Fight Gone Bad SPONSORS

I want to give a shoutout and a huge thanks to our event sponsors who are providing prizes for the Fight Gone Bad Fundraising workout Janaury 3rd.  Also big thanks to Mike D., our badass MC.

Have you signed up yet?

Fundraising Workout

Nothing says "good luck Emily" like killing yourself in Fight Gone Bad, right? 

Please consider coming out and participating in the workout on Sunday, January 3rd at CrossFit Rochester. Heats run every half hour from 7:30-11:30am. Ticket price is a donation in any amount.  Sign up and get more information at kayakwod.eventbrite.com.

Photos from our Lock 32 Event

From left to right: Emily Wright (GRAAF-supported kayaker), Miranda Melville (GRAAF-supported race walker from Rush-Henrietta who currently trains in San Diego), Faye Casey (GRAAF board member), and Anja Pierce (GRAAF-supported para-kayaker)

Anja and me!

Our new friends Mary and Anne, who came out after reading about the event in the newspaper! Mary is an avid paddler who frequents Canandaigua Lake.

Me with my mom (wearing a few of my medals for safekeeping) 

Lock 32 Event

To kick off our announcement that we will be competing in Olympic and Paralympic Trials, Anja and I held an event at Lock 32 Brewing Company last night.  Thank you to everyone who came out to hear our story!

If you missed the article that Brian Sharpe wrote in the Democrat and Chronicle yesterday, here it is!

If you missed the event, Anja and I talked about how we've helped each other this year.  I started training with Anja in April for the 2015 US Para Kayak Team Trials. Anja lost her leg to bone cancer as a child, and had already medaled at World Championships in canoe-- but as canoe wasn't in the Paralympics, she was going to race Kayak at trials and just "see what happened."  Well, what happened is she won Para kayak trials . . . and went on to win World Championships in canoe. Our training partnership was clearly effective. We had a marvelous summer training together, and when it was all said and done, I decided to get back on the racecourse myself. I am in the best shape of my life thanks to CrossFit, and eager to see how that might transfer into the boat.

We also shared information about our mutual sponsor, the Greater Rochester Amateur Athletic Federation. GRAAF sponsors Rochester-area Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls with small grants several times a year to fund training, travel, and racing expenses. They are currently supporting 6 local athletes. Check out their website here.

We'll be talking more about GRAAF on the Evan Dawson show on WXXI on January 5th-- I will provide more information as it gets closer!

Raising a Glass to Olympic Hopefuls

Brian Sharpe did a great job with this article about my training partnership with Anja, and our mututal supporter, the Greater Rochester Amateur Athletic Federation.

Check it out!

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/sports/2015/12/16/raising-glass-olympic-hopefuls/77377064/

Two Rochester-Area Women Announce Olympic and Paralympic Pursuits on December 16th

You're Invited!

Links links links!

Wow, it's been awhile, internet world! It looks like I haven't written anything on here for 2.5 years. Now that I am back on the horse (so to speak) I will be posting updates here-- as well as photos on my Facebook and Instagram pages. Have you followed me yet?

Click here to find me on Facebook

Click here to find me on Instagram

And while you're at it, sign up for my email updates by clicking here and filling out the online form on my website. (I promise I'll never use your email address for anything other than sending weekly or bi-weekly progress updates).

I've created a RallyMe Page to help me raise the funds I'll need for this spring. I have quit my full-time job (gulp!) to pursue this dream, so the funds raised (along with my own savings) will be used to pay for plane flights, boat transportation, race entry fees, coaching, food, room and board, and athlete services (like chiropractic and massage).  Click here to visit my RallyMe page.

Thanks for reading, long-lost blog friends. . .  I promise it won't be another 2.5 years until my next post.