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(I found this site more fun and motivating to write on, hope you'll enjoy!)

Back on Swedish soil again after a vacation in Warsaw.
Time spent with family & friends, shopping, sipping coffee in the beautiful parts of Warsaw. A relaxation that was well timed!

Enjoying being home in Gothenburg, for some good period of hard training in an home environment. Hopefully I will also compete at in the District Championships in weightlifting.
As side of training, it's good to be here around good friends and family.
Gothenburg is at this moment filled with activities, and just yesterday I went on the concert of Laleh a true inspiration. Great artist, on stage she just bubbles of joy!
And rumors say's she has taken up on skating on the lakes (winter time af course, we live north here but we do not have ice bears walking around the streets)

Take Care!

Gothenburg Calling - 4 weeks of summer ice have come to it's end.
Today I'm flying back home to Sweden, I can look back on a good period of training
, overall I feel much stronger endurance wise than I did last year at the same period.
I've been able to test my new skates, still have to be able to learn how to get the whole benefit out of them but over all I like them a lot!
The next step now is to put the speed in, and I'm excited about that.
First things first, a week of vacation with my family in Warsaw.

Greets, Claudia

Besides being challenged on the ice, I had a rather thrilling chicken race this morning. Coming back from my ice training, turning on the computer and having my traditional cup of coffee, I suddenly have a feeling of being watched. I look outside the balcony door, and to my chock I see that our two chickens have escaped the cage and are now looking at me with anger in their face. (My theory; they want to haunt us down cause we sort of had their third friend for dinner last week, but hey they are chickens, i'm not cold blooded I have feelings but still..chicken equals food)
Anyway, I grab the kitchen glow and I'm trying to push them into the cage. Then this black chicken starts to attack me and jumps on the balcony fence, to my fear I back off I don't want the bird to take its life from t he 5th floor! And it also gave me a few scratches on my arm so I wasn't as cocky anymore. Continuing the story, I start to put a food trace to trick them into the cage, after much fear and battling the black one gives up and take up the food trace and ends up in the cage, however the second one was a stubborn one. Kept watching me through the glass door, eventually also he gave in for our marvelous crackers.
Lesson learned, I will never raise chickens on my own specially not on a balcony!!

Team Gold Rush Soccer Tournament: On a Sunday rest day we had the annual Gold Rush Soccer Tournament, which offered very entertaining two hours game with many fascinating and very impressive goals, but also fascinating and impressive way's of how not score while a wide open goal is just waiting for you...

However as the picture can tell, my team won by far (13-6) if we managed to count right, we kinda gave up after a while. Thank you team! Josh, Brooke & Roach!

A lifetime of training for just 37 seconds.

Photo: Meijco Van Velzen (www.meijco.nl)

Netherlands: Little more than a week has passed here in The Netherlands and I have enjoyed getting out on the ice again.

This year I'm skating on new equipment, and it gives me an extra kick and motivation on the ice. I feel allready as strong or even stronger than my best period of time last season which looks good for the future. July the 18 I will do a test race here in Thialf, it's still early enough for races and I want to skate through a good race to see how my new skates react in competition mood.

I've enjoyed the off ice time as well, been able to witness some of the high level inline races down here, it's nice to watch and study and bring some knowledge back home to Sweden. Today I was able myself to try out the indoor track that is situated inside Thialf, and it was a nice challenge (when you don't have your own equipment and a two size to big skates)

However, I will return home with new knowledge for my own inline troop. I'm excited.

A normal week here also includes some beach work, soccer game, volleyboll game, guitarr lessons, as a skater I need some "relaxing" in between acitivties.

I also have good news for my weightclub in Gothenburg, that I might bring home a new weighlifter to join the Gold Team. She currently train with Hollands one and only weightlifter Ingrid, which I've competed against back home in Sweden several times. And we now thought of joining in together for training in the gym, share experiences and advices between each other to become even better weightlifters.

Quote of the day:

The reason most people never reach their goals is that they don't define them, or ever seriously consider them as believable or achievable. Winners can tell you where they are going, what they plan to do along the way, and who will be sharing the adventure with them.

Denis Watley

Heerenveen - Holland is showing off by it's best side with sun and summer ice! I've allready stepped on the ice twice, first time on my new skates today and I'll tell you another training and we will become life long buddies.

Well here awaits a month of good training!

Thialf Summer Ice

Thialf - It's the time of the year, and I'm packing my bags for The Netherlands. Summer ice is here! I'll be spending 4 weeks at first and I'm excited to see how my progress will look with my new skates and blades!

Til soon, doei!

Wheels on the bike goes Round & Round

Training - Yes, my posts haven't involved a lot about training. Perhaps cause training is an everyday activity, almost like eating breakfast.

Jokes aside, my week is filled with training, work, social gatherings and studies (as for now it's summer holiday which gives me some more time to fill out with something new)

However, my schedule was formed after the season together with Jildou and there have been some changes which I've been excited towards and I'm curiouse how this will effect me this winter.

I feel stronger, which I've seen as result during weights where I've got some heavy new pb's! Also the biking test in Bosön, showed that I'm in the right direction.

