The Official Web Site of JR Celski - Team USA's Speedskater
J.R. Celski's Journal
2010 is finally here
January 1st, 2010The year I’ve been waiting for my whole life is finally here.
As the clocks turned last night to the new year, I thought about all of the ups and downs I have had this year. The beginning of the year was great as I made giant leaps in skating. I did a lot of traveling and saw several places that I have never been to before. Had a nice vacation over in Europe and got back on the grind to pursue my goal of the 2010 Olympics.
I think its safe for me to say that 2009 was the most exciting year I’ve ever had. So many things to be proud about, and also so many things to forget.
I really look forward to this year, and can’t wait to see what 2010 has to offer me.
I’ve been training really hard and overcoming the injury that I faced 4 months ago. It seems like the injury was so long ago now that I can basically skate the way I used to. I hope to turn some heads and prove to myself that I can do this.
I got a chance to meet a lot of new people this year. People from all over the world in different jobs and sports. I got a chance to meet some CEO’s of huge companies including 24 hour fitness and Aflac. Talk about amazing people. I now see the caliber of person you have to be to run a big company like that, and I strive to be like that myself. I got a chance to see myself on a couple billboards and commercials (Comcast) and also work with a very famous director for a McDonalds commercial (Joe Pytka – directed Space Jam and Michael Jordan/Larry Bird Commercials). I made sure I picked all of their brains and pulled out of their brains as much information as I could. I got lots of great advice I will take with me in the future.
I got to work with some of the greatest Olympians of all time. Eric Heiden and Dan Jansen just to name a few. Got a chance to meet the frontrunners for the USA in different sports, and look forward to sharing the Olympic experience with them in a month.
Through all of these experiences, I never forget why I am here and all of the people that surround me. I am so thankful to have my family and friends in my life, and would be nowhere without them. I came very close to death this year with my cut, and have found a new appreciation for life. I saw how fast it could have been taken away from me, and know now that I am on this earth for a purpose, and that is to affect people in a very positive way.
Thank you to all of you who have been part of my life. You know who you are. I continue to thank God everyday for having you surround me with love.
My new years resolution this year is to stop procrastinating, and start getting things done right when they need to get done. I figure that’s a good thing to work on.
Let’s have an awesome year this year everyone and make 2010 a year to remember!
Happy New Year!
jr
19 Responses to “2010 is finally here”
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Media Gallery
See video of J.R. growing up on skates and more recent media coverage
Happy New Year, JR! You are truly an inspiration.
Happy new year to you, too!
You were certainly on a pretty wild ride this past year. Big ups; big downs.. It’s been dizzying just watching. Can’t imagine what it’s been like inside your head! Here’s hoping 2010 is wild as well, but in a happier and less drastoc way..
Happy new year J.R.!
It’s great that you’ve pulled yourself from a tragic event and still going strong at speed-skating.
Hope everything is going well with your training!
Happy New Year!
I hope that 2010 will give you great memories that will last a lifetime. I’m very glad on how fast you recovered… I mean, not everyone recovers that great that quickly. Well, I hope you achieve everything that you want this year, and try to make this year count. (:
Great job on your update JR and we are all blessed to have you in our family and lives. Hope you’re still taking all of your AIM products regularly!!!! This is the year you had on your gloves way back and I know it will be a great one for you.
Best of luck in realizing your Olympic dreams! You’ve earned this opportunity. What an amazing effort on your recovery this past year. The world will be watching. Make the most of it!
We love you and you are in our thoughts and prayers. We admire and respect the dedication and discipline you have as you move forward toward your dream as a United States Winter Olympic Speed Skating Athlelete. Yet first and foremost as a person we are awestruck by your maturity and how well you have handled all the challenges that have been put before you. We are very proud of you – you are such a good person, son, brother, brother-in-law, grandson, nephew, cousin-friend. We want the best for you always!
Along with all Canadians, and on behalf of all of us here in Vancouver, I welcome you to the Olympics and into our homes.
We are all working together to make this the best Olympics ever, not only for the spectators and fans but for young people like you who make all of it possible.
My family and I will be rooting for you!
JR good luck to you and TEAM USA!!! we’ll all be rooting for you, it will be like we are all there with you and we will be in thought…
Let me start off here—I picked this journal entry because it doesn’t have many comments. I don’t know how often you check this, but I hope you can see all that I’m about to say.
