We are finally in Khasavyurt, Russia and they finally got us some internet connection. There is no internet in the hotel we are staying in but the hotel is right next to the olympic training facility and one of the buildings has some internet. It was quite the hassle to figure out where we could get the internet. But anyway we had a workout today and one yesterday before we left to Khasavyurt. Good workout today with Tervel Dlagnev who is our heavyweight on the trip. We just rolled around and wrestled some live to blow our lungs out and get out bodies moving and ready to wrestle. We weigh in tomorrow and just found out that we will only be getting a 2 kilo allowance for weigh ins instead of 3 kilos. The word was 3 kilos but the FILA delegation changed it to 2. Which is really no big deal and you just go with the flow. So we weigh in at 6pm tomorrow and then get ready to wrestle on Thursday. There are supposed to be 12 teams here so we should be getting around 6 matches which will be good. Time for USA to smash some people. Not really a whole lot to do here during the day because the city is not very developed. We just hang out in our hotel mostly and watch tv series on our laptops, so that is the highlight of our day pretty much. We are all excited to wrestle on thursday and the place we are wrestling in is really cool. It feels like the crowd is on top of you so that makes it that much more exciting. The venue we are wrestling in prolly seats around 3-4 thousand and has 3 mats on a platform. So I am excited to get wrestling. Thats all for now and I will keep everyone updated.

Well it has already been a long day and I am not even out of the country yet. I am going with the United States wrestling team to Russia to wrestle in the Intercontinental Cup in Khasavyurt, Russia and then to Yerevan, Armenia the week after to wrestle in the Stephan Sargsyan tournament. But the trip started at 4 this morning when I woke up to drive to the airport in Harrisburg, PA. After I arrived in Harrisburg and got my tickets they only gave me two tickets which got me to the La Guardia airport in New York, and I was flying out of the JFK airport in New York to go to Frankfurt. I guess I did not really read my itinerary right, even though it was quite confusing because it took a while to get my tickets and it was pretty difficult getting me to where I needed to be since I live in State College, PA. So the lady told me that I would have to get to JFK by shuttle or taxi, which was fine because I have plenty of time. I was not really happy at the time because I did not want to have to switch airports since my day was going to be long enough already. But after I got to my gate and cooled down I realized these things happen when you travel and just like wrestling you are going to have obstacles. So it was not the end of the world. So I am finally here in the JFK airport waiting for my flight to leave to Frankfurt where I am going to meet the rest of the team and then we are all going to travel together to Russia and get ready to wrestle!

Well just got back from the World Championships in Moscow, Russia. It was not our best showing and it was our first time since 1975 that we have not gotten a medal at a world championship. But all this has to say is we know where we are and what areas we need to work in. This is a chance to really look at what needs to be changed as individuals and a team. This was a painful tournament for the USA, but should be used as motivation now to step up our game and really focus in on what needs to be done. This can open our eyes and be a turning point for USA wrestling. We are the best wrestling team in the world even though it did not show this past weekend. We technically have it and have all the tools to win its just a matter of using and enforcing these tools when we compete. I know for me this is motivation for me to work harder to win a world and olympic gold medal. From watching in the stands this year I see what is and is not working and have picked up some great strategy to this sport. Even though we did not get the results we wanted it was a good learning tool to prepare myself for next year. We will overcome this as a country and be back on top very soon. Everything takes time and this is one of those things. Sometimes you have to sit back and look at what needs to be changed and take a step back before you go forward and I think that is what is going to happen. Before you know it USA will be back on top in wrestling!! Go USA!!