What's been fun is our new project we have going on here in Sweden, we are a few girls with the same goals in skating, high motivation and we love the sport.

So one day, sitting at home with my mum we come up with an idea to gather us and start a project. Since from federation level, the support is mainly towards the guy's they have shown a clear view where the focus is, however that's not our focus, since neither one of us are boy's but we still have high ambitions, goals and motivation. And we know that we got what it takes! And our goal is to be on the starting line for the ladies team pursuit!

Since we all train sepertly and with diffrent coaches, we still want to keep that but also work as a team so we coordinate training together to gain extra motivation and push each other further. I'm excited for where this will lead us (if you are curiouse about the project in more specific way's please contact me for further information)

I was also happy to be able to Join our "only" inline skater Helena at inline training today, it's interesting to see how her training looks like, and keep up. She will particpate during the European Championships in Belgium later this summer, and I'll be curiouse to follow her results! Good Luck!

A short update from "what's going on"

/Claudia

Camp Bosön

Bosön-This weekend The Swedish Federation arranged it first camp in Stockholm where we gathered all disciplines such as speedskating, short track & inline skating.

It was 3 filled day's with training, lectures and fun side activites as Capoeira & Sumowrestling.

We had lectures that brought up the subject about gender, and what was highly my favorite lecture was about positive leadership with Jim Thuresson. He has a background in the basketball area, and he is a big inspiration to listen to; you will immediately laugh and just absorb every word he is saying.
And he talked about attitudes, giving positive feedback, having a positive energy amongst others. The best part is that he lived and acted of which he was talking about. Big plus!

It was an intensive weekend with a full program, and Saturday night ended with a fun surprise for us. Sumowrestling + bigboxing ring, very very fun even though I lost my match against Josefin. 3-0...
"I'll be back" for revange =)

All in all, great weather, good lectures, and company around! Successfull weekend in Stockholm.

22 And Going Strong

The Date had come again 23 May, and another number is added on my journey forward! 

I want give a big Thank You for all messages that have overwhelmed my inbox both cell wise and email.

I can look back on amazing things I've come to experience till this moment, such as traveling the world, being at the start on World Championships to have the honor to be hanging in a museum already at this age. And I'm looking forward for the next adventures that will come my way!

Till soon / Cluddet a.k.a miniman as I have been named from my sister (Perhaps the name will come to an end, 50 and still minimen?)

Vinter Universiaden 2009

Rapport från Harbin 24 th Winter Universiade Mina förväntningar inför Vinter Universiaden var något nollställda innan jag satte mig på planet mot Kina. Den information jag hade inför var att det var ett stort evenemang med över 2500 deltagare från över 50 länder.



Men hur stort det faktiskt var slog mig först när jag klev av planet i Harbin och tågade min väg mot bagage utcheckningen, flygplatsen var inred och pyntad med stora planscher av idrottare, vinter universiaden och de kända maskotarna. När jag väl nått utcheckningen ser jag sex-sju personer med två gigantiska skyltar, ett med mitt namn och ett med ”Welcome to 24th Winter Universiade” i samma veva blir jag övervältad av kameror som klickar och volontärer som springer runt på jakt efter mina väskor, jag fick inte röra ett finger själv.

Under min bilfärd till Athlete’s Village fick jag en blick över den gigantiska staden som har runt ca 10 miljoner invånare. Harbin är även känt för sina is parker- och skulpturer, värt att nämna även för alla ljusslingor som täcker hela stan, ett ända stort jul på Liseberg! Jag var en av de första som anlände till campus, till min lycka hade mina goda vänner från tyskland hunnit före och vi kunde utforska campus tillsammans. Vid Chinese Culture Center fick vi oss en dos av kinesisk lära och våra namn översatta, från den stunden var jag inte längre Claudia Wallin utan Wu´, Kê Lì. Dagen därpå anlände mitt team, i och med att jag var den enda svenska skridskoåkaren hade min tränare Jildou Gemser bestämt att den Holländska truppen skulle adoptera mig under Universiaden. Ett fantastiskt team, bra sammanhållning och atmosfär, det gick inte att fråga efter ett bättre team. Tillsammans har vi utforskat och förundrats över den kinesiska kulturen, fått minnen för livet, skapat nya kontakter och vänskapsband.

Men hur gick det nu med tävlingarna? Jag var nog en av dem som hade det mest fullspäckade schemat, och jag var väldigt entusiastisk inför det! 500m stod först på listan! Jag står på startlinjen och är riktigt taggad, skottet går av och jag är iväg! Lika fort som jag är iväg ligger jag nu på isen plattfall, med ett stort frågetecken ovanför mitt huvud. Inte så jag ville öppna spelen MEN mina tankar gick till Jeremy Wotherspoon som gjorde exakt detta men under ett OS, så jag fortsatte och slutförde mitt lopp i lugn och ro med applåder och support från publiken omkring mig. Omladdning inför nästa 500m, som gick skapligt med tanke på omständigheterna. Resten av veckan följdes av 1500m, 3000m, 100m och 1000m. Vilket resulterade med ett stort personligt rekord på 3000m till min glädje!



