Touchdown France!!!

(Please forgive the context, spelling, and any other errors. Ive been writing this over the past two nights, when my mind was so confused and exhausted from travelling)


January 5th, 2010
So I’m here…sort of. Im sitting in a Train Station at the moment (my laptop says its 6:30am) back in California. Next stop from here is the L’Argintiere Des Ecrins station to jump on a shuttle up to the mountain village. I lost track of what time it is, what time I started, and most notably exactly how long I’ve been travelling for (although it’s probably much better that way). I feel like the sleeping pills helped me to be as prepared as possible for the time change here in France, but I can definitely feel the effects and confusion that comes along with travelling this far.

Next on the list is to figure out just HOW to get on the internet so I can communicate with everyone back home (I’m writing this probably a good 4 hours or so before I can post it). The language barrier has been a huge issue from the instant I left the East Coast and heard the Flight Attendant’s announcements. I’ve been surrounded by something very new to me and it was almost intimidating, especially knowing that I’ve come here alone. By the way, thank you Cindy for the Christmas gift, I’ve already used it to find out where in the world I’ve been going, and to order a $4 shot of Espresso from the Gare de Lyon station that brought me here.

…hours later.

I just arrived at my Hotel, its about 830pm local time. The 10min taxi ride from the train station up to the mountain village was 38Euro (I don’t want to calculate it again, it was heartbreaking enough dealing with it already). When we pulled up we were literally 10min late for the receptionist. Everything was dark, and I’m in the middle of a village with nobody around, its -4C, and the taxi driver says au revoir and takes off. Luckily a resident just happened to come out to the lobby to grab something from the vending machine, and he buzzed me in. I was able to call the receptionist, she walked over within 5min, and FINALLY I can call my travel day(s) complete.

Just my luck, there’s no internet here either, so that means I’ll probably be posting this up sometime tomorrow when I snowboard down to the village and meet up with all the other athletes for registration. For now I desperately need some sleep.


January 6th, 2010 – Recover, Sleep, Practice, Sleep, Registration, and SLEEP

WOW, now I know what Jetlag is…

I tried to convince myself that Jetlag was all in the mind, but there was no denying it when I woke up at 430am locally (730pm PST) and couldn’t get back to sleep. Last night’s extremely expensive cab ride left me with some mixed feelings about how well I planned a budget for the trip. And to add, my electricity adapter I’ve been using for my laptop literally blew up this morning so I needed to purchase a new one (my sincerely sarcastic “Thank You” to Walmart). Also, I didn’t mention it last night (since I thought I was still hallucinating), but that 10min cab ride was more like a Rally Racing dream. This dude driving a 4wd “Scenic” wagon was AWESOME, and I was so exhausted from all the travelling that I just held on, but with a huge smile.

Just when I thought all was lost (budget wise), little things here and there became a huge relief. For le petit dejeuner today it was a Croissant and Espresso. I wanted to use my card since I knew I needed to hang on to my cash for the inevitable expensive cab ride in a few days. The guy said there was a minimum purchase needed for the card, but said don’t worry about it and sent me on my way. Sweet. When I stopped back into the hotel to change, the receptionist reminded me that I needed to turn in my card for the room deposit. But, she said “you are probably busy, you can just do it the next day, or even the next day”. When I came back in the afternoon to remind her, SHE was busy. She just said not to worry about it. Sweet again. I got down to the village to purchase a lift ticket, this is where I was convinced that I would be shocked, lift tickets in Tahoe are around $70USD minimum. To my surprise, lift tickets were only 26,60EU. Sweet yet again. I grabbed my stuff and went straight up top to check out the terrain.

