We’ve all heard of or done the old pie in the face trick or the saran wrap on the toilet prank. But only one of the world’s top speed skaters would be able to figure out how to pants someone in stretchy pants! Not that competing on an international level in long track speed skating isn’t already impressive. But it would truly be an accomplishment if Ryan Bedford figured out how to pants his spandex wearing teammates. Lets be realistic here, there’s just no way to do it when the other guy has his stretchy pants on.

Whether or not he can pull the pranks he claims he can with teammate Chad Hedrick, Ryan is amazing simply because after a recent switch from short track to long track speed skating, he is still competing at a level many athletes can’t achieve.. Before even dipping his feet into long track he was the U.S 2005 and 2006 U.S. Junior Short Track Champion. In 2008, he was the Short Track North American Champion and was a world-ranking short track speed skater in the 1500 meters. It wasn’t until 2008 that his named showed up as a Long Track World Cup Team Member, this is the same year he was also on the World Cup Team for Short Track Talk about multitasking.

He’s been balancing two sports for just over a year now and I can’t even walk and talk on my phone at the same time. For a guy who loves a good steak after a hard workout, I could understand how his appetite for more competition grew. Why have one when you can have two?

From Midland, Michigan to Salt Lake City, Utah, from short track to long track speed skating,Ryan Bedford is all about stepping up his game. One of his best gains is working with long track speed skater champion, Chad Hedrick. He’s not only learning new pranks to pull, but he’s also learning life long lessons from a speed skater that knows a thing or two about long track. I’m curious to see how many tricks Ryan Bedford has up his sleeve going into the 2010 winter games.

-Sarina