Jennifer Rodriguez - 2010 Olympic Oval

Hey Everyone!

Well right now I'm in Vancouver, Canada at a 2 week training camp with my team. Actually, we're in Richmond just outside of Vancouver. That's where the Olympic Oval is. So far things have been great. I was able to get on the ice once before I got out here, but since we've been out here we've been on the ice pretty much every day.

It's a good and exciting feeling to be able to train where you know you're going to be competing. I'm not going to lie though...the ice is not very fast. It seems like they are still trying to work the kinks out which is to be expected. Right now it feels pretty soft and slow, but we knew that coming here. I think things will be a little better for the Games, but don't expect to see any world records being broken.

The facility itself is very beautiful though and sits right along a river. On one side of the building is all windows so it has a very pretty view. During the Games though they will blacken out all the windows for tv coverage.

Like I said, training has been going very well although I just found out through an MRI last week that I have a torn labrum in my right hip. Its an injury I've had for a number of years, but this year it seems to have gotten worse. When the results came back from the MRI, the news was not good. The only good news is that so far it doesn't seem to give me any pain to skate. Right now that's all that matters.

Dr. Heiden has recommended to me to have surgery done, but that would require a month of rehabilitation which is something I can't afford to do at this time. Since my hip seems to be okay while I'm skating, I will just deal with it the best way we (trainers, doctors, coaches) know how and get the surgery done after the season. I just have to make adjustments with some of my other training. If I have to later in the season I will get a cortizone shot, but I hoping I won't need to.

Other small news...I traded in my car for a 2005 VW Beetle. I needed to save some money, so I got something quite a bit smaller with better gas milage. I'm just curious to see how she runs in the winter time! :)

Other than that, not much else worth talking about. Hasta luego!

jen