Get ready Texans fans – The Blonde Side is finally combining her love and knowledge of sports and travel and putting together a run road trip as the Houston Texans takes on the Atlanta Falcons October 4th.
We have very limited space (we only have room for seven more people), but here are the details (subject to change):
Dates: Friday, October 2 – Monday October 5 (morning)
*We will be leaving Friday morning at 7a SHARP. The trip is approximately an 11-hour drive (we’ll make all 11 hours fun, promise!) and we will be leaving Atlanta following the game on Sunday (it is a 12p game, so to be realistic, we will plan to leave the stadium at 5p) and driving home to aim for arriving back in Houston Monday morning around 7a.
The trip includes transportation to and from Atlanta (via Debbie the Texan’s brand new Texan-pimped out conversion van) and to the actual game (including parking), hotel accommodations (all are double occupancy, unless stated otherwise, which will be an increase in price), your game ticket on the Texans side, and a bunch of swag and goodies throughout the trip.
(Still working on some killer details, but lets just say we won’t have to pay for beer on the ride or while tailgating! Thanks Coors Light!)
Transportation: My good friend Debbie the Texan just got a brand new conversion van that is pimped out with Texans swag (see picture above).
Hotel: We will be staying in a hip place – Hotel Indigo, located in the Midtown section of Atlanta. We have priced this based on double occupancy, so either make a friend join you, or we’ll pair you with someone cool. If you want your own room, rates will go up, but still affordable!
The hotel is also giving each guest two free drinks at the hotel bar.
Game Ticket: Duh, what’s a Texan’s Road Trip without a game ticket? We are working with my pals at TicketCity to get the best price on some great tickets.
The tickets we have secured are Section 130, Row 22 on the Texans side (the corner). We have worked out a deal with TicketCity, so if you want different seats, we can arrange that, but know there will be a price increase. Ideally, we can all sit together.
Did I mention Coors Light is providing the beer for us to tailgate? So that’s covered too.
Swag: Details on this, but y’all know how The Blonde Side rolls. Expect some swag y’all. #Promise.
Reminder – this is a road trip – you know that saying life is about the journey, not the destination? It applies here. Eleven hours is a bit of a haul, but we’ll have a blast and we’ll be reppin’ the Texans the whole way down (did you see a picture of the van?).
Since we ONLY HAVE SEVEN MORE SPOTS, we need to know ASAP if you are coming. This is a first-come, first-serve trip. Also, half of the money is due when you RSVP for this trip. Since we are prepaying for the hotel, tickets, etc. it is non-refundable – but if you give us advance warning, we will try to find someone to take your place and refund you. Note, you will only get a refund if we can resell your spot.
TOTAL COST: $550
Again, we only have seven spots, so the first ones to message me AND PAY are on the bus! Even if you want to just get a $200 deposit down, you’re spot will be saved.
Questions or ready to sign up? Email ASAP: jayme @ theblondeside . com
If you are already planning on going to the game and just need tickets, let us know and you can get in on our group prices with TicketCity. You can also book a hotel room at our spot as we have a block reserved – call the hotel and ask for Paul and get “The Blonde Side’s block.”
The Blonde Side has also created a 10k team for the Run10Feed10 Series put on by Women’s Health Magazine. Please consider signing up to run with us (use code WHLAMM for $5 off, so it’s only a $30 donation and you get free swag!). Here is info on the race or you can donate a few bucks here.
July 1st is right around the corner and it marks the kick off to the Degree Get Moving Challenge with Women’s Health and Men’s Health.
Although bikini season is already upon us (yikes?), who doesn’t need a six-week fitness challenge to keep us going?
Chris Powell, Celebrity Trainer and Transformation Pro will be leading the challenges. You can enter the challenge (it’s free) either as a bonus form of motivation or if you’re hardcore like me, for a chance to be named the Ultimate Challenger and WIN a one-on-one workout session with Chris Powell!
I am beyond excited that the Women’s Health Action Hero Program selected me as one of the influencers to help push this program forward.
Follow me on Twitter to keep up with my progress and challenges and be sure to check out #GetMoving #WHActionHero to see what others are doing.
Here is more about the program from an official release about the challenge via Business Wire:
Each week Powell will unveil a set of all-new, exclusive endurance, strength, and cardio challenges designed to incrementally increase the level of intensity each week so participants can achieve greater fitness results and keep moving all summer long. Each member’s workout progress is logged and tracked through a custom partnership with MapMyFitness, the number one training app that enables users to track fitness activities via the built-in GPS on their mobile devices.
“This summer I’m challenging men and women everywhere to get moving and maximize their fitness goals together with the teams at Women’s Health and Men’s Health and the support of Degree®,” says Chris Powell.
