Hello All,

I hope everyone is enjoying their first weekend of December! I just love the holiday season.  I am in Baltimore for a Sylvan business training all week. It is a beautiful city filled with many holiday sales!!  Ha! Ha! Ha!

I'm sure you were all up llate last night wondering how Casey was doing in Japan in his first races of the season. :) Good thing I was in a hotel and able to check my computer from bed! The wireless connections we can make now in hotels just amazes me.

Casey's first 500m race of the season kicked off at about 10pm Wisconsin time Friday night.  His pair was one of his biggest rivals in the speedskating world...Erben Wennemars! What a great way to kick off the season with a bit of adrenalin pumping! Casey started in the outer lane and obviously finishing with an inner turner.  They were pair 17 out of 21. He came across the line, beating Erben with a time of 35.59. This was good enough for the 5th fastest time on the day!!!  Yeah!!! A top ten finish in the first race of the season and only .39 seconds off the leaders! Right where Casey would like to be!  Jeremy Wotherspoon (canadian training partner) and Shimizu from Japan tie for first place with a time of 35.20.

2 hours pass...skates are resharpened, muscles are kept warmed up, and energy is replenished.  Casey is called to the line for his first 1000m race. It is now past midnight in Wisconsin.  He will start in the outer lane and is paired with one of his training partners, Joey Cheek. Casey has been finishing his 1000m races stronger than every! Not since the late 1990's has he had such a strong last lap. He is excited to have his last lap back.  Although having the last outer turn will test his muscles endurance!  They come across the line with Casey winning in a time of 1:09.88.  He stands on the podium for the first time this season with a Bronze medal hanging around his neck! Erben Wennemars has the winning time of 1:09.45.

All in all, Casey is very pleased with his first day of racing!  And of course so am I!!
They race again later on Saturday night!

Take care...
Jenn Fitz