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The Skinny on Skeleton’s Katie Uhlaender

This week, FBG will feature an inside peek into the minds—and training routines—of three U.S. Olympians. Here’s the first of this special three-part “Going for Gold” Olympian FitStars series!

U.S. Olympian skeleton racer Katie Uhlaender knows firsthand what it means to be a strong athlete. She’s got the physical routines down. To remain in top shape, she logs hours of sprint routines and clocks a lot of time in the gym lifting. Most of her training60 percentfocuses on the start. As Katie told me and the rest of the crowd at the Nike Women’s Training Summit in October, it’s all about relaxed chaos. You use your strength and speed, and trust the preparation will take you far and do it fast.

Her strength was pushed beyond the physical when she lost her father in early 2009. Even during that difficult time, she never gave up. In fact, she smiled while telling the Nike Summit team that her father had raised her to be an athlete. He taught her that sometimes the best time to do something is when you don’t want to do it because it’s when you get the best reward. For the Winter Olympics this year, he will be her greatest inspiration.

Having the privilege of hearing these background stories makes you want to root for them, not just because they are tremendous athletes, but because they have so much inner strength and heart. I have no doubt Katie’s strength will shine in the skeleton event on Thursday, Feb. 18. Tish

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