Summer is a great time to change up any fitness routine to include outdoor activities. The Degree® Get Moving Challenge works to incorporate all physical activity, both indoor and outdoor, and encourages people to vary their workouts in order to win prizes throughout the competition. Inspired by Degree’s movement platform, the collaboration brings together the expertise of Women’s Health and Men’s Health, along with Chris Powell’s approach to proven results to ensure a successful experience for all participants.
At the end of the 6-week challenge, one participant will be named the Ultimate Challenger and win a one-on-one personalized training session with Powell.
The “Degree® Get Moving Challenge” spotlights Degree’s exclusive MOTIONSENSE® technology that responds directly to body movement—the more you move, the more it protects. “More people rely on Degree Antiperspirant than any other brand in America. We’re excited to put our unique Degree® MOTIONSENSE technology to the test in this exciting partnership with Chris, Women’s Health and Men’s Health. We want to help readers keep moving, and challenge themselves to achieve their best,” said Matthew McCarthy, Senior Marketing Director, Unilever North America.
Today was my first life coaching session with Sally. I’m honestly surprised at how well it seemed to go (but who knows, I could have easily driven her to drink after hearing about my messy life).
Something I realized right off the bat was how good it felt to just talk to someone. She was listening. She was asking questions. Why is it none of us do that anymore (myself included)?
It was such a treat to talk to someone who wasn’t coming into the conversation with an agenda or any biases. For example – when we started talking about my miserably-constantly-failing-love-life, she didn’t remind me about that loser I wasted ten months on and all the verbal abuse he put me through or that I ignored all the red flags.
She didn’t judge. She just listened and asked questions at the right times.
After we hung up, one thing became clear – I want simplicity in my life. I’m not exactly sure in what areas (actually, all of them) or what I need to do to get there, but through our conversation, Sally kept peppering me with questions that all led back to the words: organization and simplicity.
All of my talk kept leading her to say the word focus over and over.
Being able to just talk and answer these strategic questions led me to another realization. I have two big goals in my life (one of them is getting my memoir published, though the hard part of actually writing it has already been done), and I’m not working towards either of them. Sally says it seems I can “conceive” a goal, but am not motivated to move to the next step. Spot on Sally, spot on.
Today’s conversation was actually the first time I’ve said these two goals out loud and man was it an eye-opener. I have two fairly attainable and highly-rewarding goals right in front of me, and they are just sitting there.
During our hour-long session, I did something I haven’t done in maybe forever. I put absolutely everything away and talked to her (our sessions are via phone). I wasn’t checking Instagram, the radio was off, I actually closed my computer, plugged in my headphones to my phone and just chatted.
Notes to share:
– She doesn’t come into our coaching relationship with an agenda – she says that’s for me to figure out. Yikes, no pressure.
– She pointed out that we all have a tendency to resist change and that I shouldn’t be surprised or discouraged if I feel resistance to our program. She told me to “lean into the process.”
– Our goal is to tune in with current priorities and values, then define new ones.
HOMEWORK: (I told her to be aggressive with me since we set a three-month benchmark to see some results or at least get more focused) I will be taking some online assessments to help me see what my strengths and such are. It may sound easy, but if you’ve taken these before (and you’ve taken them seriously), it’s pretty enlightening. And the next session, we’ll look at and discuss the results.
So after our first session, I’m sure she thinks I’m a basket-case. Guess we’ll see if she can work her magic on me!
About seven years ago, back when I was still in Corporate America, my boss bought me a Christmas gift. (To be fair, since it’s Corporate America, it was probably a holiday gift, because no one is allowed to say Christmas anymore, which is annoying…)
Everyone on the Marketing team got a Visa gift-card. Not a bad gift to spend any way you like on whatever you want.
But I didn’t get a Visa gift-card.
Instead, my boss called me into his office, gave me this long spiel about how great and creative I am, how I have a strong head on my shoulders – “stronger than most,” I remember him saying.
For my gift, he pulled out an envelope as he explained he got me a life coach for Christmas. For a brief moment, it was an insult, then it quickly became comical. All my co-workers could go to Nordstrom and buy a new pair of jeans, but I got a life coach. How screwed up do you have to be to get a life coach as a gift from your boss, and was my screwed up stuff really that obvious?
Long story short, the particular coach he set me up with wasn’t my cup of tea. Not a bit. We just didn’t connect on any level, she never listened to me and she gave me homework I resented and ignored. If she wasn’t listening to me, how could she help me? The little I know about life coaches is they are not one-size fits all.
I’ve always been one to find opportunities to better myself – professionally and personally – and I’m not opposed to an occasional assignment to get me back on track. But we just didn’t work out.
