Well, hello there! Glad you made it over here to the brand new GrovesLine! It was high time to branch out and give the GrovesLine its very own home. Take a minute to check it out and learn more about Kristina and how this blog got its name. I hope you like it and feel free to drop by anytime!
Old Habits Die Easy
They say old habits die hard, but these days, as my life and I continue to evolve, I beg to differ. Having been beholden to the endless gritty details of high performance for so many years, one would think that it would be hard to drop the many habits ingrained in me over two decades. Not so. Continue reading
The Power of Patience
When I close my eyes and drift among the long history of all the races I’ve ever done, a very small handful shines through more brightly than the rest. I swiftly and easily recall the feeling of those rare moments, as it is forever carved into my bones and coursing through my muscles. Continue reading
In Praise of Tough Coaches
I don’t know legendary rowing coach Mike Spracklen, but I certainly know of him. I’ve long heard the fabled stories about how tough and demanding he is, that he can be blunt and harsh and unforgiving, that he pushes you to the brink of your own sanity and then pulls you back. I’ve heard all of that, and I’ve also heard about the medals his athletes have won. He coached my childhood idol Silken Laumen and she was pretty damn good too.
Kudos to the Converters
AVK with medal number four
After achieving a breakout world best performance, one of the most difficult things for an athlete to do is repeat that performance – it is far easier to reach the top than it is to stay there.
The X-Factor Games
According to people who seem to know what they are talking about, the two certainties in life are death and taxes. To this I’d like to add a third certainty: Olympic predictions. The pre-Olympic season is rife with endless chatter about who the favourites are, who is expected to perform and who is going to win, win, win!
Randy’s voice lives on, just listen…
Since his sudden and tragic passing in April, Randy Starkman’s Olympics Blog has faithfully remained in the top left spot of my computer’s web browser favourites page. That it has not been replaced with another, more frequently viewed site is surprising. But given that I went to his site for my Olympic sport news everyday for years, I suppose it could be expected. Just recently the site went blank, a moment that I knew was coming, but it saddened me all the same as I was reminded then that Randy really is gone and I can’t rely on him for my Olympic fix this time around.
The GrovesLine 