We just LOVE speed here at CG, but we’re going to try something a little different…we’re going from dryland to the ice! Meet Alexandra Ianculescu! Alexandra has the top goal of becoming an Olympic Gold medalist in the 500m at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, but she has other goals that need to be met before that. Her goals this year are becoming the top Canadian Junior & attending the Junior World Championships in Finland.
She has set up her speed skating career on her own – moved to speed skating city to continue skating, found the support she needed from others to continue skating, and her focus and determination keeps this girl going and strong!
Alex took the time to sit down with CG and tell us a little of her story…
GENERAL QUESTIONS
1.) How has your season gone so far?
My season started in May with dryland and I have only been on the ice for 1 week. It had been going outstandingly well, and am very very happy with how I am doing this early in the season.
2) Why the move from Toronto out to Calgary?
Calgary is the only place in Canada to have high performance facilities for Speed Skating such as the Olympic Oval which is located in the Kinesiology department at the University if Calgary. It is also the fastest ice in the world so it attracts a lot of ice skaters from all over the world.
3) How did you go about obtaining a sponsorship?
I am a high-performace athlete and the fees to just be allowed to skate and to buy equipment and pay for travelling to competitions is not easy to pay for on our own, since my parents divorced 4 years ago. My mom has supported me financially up to a certain point and the rest I had to come up with on my own. I attended a Tony Robbins seminar in Toronto 2 years ago where I met an outstanding women, Jennifer, who connected me to my current sponsors here in Calgary. Also by going around to small companies and talking to them and offering them things such as company promotion on my skating attire and race suit, they became interested and wanted to help my quest to Sochi 2014.
4) What is a day like for you?
A normal day: Wake up at 8ish, get to the Oval by 9. Warm up and get on ice by 9:50am. Off ice by 11:30. Then go to school until 2:30. Do my afternoon training, like weights from 3-5. Go home and get ready for work from 6-10pm. Sleep. Repeat.
5) The next winter olympics is 4 years away, which will come in no time, what do you have to do to prepare and be on the podium for Canada?
4 years, got to get there by taking baby steps every day. To prepare for an Olympic podium, some say that it takes over 6 years but I don’t think people should set limits like that. It is all mental and if you’re on your game, even 4 years will do. Age doesn’t matter either, but experience is good to have. You have to maintain your fitness and just train harder as you get closer to the date and year, but also just make sure you don’t burn out and that you are enjoying what you’re doing. Being in a positive environment and having a coach that encourages you, definitely can make that huge difference between making an Olympic team and not, which is the first step to the Podium. Then it’s all about the race on that certain day, which either results in your podium performance, or not. You can be the best in the world and have multiple world records, but if you’re not mentally ready at 9am, on February 17th, even for a fraction of a second. Then you don’t win your silver but you lose the Gold.
6) What’s one thing people have no clue about being a professional speed skater?
A few things popped in my mind while reading this question. One thing I personally do and have to do as a professional speed skater- buy 2 pairs of jeans in one sitting. You never know when you won’t fit into them any more and they will wear out so you have to wear the other pair.
7) What is the most important aspect of your training & why? (skating, sleep, nutrition, weights etc.)
I personally think that the most important aspect of my training is definitely sleep and fitness maintenance (core to be specific). Nutrition too, but that falls under maintenance.
Training hard in the summer and then cheating your way through programs when the ice season starts, results in you peaking only early on in the season and not in the races you need to be peaking, which are in February for us Juniors. Core is the main part a speed skater needs because of our movement and positioning on the ice (it is very low and we swing our arms to propel ourselves forward and move our weight sideways at the same time). Not doing your core circuits during weights will result in you losing your core strength and you will skate sloppy. Sleep is also very important because if you sleep an insufficient amount of time before a race, your body would not have recovered enough to be able to give you the amount of force and energy needed for you to perform your 150% that you would regularly.
Nutrition is also crucial because you are what you eat. I only eat organic food and lots of salmon; rarely fry things and I avoid Pork. I eat salad every day and also keep very hydrated by drinking lots of water or tea, and eat lots of nuts. During a long practice I would have a protein shake or a granola bar to keep the energy level high or your performance on ice or in the weight room won’t be sufficient. Soy milk and chocolate milk are a very good addition to a well balanced diet. You get a lot more energy from eating greens and alkalizing your body through out your life, rather than eating acids which can cause problems for your health in a later stage of life. If you eat a certain meat, balance it out with greens.
8 ) 3 important characteristics to make it as a pro athlete
Mental toughness, Respect for yourself and team-mates, Unique, interesting or attractive personality. Be different. Have something that people will remember you by.
9) What do you do in your spare time?
In my spare time I paint, draw, work, play guitar, cook, or hang out with friends.
10) Your favorite sport to play other than skating on the ice?
Tennis and skiing
THE POP CULTURE GRID
11) Tonight im having for dinner
Gnocchi
12) I think I’m addicted to…
The Eurythmics
13) Most overrated TV show
The Office
14) _____ would have me at hello
Mick Jagger
15) I should win an Oscar for…
A poem I wrote earlier this year
16) I should set a Guinness World Record for …
Owning all the songs Frederic Chopin composed.
17) Whats on your wall right now?
On my wall I have my vision board which includes the dream house and dream car, and I also have some Rolling Stones and speed skating posters along with goals to reach this season and beyond.
18) ____ I could eat every day
Cheesecake
19) I always keep my _____ under lock and key
Diary
20) Best movie I’ve seen all year
Something’s Gotta Give
21) If I had an iPad, I’d …
I’d return it and buy an iPhone 3GS
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Great answers Alex! I love question 6 and the fact you need to buy 2 pairs of jeans. Speed skaters legs are so built (I think bigger than sprinters? lol), but it makes sense. Thank you though so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to answer a few questions for CG! Good luck the rest of the season!
I hope you all enjoyed it! You can support Alex, find out more about her and follow her journey to the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi at her website [at] http://www.alexandra-ianculescu.com/. Help her achieve Olympic Gold!
Follow her on Twitter: @speed_skater
Like her on Facebook: Alexandra Ianculescu
(original images from alexandra-ianculescu.com)