Fast-forward seven years later, five of which I’ve been working for myself as a freelance sports, travel and fitness writer, and I realized I needed a life coach. I’m not just going in the wrong direction, but worse – I’m not going in any direction.
My job, my life, my relationships, my creativity – all things I used to adore about myself and my day – are all at a standstill.
Many of you may not know I fell into this role as founder/editor of The Blonde Side on accident. That same life coach gift-giving boss gave me a solid piece of advice when I first started working for him – he told me to get a hobby. Three years later when I got laid off, I used my severance and my hobby and planned to take a break. That “break” is now in it’s fifth year. But since there wasn’t a lot of planning involved or goals to set, I’ve kept going that same way.
Doing research for a recent article about goal setting, I got the chance to correspond with about 15 life coaches. Most (not all) had great things to say, and I quoted a few, but there was something about Sally Anne Giedrys with Whole Life Strategies Coaching, that struck a chord. We just connected. It was only email, but I could tell we had a lot in common.
Like most online interviews and research, there is some back and forth involved. She would give me tips and I’d ask her to elaborate so I could write about it and make sense of it for my readers.
I realized after writing that article that a life coach would probably do me good. I can’t remember the last time I set a real goal and actually worked towards it. And I think I attribute most of my decision to work with a life coach to how easily Sally and I communicated. She had the credentials, but more than that, the fact she’s a “fervent believer in practical reinvention,” and her belief in a balanced life and to live intentionally – those were all major bonus points. The best bonus of all was that she too is an entrepreneur. Unless your entire income has ever come from the lifestyle of being a freelancer/entrepreneur, you can’t begin to understand how difficult this life is. It may look glamorous hiking in Colorado and laying out on beaches in Hawaii (those parts definitely are!), but it’s hard work and I’ve sort of let things stand still. If I don’t keep pushing forward and coming up with new ideas, my bills stop getting paid. That’s not really an option for me.
So there you have it. The Blonde Side hired a life coach and has committed to giving this my all for the next three months. This is just the beginning – keep along with our journey – I’ll share my homework assignments and things I learn – maybe a few of you will join in with me. Unless of course you’ve already got all your ducks in a row and all your shit together…if so, kudos to you.
https://theblondeside.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/life-coach1.jpg446670Jaymehttps://theblondeside.com//wp-content/uploads/2018/06/1526998321020-300x192.pngJayme2015-06-22 16:14:442015-06-22 16:15:36I Hired a Life Coach
As runners we often approach our grueling sport with a one-track mind. Most runners have been told that incorporating yoga into their running regime can yield extreme benefits. Muscles that profit from a yoga practice include hamstrings, hip flexors, quads, abdominals, IT band, glutes, lower back, and even your feet. You could say the benefits are innumerable. But how to bring yoga into your running routine if you’re new to the practice? Here are some common questions runners have when it comes to incorporating yoga into their weekly sweat sessions.
Why should runners practice yoga?
Not only does yoga elongate your muscles, but it also aids in muscle recovery and helps prevent injuries (and helps tremendously with stiffness)—all crucial for runners. If you’re seriously into running, why not do all you can to reduce your risk of injury? It’s no secret runners are prone to injury.
Co-Captains: Amira and Patrisha (photo via Warriors.com)
NBA Finals: Golden State Warriors Dance Team Edition
Everyone is all LeBron James this and Stephen Curry that…but what about Amira and Patrisha–fourth year co-captains for the Golden State Warriors Dance Team, working their butts off to keep the team and the fans energized during this tough series?
The epic NBA Finals battle heads back to Golden State on Sunday for game five (and again on Friday, June 16th if necessary), but the dancers are probably more excited than even the biggest bandwagon fan (like myself).
Check out our exclusive Q&A with Amira and Patrisha about their postseason experience thus far, their new uniforms, their love for their team and their fans and especially all the juiciness of the Finals action
Man Cave Daily: Describe the NBA Finals atmosphere?
Amira: The crowd at Oracle Arena has exceeded my expectations as being the loudest, most engaging fans in the NBA. The Warriors Dance Team feeds off the electrifying energy from the fans, and I’m sure the team does as well. Warriors fans are truly the best fans in the NBA.
Patrisha: The atmosphere is almost indescribable. Every fan puts on their gold Strength In Numbers t-shirt before every game to show a united front. You feel the energy in the arena explode as soon as we step on court. The Finals take this atmosphere to another level. The Golden State Warriors have been underdogs and written off for so long, our loyal fans are truly invested in us and want to see us succeed. Every seat is filled with an intense, loud and passionate fan all season long, but even more so in the Finals.
MCD: How does it feel to be able to dance and be right there in the action of such a huge sporting event?
A: The NBA Finals are the real deal. This platform elevates the Warriors team and organization to the next level. Millions of fans around the world are watching, which not only pushes us to perform our best, but to take in the energy and excitement of the situation.
