Really cool short Bobsled video

[CanuckInUSA 0]

Last night for the first time in my life I got to ride in a full blown (non-tourist) 4 man bobsled as a fellow I know from the Calgary Kart Racing Club owns his own sled and has been piloting them for years recruited myself and another couple of people to compete with him in the 4 man category of the Alberta Bobsled Championships this weekend. We did some practice runs last night and I sit here waiting to hear if I will be racing in tomorrow's race (unfortunately our brakeman aggravated an existing injury and we need to find a replacement). I tried to recruit a fellow who I met last summer in a offroading Jeep club as this fellow has over 400 runs himself and used to slide with Brian the owner of the sled years ago. But unfortunately Mike (aka Silversurfer) is recovering from a recent hernia operation and was unable to slide with us this weekend. Mike did however come down to the track today to watch the Mens and Womens 2-man bobsled races and took this really cool slow motion video of some of the action. I even make a cameo appearance in the video as I tried to get as close as I could to the sled to take in the speed of it as it passed.

Here's the video:

https://vimeo.com/121569194

What a rush. The G forces you experience in bobsled are nothing like I have ever experienced before and I do race a Rotax DD2 Kart which pulls close to 3 Gs and have driven a Formula Renault race car (also close to 3 Gs). But in my Kart and in the Formula car the Gs are more gradual in building up. The 4.5 Gs I experienced last night in that 4 man bobsled are instant and violent and it's hard to describe except ... wow ... it's intense. I am in pain today in several parts of my body from the Gs and bashing against the walls of the sled in the corners (we had braking issues, but we did not crash). However even though I am in pain, it was all worth it. I kind of wished I had tried this sport when I was younger. Oh well, at least I got to experience it now. haha

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[PLFKING 3]

I've always thought that would be an insane amount of fun. Hope you get to race tomorrow.


Don

"When in doubt I whip it out,
I got me a rock-and-roll band.
It's a free-for-all."

[CanuckInUSA 0]

PLFKING

I've always thought that would be an insane amount of fun. Hope you get to race tomorrow.

We're not going to race. We were unable to secure a brakeman. Unlike the #2 or #3 positions in a 4-man sled (I was the #3 man in practice) where the only requirement is to be in shape, be able to push the sled, be able to get in the sled, seated and then be able to withstand the punishing G forces. The brakeman has the second most responsible job on the team and needs to have experience in knowing the track, knowing when to brake and knowing how to brake. So you can't just pick anyone off of the street, you need to find an experienced brakeman and we were unable to do this as a team. That's okay, my body is still sore from Friday's practice runs. haha

You know the way we as skydivers may tell a whuffo "Freefall is unlike anything you have ever done before". Well bobsled is unlike anything you have ever tried before, unless of course you are already an experienced Luger or Skeleton racer. In a bobsled the G forces are so sudden and so intense the way your body is driven into the bottom of the sled. During the high speed high G force turns my lower back was killing me. But a funny thing is my lower back is fine now. My upper back is a tad sore, but I am told this was because I was not loose enough, I was actually trying to fight the turns when in reality I really needed to be loose like a noodle and go with the turns. I asked about a wearing a weight belt for the lower back pains in the turns as I have seen some sliders wearing them, but then I was told they are not wearing them for their lower backs, they wear them to help protect their kidneys as some sliders (not all of course) have been known to piss blood after many practice runs. What a sport. Unlike anything you have ever tried. I may get to run again next year, and hopefully if that happens the team will be a little more organized in terms of securing enough people capable of being the brakeman. But of course time is not on my side as I will be another year older. Wish I had tried this sport when I was younger. Heck I moved to Calgary back in 1990. But unless you meet people who slide you don't really think about that world class bobsled track in your back yard.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over