THE CANADIAN PRESS
CALGARY — Depending on the day, the 2010 Winter Olympics seem either far away or coming at the speed of light for Cindy Klassen.
Canada’s most decorated Olympian sees the pitfalls of thinking too much about racing for gold in Vancouver and becoming anxious about it, yet acknowledges she can’t block it out entirely.
"I’m thinking about how it’s going to be a long process to 2010 and not where I’ve got to be racing so fast right now, because there’s a lot of time and I’m really just trying to figure out, not just the physical part, but also the mental part," Klassen said Saturday at the Olympic Oval.
"I know come the year 2010, there’s going to be a lot of pressure, a lot of hype and stuff like that. I’m just trying to prepare for that and get ready now, so when it hits us then, I’ll feel ready and comfortable."
The 28-year-old from Winnipeg, winner of six Olympic medals in speed skating and five of them at the last Olympics in Turin, Italy, was getting her racing legs on at the Olympic Oval Invitational by winning the 3,000 metres Saturday.
Arne Dankers of Calgary won the men’s 5,000 in the competition, which qualifies speed skaters for the World Cup team if they haven’t already been named to the team.
The Invitational continues Sunday with the women’s 5,000 metres and the men’s 10,000.
The 2007-08 World Cup season opens in two weeks in Salt Lake City followed by a stop in Calgary at the Oval from Nov. 16 to 18.
The world all-around championships Feb. 9-10 are in Berlin and the world single distance championships are March 6-9 in Nagano, Japan.
Klassen, the world record holder in the women’s 1,000, 1,500 and 3,000 metres, says her racing form isn’t quite where she wants it right now, but vows to be patient.
"I think it’s going to be a slow start to the season, but that’s OK," she said. "I’ll have faith in the program.
"Maybe the first couple World Cups I might not be exactly where I want to be. I hope by the end of the season, by the world championships I’ll be racing the way I’d like to."
A year ago, Klassen was living in nearby Canmore, Alta., and training with Canada’s cross-country ski team as a means of taking a mental break after an exhausting Olympic campaign. She didn’t race her first World Cup until January.
Klassen returned to a more orthodox schedule of cycling, weights and dryland training this summer and will race in Salt Lake and at the Oval.
"She’s in a different place than last year," coach Neal Marshall said. "She had a great summer of training. Ratcheting up is a good way to describe it. We’re going to use the next two years to fine-tune things."<.
Klassen wants her races this season to be a mental dress rehearsal for 2010.
"Every race, trying to focus on the things I want to focus on and not let outside pressure get to me," she explained. "Sometimes if you can think at a certain competition `this is the Games,’ just try to narrow your focus to what you’re doing and not let other things affect you.
"Some days are easier than others."
Klassen’s not wishing away the time between now and 2010 because she likes to compete.
"Sometimes I think I only have two more seasons of World Cups and then I might be done racing," she said. "I’m pretty sure I’ll be done after 2010. It makes me a little sad because this has been a big part of my life for so long."
She did manage to work in a few days at her beloved family cottage north of Winnipeg during the summer. She also attended "a bunch of weddings" and was an honourary drawmaster at the Queen’s Plate in Toronto.
A mural featuring Klassen and teammate Clara Hughes, also from Winnipeg, was unveiled on the side of a Winnipeg flower shop during the summer.
"It is pretty big," Klassen said. "I was pretty surprised. That’s kind of cool."