P: It’s a blessing to perform on this stage for the NBA Finals. I feel honored to be a part of this dance team and organization. I’ve been a Warriors fan my entire life, and I am thankful every time I step out on the court. To perform at the NBA’s signature event is just a dream come true.
MCD: How have you been prepping?
A: Every season before the team reaches the NBA Playoffs, the Warriors Dance Team brings in our top choreographers to learn new and fun routines. We think that these high-energy routines add to the energy and excitement of the Playoffs. The Warriors Dance Team also unveils new uniforms during the playoff run to give our fans a new element to the on-court action.
P: We have learned new routines to make sure our performances are dynamic and flawless, so when we hit the court on game day we are ready to entertain and energize our fan base. Our rehearsals have been a lot longer (typically four hours per practice) to prepare for a playoff game. Every member of our team is working hard to give our best for each game.
MCD: How proud are you of your team?
A: Warriors fans have been faithful through thick and the thin. It’s an amazing time to be a Warriors fan. I am so proud of our team and what they have accomplished this year and how far they have come. It’s a rare achievement to reach the NBA Finals and perform at this level, and I am so happy to be a part of this experience.
P: I am extremely proud of our team and our organization. I joined the Warriors Dance Team in 2011, and to see our players grow into a great basketball team has been amazing. Our fans have been there to support the team during difficult seasons, so to now have a franchise record 67-win season and to now be in the NBA Finals with a chance to win it all is amazing, and hopefully we are making new Warriors fans along the way.
MCD: You’ve obviously been watching your team all season–you knew they had it in them–how does it feel for the rest of the NBA world to really be paying attention?
A: It feels like a dream. It is so exciting to be able to embrace the success our team is experiencing on the court. They are a strong team and deserve this. It’s just an amazing experience and it is exciting that the whole world gets to experience this with us as well!
P: I think the recognition and attention the team has received is well deserved. I knew in my heart we would make it all the way.
https://theblondeside.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/warriors-amira-patrisha.jpg349620Jaymehttps://theblondeside.com//wp-content/uploads/2018/06/1526998321020-300x192.pngJayme2015-06-12 12:35:142015-06-27 12:39:05NBA Finals: Golden State Warriors Dance Team Edition
Jayme of The Blonde Side interviewing Kirk Hammett of Metallica at Austin X Games (photo: Clark Terrell)
If you had to describe heavy metal in one word, it would, without a doubt be Metallica. Plain and simple. If you’ve ever even caught a glimpse of a Big Air competition or an X Games athlete throwing a 250-pound machine sideways and bringing it back with style (known as Best Whip), you’d know the most fitting soundtrack to such action could only be created by the men of Metallica.
As one of the biggest names to grace X Games 2015, Metallica kicked off Saturday night with an instrumental version and six-string salute of the National Anthem amidst the dusty Moto X Speed & Style course before their much anticipated two-hour concert later on the Super Stage.
The icons have been going vocal and rocker strong for decades and after their sweat-infested performance at Circuit of the Americas (known as COTA to locals), it’s pretty clear they don’t have plans of quitting the game anytime soon. As Metallica hit the live music capital of the world to co-headline the 20th anniversary of the annual action-sports event (with Nicki Minaj), we had a chance to sit down with Kirk Hammett and talk all things heavy–sports, fears, heat indexes, and more.
Arriving Friday, Hammett got intimate with the Texas heat pretty damn fast. “I got off the plane and instantly felt the heat and humidity–I’m a surfer so my body was saying “where’s the beach, where’s my surfboard?” but my mind was saying we’re in Austin, Texas–we’re land-locked but I’m glad to be here,” Hammett says.
As for connections or favorite X Games athletes or specific sport disciplines, Hammett doesn’t play favorites. At least not this early in, catching the X Games action live for the first time.
“We met Chad Kagy last night and he was super nice. He invited us up onto the ramp, but I think we missed our opportunity–James and I were getting ready for the National Anthem. I’m totally into watching extreme sports–it’s pretty phenomenal. I mean this genre of sports wasn’t around when I was a kid or a teenager, so to see the things that these guys do is just mind-blowing for me. I’m having a great time and it’s a very super cool thing I’m way into,” he says of the events, which took place on 12 different courses, all in the blazing sun.
[Just hours after our interview, Kagy was rushed to the hospital after crashing a Frontflip Flair, breaking both of his heels, which required multiple surgeries. Kagy later shared his x-rays via Facebook, saying he “got screwed at X Games this year.”
Having only enough time to catch a few events, Hammett was quick to give innumerable kudos to the men and women brave enough to throw their bodies off ramps and turn tricks, many of which had never been done before.