AMAZING! The closest comparison I can make is the Blackcomb Glacier up in Canada. The mountains were gigantic, and completely surrounded the horizon. There were only a handful of trees on the entire resort, which meant wide open riding off of every chair. It had recently snowed up here, so there were fresh tracks everywhere. I was on my race board, so powder wasn’t gonna cut it today, although it was extremely tempting. From my first lap I could already tell there were competitors here. I could see people on the wide open trails practicing turns in groups of 5-10. Later I found out it was the home team, France is registered with 20+ ppl. The race track was being built throughout the day, so I frequently stopped by to lay out the rhythm in my mind. But, I finally gave in and went up top to catch the breathtaking view; some of the pictures posted on my Facebook Page will show it.

Practice went well today, and I got a chance to meet some great people. Hand gestures have become a standard, since I swear French is the most difficult language in the Universe. It’s now 8pm here locally and we just finished up the riders / team captain meeting to grab our jerseys. There are over 100 people registered, which according to the organizing committee is low compared to what was anticipated. This same weekend, the FIS World Cup takes place in Bad Gastein, Austria. Had it not been for so many riders going to World Cup, they would have seen close to 200 registered today. I got a chance to meet Team Japan tonight and was able to communicate with them much easier than anyone else in the past two days (THANK YOU Sanchez-Sensei and Masuyama-Sensei). Judging by the point numbers on the roster, there are some killer racers here. At least a quarter of the racers are well beyond the 50pt. minimum for World Cup entry. None of that is in my head, I know what I’m here for, and I want to take it. A very good friend reminded me that when it comes time to step in the gates, the guys next to you are just as nerve-racked as you are. When I keep that mindset locked in, I can look down my race line and everything else disappears…

Tomorrow is our official Inspection / Practice day. We aren’t allowed on the course until 230pm, with inspections first followed by an hour of full-speed practice. Tonight, my little seafood couscous dinner will be followed by a huge helping of race waxing, edge tuning / sharpening, and sleep. HOPEFULLY I will have this posted by tomorrow, I was able to find another power adapter for my laptop down in the village.

Kenneth

Next stop, France...

As the 2009 year came to a close, I was surrounded by great people and it reminded me just how much I had to be thankful for. With my very first international event coming up next week, it's been important to acknowledge all of the much needed support that I've received. The list of people I have to thank is so much larger than what I have listed on my blog.

To be completely honest, I'm going into next week with VERY mixed feelings. It's my first time traveling overseas. It's my first time attempting to take on an international field of competitors. I'm traveling alone. I've learned about 17 French words. What's really in store out there?

With only a day left before I leave, I also note the brighter side. I may be traveling alone, but I've got all of my reservations laid out and printed. The mountain in France is at an equivalent elevation to our mountains here in Tahoe. I'm READY. My new board is READY. My mind is READY. The European teams want these points, but I want them more. The Philippines team has been working hard all over the globe to make this year historical, and it's my time to contribute.

I leave early Monday from San Francisco, and I'll have my camera out the second I land in France. For those of you that have been following along, I will have my phone but I don't plan on using it. As soon as I'm settled in at the Puy St. Vincent village, I'll have my Facebook Page signed in to chat with you all. Once again I would like to thank each and every one of you for your continued support leading up to this season, I can't wait to come back with some great results.

Kenneth C.

Getting Fitted

This week was no different than the last three; stressing over event registration, getting my passport paperwork, trying to figure out WHAT ON EARTH all of the French Websites are telling me about getting to and from here, taking shuttles there, and so on and so on...

One thing that did catch me eye was a message left for me as I arrived at work last week. "Kenneth someone named Dr. Kwan left a message for you - he said something about seeing you on KCRA and left his number."

...and WOW, THANK YOU KCRA!!! By some fortunate "accident", Dr Kwan had seen the footage on KCRA and said he had just the thing that could help to achieve my edge.

It turns out Arthur Kwan runs a not so typical dental practice up in Rocklin, CA. He wanted to introduce me to some new technology that's starting to blow up in the sports world. It's called a PPM, or "Pure Power Mouthguard". It comes in the form of a "mouthpiece", and has already undergone some in-depth testing with athletes all over the world. Dr. Kwan was nice enough to extend to me the opportunity to try one out!

