Follow my story
AMBER MASLEN
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Sponsors
  • Love Food

Love to train, love to race

I've learnt so many things from slalom I don't think I could have learnt anywhere else. I want to share them because I think if they make a positive difference to a single person's journey, then it's worth writing. 

Read my Stories

London to Liptovsky

9/21/2016

3 Comments

 
Picture
So there's loads of places people choose to go and do winter training in slalom - Australia, New Zealand and Dubai are probably the favourites. There are also a load of awesome races that slalom paddlers like to go and chill out in at the end of the season - Adidas Sickline in Oetztal, Austria; WhitewaterXL in Wero, NZ. 

​Having just come back from my coldest session so far this year, a brisk 3 degree tech session, now felt like as good a time as ever to write about why I picked Liptovksy Mikulaš to start my winter preparation. 

Liptovsky (for anyone who hasn't been there) is a small town sitting at the foot of the Tatra mountains. I think mountains can bring a couple of mind sets.   I could understand why a certain type of person would feel enclosed or restricted; the mountains surround you, and they have that unavoidable, volatile mountain weather. It's easy to get entrenched in daily routines, because they're easier than trying to walk around in the snow and rain and ice every day. Being alone with your own mind can be pretty tough too.

So that's kind of what makes Liptovsky better for hard training than a load of places I've been. There's the slalom course, which has everything that a paddler could need to learn and develop. There's a big flat section of water, for when you want to suffer and do loops! The mountains are there to help you fly, not weigh you down, because once you know  you can climb one of the biggest ones, you realise you can go anywhere you want to go. You have to be absolutely comfortable with being alone, because things like walking in the cold every day give you an opportunity. You can choose to brood, or be impatient. That's so easy to do here; you know it's the home of some of the greatest slalom paddlers in the world. There's always that little voice in the back of your mind screaming RIGHT NOW! I want to be the best NOW.

Or you can choose to live in the moment. Enjoy being tough in the cold. Choosing to think about what makes you happy, or inspired, or calm, rather than annoyed, or down, or frustrated. It's not a comfortable topic of conversation for a lot of sports people, to discuss mindset. It's sort of stigmatised as a big mystery, and I suppose it sort of is a big mystery. Nobody can see inside anybody else's head. Although then I don't think it would be anywhere near as interesting. At the end of the day, athletes are encouraged to give 100% in every single session. In terms of physical output, that's ridiculous. We'd never get anything done. But you can give 100% effort, and 100% commitment, and 100% attention. It's fascinating to play games with mindset and observe the outcome on your training. It's even better when you realise how easy it can be when you stop thinking about it. Once you're giving 100% effort, the session does itself. You can just enjoy.

Picture
3 Comments
Lars Koebe
10/5/2016 12:03:41 pm

Word Amber! I would realy like to do a Session with you again! It Had been Three years Since we met And i would Love to See where you are at now!
Keep on committing and you will reach you Goal!
All the best for next Season!

Reply
Amber
10/5/2016 12:12:20 pm

Hey Lars, it would be cool to do a session again! Hope you are well :D
Thanks!!

Reply
Lars Koebe
10/5/2016 12:16:20 pm

Let me Know when you are in Germany! Maybe we can work Something out! All is well here! Spend three Weeks in France again this Summer!




Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Amber is a whitewater slalom athlete specialising in K1. Her top events to date were:
    U23 World Championships 2016
    U23 European Championships 2016
    Augsburg ICF World Cup 2018
    Tacen ICF World Cup 2018
    Bratislava  ICF World Cup 2019
    ​Tacen ICF World Cup 2019
    Leipzig ICF World Cup 2019
    Pau ICF World Cup final 2022

    Archives

    May 2022
    August 2021
    July 2021
    March 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    January 2020
    September 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    April 2018
    December 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    May 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.