“So far it’s been pretty crazy. I don’t know how those guys do that on those motocross bikes–I don’t know how they train for that. I’m sure there’s a whole science behind it–it’s impressive,” he said.
“I saw that super ramp [known as Big Air, where skateboard athletes drop in from either a 50 or 65-foot high roll-in]–that ramp is so so amazing. I saw some guy on the Big Air ramp and just couldn’t believe it, and the speeds they were getting up to and the heights they were getting up to. It’s phenomenal for me to watch something like that and to watch someone pull in off so seamlessly–it’s like ballet man, it’s no different, it’s a discipline for sure,” he says.
Though the guitarist has never done a mid-air flip variation himself, he’s no stranger to his own version of extreme sports and a healthy array of physical activity.
“My sport is surfing–I’m a full on surfer. I surf as much as I can. Every winter I go to North Shore in Hawaii and take advantage of the waves there. I know a bunch of the pro surfers and that’s kind of my deal every winter. That’s kind of my own personal X Games,” he says.
“I do waves–I’m a water guy. I also run, I mountain bike–I’m big into mountain biking when there’s no waves,” he muses, visibly dreaming of Hawaii for a minute.
When asked if he would be ballsy enough to suit up in protective gear and try one of the X Games disciplines,Hammett didn’t hesitate. “Absolutely man–I am a charger. I am in the surfing world, which means if I see waves and you know it’s going, I’ll charge for sure.”
The thing Hammett fears most in life? Not heights or broken bones. Sharks.
“Sometimes I’ll spook myself. In the Bay Area it’s pretty shark-y and if you’re held under it’s completely black–there’s no visibility. At least if you’re held under in Hawaii you have some visibility–at least five-6 feet. Northern California is known for it’s great white shark breeding grounds and there’s a lot of sea lions in that area and great whites love sea lions. Sea lions are like the caviar of great whites,” he explains.
Music and headphones are about as much a part of the X Games as wheels and helmets. Pretty much every one of the athletes has headphones tucked in their ears while performing their stunts and tricks–a way of either staying focused, drowning out the crowd or tapping into their crazy creative side.
As for being dubbed the perfect soundtrack to the X Games (even by Veteran X Gamer Tony Hawk himself), Hammett sees the similarities and digs the parallel.
“Our energy goes into our music and gets amplified to the next level. When people can hear it and tap into it and feel that energy, it’s a motivational sort of feeling that comes up over people if they let themselves be energized by it. Our music has an element of danger in it, and the mood that it evokes. It’s not dangerous but there’s a certain element of danger. I think a lot of these extreme athletes can relate to that. Our music is the type that sees you through–there’s a beginning, middle and an ending. I think extreme athletes want to experience a conclusion and then listen to the next song. I think psychologically it helps them maybe see to the end of whatever they are doing–whether it’s a race or a trials thing or whatever. It helps them see that there’s an end to what they are doing and know they’ll make it through,” he says.
“But I got to tell you, when I’m out there surfing and there’s a !*(%ing wave that’s coming at me that’s maybe 10 foot, the last thing I’m thinking about is music man. I’m just thinking I got to be in the right position, I got to be going a certain speed, I got to catch this wave or else…and so for my own process I don’t really think about any sort of music–that’s just the way I am. When I go running I don’t listen to music, I listen to podcasts,” he says.
A professionally mixed recording of Metallica’s X Games show is available now through July 15th at LiveMetallica.com for just $5, which benefits Central Texas flood victims.
Until next year X Games and Metallica fans, keep it adventurous folks.
This article originally ran on the sport’s page of CBS Man Cave Daily – click here to see the original piece.
https://theblondeside.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/IMG_5085.jpg6831024Jaymehttps://theblondeside.com//wp-content/uploads/2018/06/1526998321020-300x192.pngJayme2015-06-10 12:57:132015-07-09 13:16:41Metallica’s Kirk Hammett & X Games
The Blonde Side recaps X Games Austin 2015 (photo courtesy Clark Terrell)
Looking back at the X Games.
Skater boys (and girls) were cool long before Avril Lavigne sang about them in 2002. In fact, this past weekend the X Games celebrated their 21st action-packed year–each year bigger and better with no plans of slowing down. Literally. No slowing down for this extreme weekend with more than 136,000 in attendance over the four day event, which boasted 206 athletes competing in 20 disciplines in five sports. In fact, nothing about X Games 2015 was slow–not even the $9 beer lines.
An excess of VIP parties, flat bill hats, noises that evoked awe and amazement from the crowd, energy drinks, sunscreen, humidity, flying dirt in your face, loud engines, louder music–that pretty much sums up X Games 2015 at Circuit of the Americas, but here’s a healthy recap if you missed it.
