The longest 43.60 seconds of my life!

So turning 50 is about reflection but also about having fun and doing some memorable things…well, I saw the Whistler Sliding Centre was now letting people slide down the bobsleigh run. While my wife Sadhna and a few others thought that I was crazy for doing this, I thought that this is something that I needed to do.
Working on the 2010 Olympic Bid Committee to get the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, I had a great time being a part of the Bid and having this vision of seeing the games in Vancouver. Also, when the Olympics were in Vancouver/Whistler, I got to see the Gold Medal finals for the two man bobsleigh and was amazed at how fast the athletes would go. You would stand there and wait…hear the rumble up the hill and try to time the camera trigger so that when they went around the bend, you snapped the image but they were sooooo fast. They were traveling an unbelievable 147.9 kms/hr and 5 g-forces at the top end.

So there was much anticipation. Was I really crazy for doing this…I mean there is not a lot of protection once you get going. They called up three of us and we made our way to the novice start. I was in the brakeman position at the back of four and least protected. Fortunately, we had a professional pilot. OK, helmet on, grab on to the cables to the side, last second instructions, and maybe a prayer? Our pilot came up from behind and tapped us on our heads for a final safety check and then they pushed us on to the track. So we started and it really was no big deal. Then we slowly picked up speed. Now you start experiencing a rise in adrenaline and it really started to pick up speed. You are trying to keep your head straight but as you start going into tight bends, the sleigh grips the wall. Now the speed is going really fast and you suddenly hit the final turn – Thunderbird Lane…our bobsleigh was now at its top speed and we were now hugging the wall (like a fly on the wall) and you look down and the ground is below you and you are parallel to the ice.

All I know is that I am very glad I did this and got this one out of my system. Now I did not break any records (or my neck); however, my time and record is 43.60 seconds at 124kms/hr and 3-g force. The certificate says – “Sam has hereby demonstrated bravery and athleticism by sliding down the world’s fastest sliding track in a 4-person bobsleigh.” I am not sure if it was bravery and athleticism or craziness and adrenaline rush ?

ps – the image on the post is not of me sliding down the mountain…just so you know.

pss – Good thing my family did not see this youtube 4 man bobsleigh flip over from yesterday and the brakeman pop out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xq9FI1H4TuU