprising Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, St. Lawrence, Montogomery, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren and Washington counties.

New York State Courts offers an impartial voters’ guide here. While it doesn’t say a lot, it’s at least something to consider before you vote.

Bits of Everything

HBO’s Cool New Video Technology

This will really draw you in. It’s called the Art Heist. It’s HBO’s cool new technology which allows you to view a movie from numerous different perspectives. Spin the movie while you watch and go on to other scenes. Click on the “Chart Your Progress” link on the top and watch the whole movie, scene by scene. It will capitivate you.

The Original Lone Ranger

The Washington Post has a book review of, War on the Run, The Epic Story of Robert Rogers and the Conquest of America’s First Frontier. This sounds like a great read.

Bits of Everything

Crown Point Bridge Closed

The Crown Point Bridge was closed last week by the state Department of Transportation. This is a major artery between Ticonderoga and Vermont. Here is the Governor’s state of emergency with a phone number to call for updates. The Post Star talks about how its closing could impact Whitehall. The Press Republican has a picture of the bridge.

Rachael Ray’s Menu Goes Public

The NY Post had a piece about Lake George’s own Rachael Ray. It seems that she’s just created a menu for the city’s public schools.

Public Pension Sign Up’s Surge

The Times Union reports that public pension sign up’s are surging. More bad news for the taxpayer.

Bits of Everything

Blogosphere Here to Stay, NY Times Latest to Cut Workforce

The New York Times will cut up to 150 positions because of declines in advertising revenue, it was announced Monday.

Victim of Canon Blast Still Hurts

The Post Star follows-up on the canon accident at Fort William Henry.

Queensbury Moose Relocated

The Post Star reports on the moose caught at Aviation Mall. And you didn’t believe it when we reported a moose sighting.

Amazing New Technology

There is now an application to clean your computer screen from the inside. Click here to see a demonstration.

Can You Hear Me Now? Not From Huletts

“My boss didn’t believe me when I told him, ‘I’m going to a place where there isn’t any cell phone service’.”

Sadly, this is an actual remark that I heard this past summer and it illustrates an issue that must be addressed in Huletts. It impacts everyone and it’s not only a health and safety issue but it’s also an economic one.

The Adirondack Park Agency has the power to approve new cell phone towers and has been criticized for moving slowly on this throughout the Park.

There are a number of innovative new cell phone tower companies, such as this one, who place numerous carriers’ receivers on one pole and who have become expert in hiding these towers in the surrounding forest. They can actually be disguised as a tree or be hidden in the forest’s canopy. Even something as simple as adding a new receiver to an existing emergency pole at a current firehouse, has to go through the APA’s approval process.

Imagine having a drowning or boating accident and reaching for your cell phone only to have no service? Imagine losing a renter or friend who can’t get that important phone call? Isn’t it a shame, that if you break down on certain areas of the mountain, you can’t get any cell phone service at all? In this day and age, it’s a complete travesty that cell phone service is unavailable in large parts of the Adirondacks. We lead the world in technology yet the Adirondack’s are a technological backwater because the Adirondack Park Agency’s can’t approve a cell phone tower quickly.

No longer should the APA be able to hide behind the empty argument that these facilities damage lines of sight. The most innovative cell phone tower companies have already overcome this with truly great designs. Now is the time for the Adirondack’s to catch up with the rest of society.

Hopefully, someday soon, we’ll be to answer the question; “Can you hear me now?” from Huletts.