Surprise, Brah
As Travis Pastrana, 11-time X Games Moto X and Rally gold medalist, told us there’s an element of surprise that adds to the overall weekend. “It’s the one place that everyone comes out with their new tricks, so everyone is kind of secretive for like two months. After X Games everyone kind of opens up like “hey buddy sorry I wasn’t returning your calls,’” he jokes.
Athletic event becoming just as much a music festival
Nicki Minaj and Metallica co-headlined the weekend on the Super Stage, and other musical talents included The Glitch Mob (one of the most popular electronic acts), Kid Ink, Talib Kweli, Pennywise and a few others.
Debuts
As Pastrana mentioned earlier, X Games is the place for athletes to debut tricks they’ve been keeping top secret for months, but it’s also the debut of athletes taking on their first X Games, or new disciplines being introduced.
One of the most popular events to debut this year was the skateboard/BMX Doubles on Sunday, with veterans Bob Burnquist (who has attended every summer X Games and leads the all-time medal count) and Morgan Wade (local Texas guy) taking home gold for the Big Air Doubles on the MegaRamp. Both Burnquist and Wade posted their highest individual scores on their third run and no one could top it.
This brand new event consists of four teams–one skateboarder and one BMX rider–paired up to post the highest individual scores and adding them up for their final score. Pairing up with guys in this new discipline is a unique element to the weekend.
“I’m just excited to have another shot at riding the ramp,” Wade told ESPN’s Annie Fast on Sunday. “That alone is worth everything to me because I only get to ride this a week out of the year. It’s a different dynamic because I don’t want to let him down and I’m sure he’s thinking the same,” he told Fast about competing as a team. The event’s silver medal went to Steve McCann and Elliot Sloan and Tom Schaar and Zack Warden took bronze.
We heard a lot of talk throughout the Paddocks of a few teams unofficially forming together for next year’s competition.
Other sports that debuted this weekend included Moto X Harley-Davidson Flat-Track Racing, and Moto X Toyota QuarterPipe.
Age is just a number–nothing more, nothing less
X Games is also one of those places where age is just a number. It pretty much means nothing. You’ve got guys like Tom Scharr, who at just 15 was the defending America’s Navy Skateboard Big Air gold medalist (he left with bronze this year behind Burnquist who took home gold and Elliott Sloan with silver), competing on nearby stages with 43-year-old Mike Brown who took home his third gold in Enduro X. Brown turned pro in an era before X Games was even a thing (1989). Though the guys compete in different disciplines, the age disparity isn’t something you’ll find in many other sporting events.
Then you’ve got sports like BMX Vert, which is a final-only format with eight athletes and is essentially a halfpipe make of skatelite (a durable paper-composte material) and wood, and is 60 feet wide with 11.5 feet transitions and two feet of vert. Jamie Bestwick, a 43-year-old rider who was unbeaten in X Games Vert since 2006 succumbed to 25-year-old Australian Vince Byron, which was a huge change in the game.
For the women’s sports, the age ranges are as big–you’ve got the youngest at 14 with Alana Smith (SKB) and the oldest being 42-year-old Nicole Bradford (MTX). For men, the oldest is formerly retired NASCAR driver Rusty Wallace at 58 (the second-oldest athlete ever in X Games history) and America’s Navy Skateboard Big Air Trey Woods at 14 (who is also the lightest male athlete at X Games weighing 105lbs).
Sheldon Creed took home his first X Games gold in Off-Road Truck Racing Sunday. Interesting fact–Creed just wrapped up his junior year of high school. Who needs a class ring when you’ve got a gold medal from X Games? “To be an X Games gold medalist, that’s so rad and something that I’ve been looking to do since I was little,” he told ESPN, which is ironic, because by most standards, he’s still little. Or at least young.
The average age for X Games Austin athletes this year was 27.87.
A first time for everything
Nichole and Jared Mees became the first married couple to compete against each other in X Games
The Blonde Side hanging with some other media at X Games
history as they battled it out in Harley-Davidson Flat-Track Racing, and Shayna and Cory Texter (also Flat-Track Racing) became the first brother and sister to compete against each other.
The Harley-Davidson Flat-Track Racing event was one of the events to debut at X Games 2015, where 24 racers competed on the 3/8-mile long oval dirt track on twin-engine motorcycles. Drivers hit high speeds, dramatically leaning into turns with no front brake having to use the rear skid to their advantage for traction and control. The final lap came to a dramatic fit-for-TV finish with a mechanical failure allowing Bryan Smith (Kawasaki) to snag gold.