Last night I went in for the fitting. The staff was amazing, and everyone was well educated on the benefits of using this technology. After taking a few molds of my teeth, we had come up with two different molds to work with. This is where things got interesting...

Now I'm completely aware that in every industry there are gimmicks. Everyone out there has something to make you faster, stronger, or more agile...and quite often they're too good to be true. When Dr. Kwan described some of the IMMEDIATE benefits, I was definitely skeptical. However, after experiencing the benefits firsthand, I was blown away.

We started with some simple strength and balance tests; Something to show how the human body acts when it aligns itself, and once again with the jaw and head "locked" in proper alignment. The difference was "jaw dropping" (literally...). The flexibility tests were astounding. I did some simple stretches, once normally, and once again with the test mouthpiece in. "WOW" is the only word that comes to mind.

Im very fortunate to have this type of support, especially in a sport where explosive strength and agility is a must. Not to mention trying to figure out how to breathe properly when your going all-out at high altitude. I cant wait to feel the difference when my PPM is finished!

Thank you so much Dr. Kwan and everyone at NuSmile Sacramento. For the rest of you following along, take a look for yourselves!!!

The MAKKAR PPM Official Website
Dr. Kwan's office: NuSmile Sacramento

My much anticipated story on KCRA!

What an unbelievable night!
Brian Hickey from KCRA contacted me a few days ago to let me know that the interview we did at Mikuni Elk Grove would air Wednesday night on the 6pm news. With alot of anticipation and a much needed boost after the bad news about France, the story aired as scheduled just before 630pm. With a little adjustment to the TV's at work, we all watched live as the story aired.
Brian and I talked a bit about exactly what it takes at this stage for a Snowboard Cross racer to make it into the Olympic Games. I clarified that the sport was relatively new, making its debut at the last Winter Games in Torino, Italy in 2006, and that there were a few things that need to happen in order for a rider to be "qualified".
The clip came out wonderfully, and I couldn't have asked for a better outcome. I came home to a flood of messages from friends and family that had a chance to see the story. In addition, two Fil-Am organizations contacted me about possible fundraisers and / or sponsorships. For that I'm extremely grateful, this is exactly the publicity I was lacking up to this point.

Regarding the story, there were just a couple things that I wanted to clarify regarding why I chose to take this "untraditional" route towards a possible Olympic career...
Some have asked why I chose to represent The Philippines since it was so complicated compared to competing as a U.S team member. For me, the choice wasn't complicated at all. My Grandmother has been the foundation of the Filipino culture in my family. In the same way that proffessional Basketball and Baseball players represent their "home countries" during Olympic time, I chose to do something similar. This is my way of having not only pride in the culture that has contributed so much to my upbringing, but also as a means of saying Thank You to my Grandmother, and the opportunities she provided for our family so many decades ago as they moved to the US. I took some time to go into detail about this during my KCRA interview, but understandably it was cut out to keep within the time restrictions.

Once again, I have to thank you all for your support and energy. I will attach a link to the clip (HERE)

Also a big thanks to the incoming support from:
www.IAmFILAM.com
FiliIslander Clothing

Stay tuned!

The clock ticks...

Another long week, with a handful of good and bad news from everywhere. With the weather finally starting to go our way in Northern California, I was able to get some much needed time in up on the mountain.
Towards the end of November, it was clear that I wasn't going to be able to afford to travel to the FIS Pre-Lim qualifier in France. I had to suck it up, rethink my plans, and start building energy for the next qualifier. Just two days ago I received an email from the head of registration for that event. The event was CANCELLED due to "poor snowfall conditions", with a brief "sorry about that" listed at the end. This started to make me wonder just HOW the rest of the athletes are able to deal with these sudden and unforeseeable changes. If I had booked the $1500+ travel and accomodations package for that event and received that same email, I would have been completely devastated. I can only imagine how many athletes that already reserved their spot at this event must feel.

So for now, the clock ticks...
One less event to build the neccessary points to make it to World Cup, and the deadline is only getting closer.