I just watched your 24hourfitness video about what motivates you..You said that you love giving people goosebumps. Well, JR, if just 1 person makes a difference, you’ve made your goal. I get goosebumps every time I hear your name, see your face, or hear your voice. I scream at you when watching the olympics, and I’m screaming at you, telling you that you need to keep it up. JR I’m proud to be a fan. I’m proud that I picked you to love this year at the olympics. I’m proud that I would stand up for you, even though I’ve never talked to you. Some may call me obsessed, but I just don’t want to miss a thing that you do.
JR–you are an amazing person. You are humble and genuine, and I hope you never lose yourself in the fame you are given. I’m amazed by you, and you changed my life. I’m signing up at my local gym, and I’m getting my goals and life in check.
JR, I hope you read this. If you don’t read it, I hope I can tell you these things someday. I would love to talk to you about your life, about my life, and about what is to come. You, JR, are my hero and role model.
Herose
[and]
Beat
the
odds.
Play on words- Heroes beat the odds. He rose and beat the odds.
theofficialme23 (twitter follower). I would never want to make you think I’m just a fan. I’m a proud supporter of you, JR, and I want you to know, that me saying these things are heartfelt, and me meeting you wouldn’t be superficial. You truly changed my life.
Now, my sappy moment is over. I’m proud to be your fan, and maybe one day a friend. I don’t want you to think I’m a superficial person. You just inspire me so so so much.
I really hope you read this, I really really do. If you do, and you want to respond, I’m a twitter follower (theofficialme23), but you by no means should feel obligated.
Hey jr! I cant believe I actually have a chance to contact you, it’s actually blowing my mind. haha… Well anyways, I have recently been feeling low, in an emotional rut, then the olympics started and I was feeling optimistic about it. I had seen you on the biggest loser and seeing you on the olympics got me hooked. I found some articles about your injury and when I read them I was… amazed. I dont know how often you check this, or if you will read this at all, but I want you to know that you are among the most inspiring people I’ve known, or known about, and I really would like to get to know you. Not in a creepy way… ;P So basically, you are truly and inspiration and I am definitely your biggest fan, even though ^Ally Nicloe seems to beat me according to comment length. Well, I wish you best of luck and I am officially hooked on short track speed skating forever.
-Katie
Okay, I know I already commented but I forgot to mention that I woul really like to give you a hug. Not an awkward ten minute hug that lasts forever and not some chinsy half hug either. A normal hug. I think after that my life would be complete. haha. Well again good luck! I’ll be rooting for you always.
-Katie
Hey J.R.!
First off, you are a huge inspiration to my friends and me. We’ve decided speed skating is our favorite sport. (Maybe Snowboard Cross, too….) Anyways, I really only got into the Winter Olympics this year. We saw you come on TV and my dad explained to me about your injury. I know about a lot of the major veins and arteries (I wanna be a vet when Im older!), and I was so mortified from the story. It really is a miracle your back on skates and showing the world what U.S.A. can really do! I actually got right on YouTube and watched the crash and everything. I looked away the first few times… hehe. One of my major goals right now is to get to one of the Winter Olympics and watch you in person. YOU’RE AN INSPIRATION!
<3,
MARY!
Me too do you know any speed skating places in colorado it’s so hard to find one you have inspired me to start but maybe in line skating is better to start it.
0_0 Loren Stiles
OKAY, sorry for commenting again but if you are pretty much bored out of your mind and you dont know what to do, you could always e-mail me.
-Katie
p.s. If you haven’t figured it out, I’m a total dork. x) OKAY NOW IM DONE BYE!
-Katie
I was going to write a comment on your latest post but saw there were too many comments so I decided to go on an older journal entry
, hope you don’t mind. I just have to say your a HUGE inspiration to me, with everything you’ve been through and the way you don’t let it get in your way. You will go FAR IN LIFE, there is no doubt. I don’t know if you will read this or have time to read this comment, but I just really had to say how awesome you are for encouraging your fans to do the same and strive for what they want in life. Since I read that you try to study your Spanish, I thought I would help out with some.
Te mereces todo lo que está pasando en tu vida, eres una persona encreíble que tiene mucho de la fuerza humana que muchos se esfuerzan por tener.Te deseo lo mejor en la vida y que disfrutes de cada parte de ella. Mantente genuina y una inspiración para nosotros, tus fans!
its so nice to see that you wrote ” i continue to thank God everyday for having you surround me with love. i go to i christian private school so it really means alot to me that you would write that. thanks for being such an inspiration for everyone. God bless