Don’t forget the women
Saturday showcased one of my favorite competitions with 12 of the best women’s skateboarders in the world contending for the biggest prize purse in women’s skateboarding. Alexis Sablone walked away with her fourth Women’s Skateboard Street gold medal and left the crowd with jaws still hanging on the asphalt after watching her performance. Pamela Rosa, a 15-year-old Brazilian skater who rocked a personalized home futbol jersey and Chicago Bulls flat bill cap, combined her technical skills, clean style, and even left it all on the course with an impressive kickflip off the roof, which got her silver.
Maria Forsberg also made her return to Women’s Enduro X after retiring last year to have a baby. After giving birth to her daughter Londynn in October, the six-time medalist (3 gold) was ready to return to the action.
“I got 6th which is obviously my worst finish by far,” Forsberg says explaining how she crashed during her seeding lap which left her literally starting behind everyone else, in a second row. “I had the worse gate pick and was dead last by like 10 feet and I caught up to 6th in six laps, so to me it was awesome what I overcame. I was doing some jumps I wouldn’t have before the pregnancy so I felt really good. It’s hard because looking at results you’re like “she got 6th and usually she got 1stor 2nd’ but to know where I started in the back, I’m really happy,” she says.
Innovation is nothing new for Austin
The festival villages, which included the Galleria–a retail hub featuring large-scale sponsor activations (AT&T took your selfie and put it on a bobblehead photo in exchange for your email address), Torchy’s Tacos Playground (although they didn’t have tacos, which was disappointing)–where fans could compete in pop-a-shot basketball, soccer penalty kicks, skateboard simulation and even catch performances from the YouTube sensation waterskiing squirrel.
The total event was very SXSW-like with innovation and marketing in every crevice of Circuit of the Americas like chalk art contests, semi-impromptu yoga set up by Wanderlust Yoga, Skype’s pull-up contest against the fittest woman on earth–crossfitter Camille I.Bazinet, and even a #tucktest from Fruit of the Loom who had Travis Pastrana riding a mechanical bull to see if the shirt could withstand the #tucktest. Spoiler alert–it did. And he drives fast cars better than he rides bulls. Fans lined up for hours to get their own newly designed Fruit of the Loom undershirt to see if they too could pass the #tucktest.
VIP Parties
When an event rolls into Austin, so do the VIP parties. It’s like a right of passage. Many of the athletes and sponsors were throwing their own parties. Some of the biggest went to “Luna Rising” presented by Dos Equis at Ironwood Hall on 7th St., the Monster VIP party (can you imagine how hyped up all the guests were with free Monster all night long?), and the popular downtown pool party series “Shock Wave” back for its second season–on the fourth floor of the W Hotel Sunday late afternoon. Admission was $30 and included complimentary valet, specialty drink cocktails (all Texas brands) and a DJ. Many of the athletes headed to the Wet Deck after the conclusion of competition and grabbed a cabana to soak up the sun, well actually, the shade. And of course a few cocktails.
Behind the scenes
One of the best parts of a weekend packed with so much action is seeing all the behind the scenes craziness and nuisances. Whether that’s watching athletes throw their skateboards off the ramp knowing they just got beat out by a sick trick from their competitor, being treated by medics off course after a fall or even just your casual couch races, it’s all pretty damn entertaining. Check out these behind the scenes pictures from ESPN.
Athletes quotes
“I did a double flair on a Megaramp Quarterpipe, I’m super pumped! The feeling is indescribable.”
–Colton Satterfield, X Games GoPro BMX Big Air gold medalist
“I was trying to stay focused, I had a good first run which is the best because then I wasn’t as stressed as I usually am, on the last run I felt like I could take a risk—-I’m so happy.”
–Alexis Sablone, X Games Women’s Skateboard Street gold medalist
“I had no plan coming here today. I had certain tricks I wanted to do but didn’t exactly know how to get there.”–Curren Caples, X Games Toyota Skateboard Park gold medalist
“The car got destroyed and after that I figured it was done, but I kept hounding the leader and he made a mistake and I was able to get by.”
–Scott Speed, X Games Car Racing gold medalist
“I just decided to let it all go, just have fun, that’s what BMX is all about.”–Mike Clark, X Games BMX Dirt silver medalist
“I would’ve never guessed 20 years ago when I started watching X Games that I would have my own gold medal–especially seven of them!”
–Ronnie Renner, Moto X Step Up gold medalist
“I just hammered down that last corner and went for it man. To survive here and come home with a gold medal, it’s a dream come true really.”–Bryan Smith, Harley-Davidson Flat-Track gold medalist
“Every win takes a lot of hard work and practice on the course and a lot of preparation. I’m stoked that I was able to put down those first two runs and not put too much pressure on myself.”–Nyjah Huston, Monster Energy Skateboard Street gold medalist
The Blonde Side recaps X Games Austin – photo: Clark Terrell
I have covered Winer X Games in Aspen multiple times, and Summer X Games in LA, but this was my first time covering the X Games in Austin – their home for the past two years.