Vinter Universiaden har verkligen varit en sporre och jag ser fram emot att representera Sverige än en gång under dessa spel, jag rekommenderar även andra skridskoåkare i Sverige att följa med, för detta är så nära ett OS du kan komma. Jag vill ge ett stort varmt TACK till alla i min hemma klubb IFK Göteborg, som gett support och gjort denna resa verklig. Det har varit otroligt! Även ett stort tack till mitt adoptivteam ”Team Holland” och tränare Jildou Gemser.
Hälsningar Kê Lì - Claudia Wallin

Top-level (elite) sport versus Marriage

Sportsmen- and women can throw themselves into the wall. They can throw themselves in the sand, in the water, in the boxing ring or where ever, dependence which sport you take part in. One always speaks about top performances and top elite sport people!
But what kind of performance is it to perform elite sport compared to manage a marriage?

If it by any chance would creak in the relationship after a couple of years, there’s no personal trainer to be obtained. There are no possibilities to take part in a training camp to further development. Nor either is it allowed to seek for a new “spur partner” to improve oneself.

However what I’ve witnessed in the eyes of my older sister and her husband in the church yesterday, they earn the Olympic gold in my eyes. Even though they are just in the start line of a long life together I know they will make each other happy, spur each other and develop and become strong people individually as together.

It was with a big pride I was standing as a bride maid next to my sister, and be apart of this wonderful day. It may sound very cliche, but there was no chance in “heaven” to withstand of not fell a tear or in this case a river while in church looking at this beautiful couple, with tones of beautiful singing in the background.

They both are in another league than me; I will keep doing my laps around the oval till I’ll happily perhaps jump in the ring for this adventure of my own.

2 Maj at 2’ o clock. Thank You both for a beautiful day!

Dance is the hidden language of the soul

Never continue in a job you don't enjoy. If you're happy in what you're doing, you'll like yourself, you'll have inner peace. And if you have that, along with physical health, you will have had more success than you could possibly have imagined.
Johnny Carson couldn’t put these words together any better.

As an athlete you will be put to test several times, you spend hours, days, and years in your training mojo, towards the goal you have your eye aimed for. And there is more into an athlete’s life than just training as well I could tell you. There will be good days and there will be bad days. There will be times when you want to turn around, pack it up, and call it quits. But those times tell you that you are pushing yourself that you are not afraid to learn by trying. Cause with an idea, the right tools and determination you can do great things. You just have to trust yourself, to let your instincts, your intellect and your heart guide you. Believe in yourself and the power of the human mind.
And you owe it to yourself, to have fun, dig deep, stretch and dream big!
These are words that keep me going; I just need to take a quick look at my photo albums from all camps, races that have taken me all around the world. See the smile on my family & friends faces and share my success with them is gold worth as well.
And I’ve come to witness that with a good balance in life mixed with a cup of motivation, preparation, dedication, patience and laughter will take you far on your road towards your goal. At my last race during the Oval Finale in Calgary, I finally found peace, I had good friends around me, I had good ice under my blades, and I was relaxed but at same time focused. My goal was to come home with breaking the barriers I’ve been chasing for a longer period of time (if you are a speed skater you know how much these limits mean to accomplish) In the morning before my races I told myself; I won’t travel home without a 39:iner in my bag pack. As a plus I also broke the 1000m barrier under 1.20 seconds. Now I defiantly had a cause of celebration.
I’m sitting at home in Sweden, looking back at my whole winter season with all people I’ve come to meet, that have giving me loads of inspiration. All places I’ve got to explore and enjoy. And all training that shown result and giving me a ton of motivation to push myself harder during the summer training. And I’m looking forward to take the first steps on ice in a time soon! Till then, I’m going to enjoy the presence of the sun and my upcoming events both off and on the sport area.

I'm in love with a fairytale

The words from our winning Neighbour Alexander Rybak that set the tones during the Grand Eurovision, for once I agree the right song won!

Speaking of winning, this weekend I pulled off my speed skating skin and stepped into my weightlifting suit. It was time for the Swedish Weightlifting Championships.
Both are very much alike in their appearance, very thin fabric, tight, however behind the suit lays another world.
The weightlifting world vs. Speed skating world has both its own charms. Not only have the weights on the bar counted during competition day, also the weight on your body counts in as well…
It’s not an unfamiliar thing for me to be jumping and spitting around in an hot sauna before the official meeting with the weight scale that will determine my future of which category or points I will be dragged with.
Food? No, don’t even think about food before you stepped on the scale, after that crave as much as you want! That’s a golden rule!

The preparation for the competition it self also makes a difference, you focus, you drown yourself in magnesium to get that extra good grip on the bar, your name get’s called up. And the time set’s for 01.00 min and it’s time to pull some weights!
With a slam-dunk on the back from the coach, and some inspiring motivational words that will trigger that extra hunger to pull that massive peace of junk up it’s time to attack the bar! If one would like, you can sniff some ammoniac to get that extra trigger, in my case I rather skip that part…

Fairytale, ended with a shiny Gold medal. Our Ladies Team did a tremendous achievement, and won by far, just as Mr. Rybak.