Slopes bring satisfaction

Family is proud of his feats

Andrew Hazard

Issue date: 11/18/09 Section: Sports

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Media Credit: Nallelie Vega Kenneth Carson, senior business operations manager, will attempt to qualify for the 2010 Winter Olympics. [Click to enlarge]

Kenneth Carson's family and friends have always admired him for his work ethic and kindness toward others. Now, he hopes to be the admiration of an entire nation.

With 86 days until the opening ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Kenneth Carson is looking to earn Olympic gold as a part of the Republic of the Philippines' snowboard cross team.

Each country can send up to 18 competitors to the Olympics and since Carson has dual Philippine-American citizenship, he decided to try out for the Philippines' National Team.

"People may look at it as a loophole, the way I looked at it was from a cultural aspect," he said. "It is me saying thank you to the culture that has had the biggest effect on me and made me who I became."

He said snowboard cross is a test of vigor and willpower.

"Snowboard cross is all-out adrenaline racing," Kenneth Carson said. "There are between four and six racers lined up in a set of gates. After a certain cadence the gates drop and you all race to the bottom. It is pretty intense, first one down wins."

Kenneth Carson started snowboarding when he was 17 years old. He has been snowboarding competitively for four years. He said he has to make up for his lack of experience in snowboard cross with his love for the sport.

"I got off to a little bit of a late start compared to a lot of the people I snowboard with. I didn't get to start when I was 10 or 11 years old," he said. "I took it on and became talented in what I do."

A snowboard cross race usually takes one to two minutes to complete. Kenneth Carson said some courses have jumps as high as 60 feet and would not be surprised if he reached 50 mph in any given race.

Kenneth Carson's family said his passion for snowboarding outweighs the concerns about him competing in what can be a dangerous sport.

"I am scared of him getting injured, but he is doing something he loves. You can get injured walking across the street," said Kerry Carson, Kenneth's father.

Although he has earned his way on the Philippines' National Team, Kenneth Carson still has some work to do in order to guarantee his spot in Vancouver.

"No one is officially qualified yet. We have a few preliminary events in December. If you make a minimum point total at the cutoff period then you are officially qualified," he said.

Kenneth Carson must finish in the top 30 at a World Cup event and earn 100 FIS points by Jan. 25 if he wants to earn a spot on the 2010 Philippines' Olympic National Team.

"The race against time right now is pretty crucial. The World Cup has already started this season, the first stop was in Argentina (during) the whole first week of this semester," he said.

He said the next World Cup event is in Colorado in the beginning of December. He said he will probably skip that event to go to another preliminary qualifying event in Japan.

Kenneth Carson said school, snowboarding and work as the floor manager at Mikuni Sushi in Elk Grove keep him busy.

Check...annnnd CHECK

Registration, Passport Photos, Registration, Copies, Mail, Registration again. Its been a long week, and its only TUESDAY. Yesterday I finished up an interview with the Sac State Hornet newspaper for a sports feature due out within the next two weeks. This morning I met up with Brian Hickey from KCRA for an interview at Mikuni Elk Grove. We chatted about the upcoming season, the competitions going on worldwide, and exactly what its going to take for an athlete to make it to Vancouver 2010. My first eligible event would be a European Continental Cup race in December. Europe?!...I've never even been out of North America. The race takes place at Isola2000, France on the 18th and 19th. If I can gather enough financial backing within the next 2 weeks or so, I'm THERE. Enough points at the Euro-Cup means a start at the World Cup. Enough points by January 25th can mean a spot at the Olympic Games.


I've received some gigantic support from some great people these past few weeks, and I'm flattered to say the least. Yesterday I was even "pulled over" on my way home by a friend from here in Sacramento (Thank you again Maribeth!). This week is already big for the Philippines Team, Jondre is on his way to Copper Mountain, CO for some much needed qualification points, and Eden is prepping for the FIS World Cup stop in Telluride, CO. JR from Italy is due to make his appearance soon, and so am I. The season will be in full swing within a month, I'm eager to get out there and represent!
Kenneth C.