It was an absolute blast and damn was it H-O-T.
Here are recaps of my articles to check them all out in one place:
‘Angry Sky’ ’30 for 30′ Screening with interviews with Travis Pastrana, Jeff Tremaine and Mat Hoffman – original story ran on CBS Man Cave Daily
Since it was 90+ degrees all weekend long, I relied on some old faithful lululemon outfits to keep me as cool and dry as possible, and wore a hat everyday to keep the sun off my face.
X Games hat pictured up top was bought on site ($35) and although expensive, a damn fine purchase in my opinion!
The Blonde Side interviews Travis Pastrana on the Red Carpet before ‘Angry Sky’ Screening at X Games weekend (photo: Kurt Bradley)
‘Angry Sky’ ’30 for 30′ Kicks off X Games Weekend
Like everything that comes along with X Games, the kick off bash on Wednesday night in Austin was nothing less than adventurous. The night featured a red carpet screening of the 30 for 30 documentary Angry Skybenefitting the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund at The V Foundation and the Central Texas Red Cross after the recent historic flooding that happened throughout the state.
I’ve long been a fan of the popular docu-series, but usually watch from the comforts of my couch in yoga pants and on my very girly and non-HD 42″-inch TV, cold beer in hand. Being able to see the film in the comfort of the Alamo Drafthouse literally amongst the brilliant minds behind the film was a unique experience, one I could get used to–seeing their faces, hearing the theatre fill with laughter (especially during the scenes which featured aeronautical engineers Lucy and Karl Stefan, because she is THE funniest woman I’ve ever seen on TV), and catching glimpses of the row of X Games veterans supporting their friends and competitors.
Angry Sky executive producer Mat Hoffman says the inspiration behind the film was pretty simple. “This seemed like it was a story that nobody ever heard of–nobody ever told this story–so when I discovered [it], I was like this story has to be told. It’s so inspiring and nobody even knows about it. Nick just had a passion and a will–he just wanted to do the impossible and did it…I don’t know, I’m kind of rambling but that’s what inspired me,” he says.
Jeff Tremaine, the director of the film, pretty much mirrored Hoffman’s thoughts. “Nick was clearly cut from the same cloth as guys like Evel Knievel, Mat and Travis–people that I look up to. I love to tell these kind of stories and to discover one that hasn’t been told. It was a rare treat to find this footage and it’s just a remarkable crazy story and set in a crazy time,” he explains.
Ryan Nyquist, four-time X Games BMX gold medalist and V Foundation spokesperson was in attendance and noted the homegrown feel of having X Games in Austin for the second straight year rather than Los Angeles. “I think most athletes have a different outside activity or something that inspires them besides just bikes, skateboards or whatever and seeing that Mat [Hoffman] was passionate enough to produce a film like this is awesome. For me, it’s like if it piqued his interest and made it happen, I want to see it,” he says about supporting his friend.
Travis Pastrana, 11-time X Games Moto X and Rally gold medalist, was also on the red carpet showing support, decked out in a short-sleeve button down and Red Bull hat, in attendance with his family.
“Mat Hoffman is really cool because he’s my all-time hero. Just all-time for me,” he says with a smile before heading into the screening. “He’s really a pioneer and the person that first does something that everyone else doesn’t understand. Usually it’s so far out there–honestly that’s what Mat was for BMX and that’s what Tony Hawk was for skateboarding–lunatics doing stupid stuff,” he says which just so happens to be one of his favorite part of X Games. “It’s the one place that everyone comes out with their new tricks, so everyone is kind of secretive for like two months before. After X Games everyone kind of opens up, like “Hey buddy sorry I wasn’t returning your calls,’” he jokes, looking forward to the action packed weekend ahead to see who might debut the newest and craziest stunt.
As for the 30 for 30 series itself, Tremaine can’t say enough good things. “I’m super proud and thrilled to be involved with this–ESPN has been such a great partner–such a creatively supportive partner. They just say go make your movie–they don’t get over involved and have been such a good partner. I love the series–I haven’t seen one that wasn’t worth watching the whole thing,” he says.
About the film: In the 1960s, a truck-driver Nick Piantanida discovered skydiving, and set out to break the world record for the highest parachute jump by taking a helium balloon to the edge of space. Over the course of a year, his dream to launch the first civilian space program drove him to obsession. Directed by Jeff Tremaine and Executive Produced by John Dahl, Mat Hoffman and Connor Schell.
Angry Sky will make its television debut on ESPN on July 30th.
*The main picture above was taken by my new buddy Kurt Bradley – an awesome photog who works for a few of the same publications I do. Check out his X Games 2015 photos here.
