Wednesday's Words with an Olympian

Uhlander at her farm in Atwood.

Today’s Wednesday's Words comes from Katie Uhlander who will be competing in the skeleton at the Winter Olympics.  After all, skeleton is a very fast form of transportation. 

Uhlander spends the offseason on her family’s farm near Atwood, Kan.  In an interview with Modern Farmer, Uhlander explained the connection between farming and being an athlete.  And she explains why the sport she loves has such a scary name.  Here are few excerpts of that interview.

Has farming taught you any lessons that you apply to the skeleton, or vice-versa?
“Farming and being an athlete go hand in hand in my mind. You’re out there to win and you’re up against the odds. You can’t control the weather or a lot of things, but you go out and do what you do.”

Uhlander's helmet was chosen by her twitter followers.

"That’s the biggest thing that I’ve learned from Dave [her farming mentor]. He’s always got a positive attitude even when things aren’t good. You just keep moving on. You pick yourself up and you keep going. You’re fighting to win. Farmers understand what it takes to win and what it takes to not quit.”

Why is it called skeleton, anyway? It’s probably the best-named sport ever?

“It’s because they took part of the frame from the bobsled and used it. It is intimidating.”

Uhlander will be competing on Thursday and Friday.  You can follow her on twitter @KatieU11