After two months on the road, in snowy cold places around the world, the USA Women’s Bobsled team returned home to the United States this week for some much needed “R & R”.
They drew a pretty good location: San Diego.
Seven of the 8 women on the team checked into the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center (formerly known as Olympic Training Center) to spend the week working on speed, agility, and strength all the while appreciating the sunshine and warm weather.
San Diegans might complain about the rainy winter, but so far these bobsledders feel like it’s a slice of heaven.
"I love California, this is like the best place on earth," said bobsledder Brittany Reinbolt.
The team arrived in Chula Vista Monday night after being out of the country since Dec. 30.
They will spend just under a week at the center, training with two-time Olympic medalist Elana Meyers Taylor, who grew up in Oceanside.
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Bobsledders spend an enormous amount of time working on their explosiveness and very little time on the actual bobsled track.
“If you think of basketball players they can go on the court and take a bunch of shots and practice their skills, for bobsled we're actually only on the ice for two minutes a day," said Jamie Greubel Poser.
Greubel Poser drove her sled to a bronze medal at the World Championships in Germany last week, while Meyers Taylor continued her dominance winning gold.
But along with lifting weights and doing sprints, the women said they are excited to soak up as much vitamin D as possible before heading off to Korea.
“It’s a nice little vacation before we head to South Korea," said bobsledder Kehri Jones. "Cuz we’re not bobsledding. It’s not cold outside, it’s not snowing. We don’t have to run on ice. It’s just—it’s a perfect getaway.”
Being in Southern California also meant spending some time on the beach, of course.
They even took a bit of their sport along with them, building a bobsled out of sand during a trip to Mission Beach.
“Yes, we’re still doing our training, yes we’re still intense, but we get a lot of vitamin D, which we’re solely lacking all year,” said Meyers Taylor.
Team USA is considered the hardest team to make in the world and will send three different teams of two to the 2018 Winter Olympics next February in Pyeongchang South Korea.
