Christmas with Norbert Krakowiak (interview)

About Christmas, favorite gingerbread, speedway life in winter and more – a conversation with Norbert Krakowiak – a rider for ARGED MALESA Ostrów Wielkopolski

Interview by Nadia Gniadek, a 1a grade student at the 3rd High School in Bydgoszcz named after Adam Mickiewicz, created as part of the YOUNG SPEEDWAY JOURNALIST ACADEMY classes.

– What do you like about the holiday season?

– The unique atmosphere. It’s a great opportunity to meet with the whole family. It’s a calmer time than everyday life. Most people have time off from work. The traditions associated with these holidays are also nice, like decorating the Christmas tree together or buying presents. I really enjoy this time. 

– And what does it mean for a speedway rider?

– It’s special because the season has ended, and we have some time for ourselves, free from riding on the track. There’s certainly no match-related stress. These are our favorite holidays because we can spend them with family.

– Do you think the perspective on Christmas changes when you’re no longer a child? I ask because you are a father, and this time might now be a completely different situation for you…

– When I was a child, I was only interested in opening presents. I couldn’t wait to finish the meal at the Christmas table, and then it would begin… Now it’s different. I have a 16-month-old daughter, so these will be her first aware Christmas. I can’t wait to see the joy on her face when she opens presents.

– Do you treat the winter season as a time to rest or a break from sport?

– Definitely as a time to rest, although there are many other obligations; I study daily, my schedule is packed, but I think the holiday period is at least three days of holidays, with two weeks for rest. We live very fast, others expect a lot from us, and we expect a lot from ourselves too, so it’s certainly a time when we can slow down.

– Do you have to follow any diet during winter, and if so, what does it involve?

– Yes, but generally I don’t count every calorie, I focus more on being healthy. I am very active, with lots of training in different disciplines, whether swimming, running, various team sports, or tennis. That combined with healthy eating and proper sleep is key. There are many elements, but not to the extent that I’d be obsessed with them, not thinking about anything else but not eating something. If I feel like eating something unhealthy, I just do it.

– Is it hard to get back in shape after the holiday break?

– It depends on how intense it was, the amount of food. It’s certainly not easy. After the holidays, you have to get into the right rhythm. Considering what I mentioned about slowing down during the holidays, with fewer obligations, it’s difficult to get back into that mode, but I think within a few days, one adapts again.

– Is the winter period stressful for a speedway rider in your opinion?

– Certainly much less than the speedway season when we have events practically all the time, tournaments every few days, training sessions. Of course, the winter period is the preparation phase for the season, both physically and equipment-wise, where you have to purchase and assemble everything for the upcoming season. So there are quite a few tasks. Sometimes when there are delays in producing specific things, it can be stressful, but it’s a much less stressful time than the speedway season.

– What would be an ideal winter season for you, what needs to happen?

– Honestly, I haven’t really thought about it. I think I have a life that really suits me. I am realizing myself outside of my professional career, studying, looking long term at my career, so that after ending my participation in sports as an athlete, I can still be involved in the sport in another role. I have a family that is healthy, so I can spend this winter period with them, and that’s the most important to me.

– Do you like listening to carols, and if so, which ones?

– Yes, of course, I like this time when we go to church to sing carols, and it’s indeed a special moment. I think “Przybieżeli do Betlejem” is a carol that particularly affects me. When I hear it in church or anywhere, it brings a smile to my face. I think it’s my favorite carol, and I definitely enjoy listening to and singing it.

– Do you have any favorite holiday dishes or treats, like poppy seed cake, gingerbread?

– Gingerbread is terribly addictive; many people in my family bake them, so if we don’t make them at home, I receive them from different sides of the family. I like them a lot, so you have to be careful not to eat too many. I think borscht is the dish that suits me the most on the holiday table, so to speak.

– Is there anything that annoys you during the holiday season?

– I think the increased traffic on the streets, in shops, the general hustle. Of course, everyone wants to buy everything, stock up on everything, and generally, there are a lot of external stimuli, but that’s also part of the holidays, so it’s natural.

– What would be your dream speedway-related gift, have you ever received such a gift?

– It’s hard for me to answer, I probably don’t have any dream gifts, I have what I need. Sure, it would be great to achieve dream successes, but as for a physical gift, I don’t think I have a dream one.

– You involve yourself in helping shelters. Have you particularly liked any dog, and if so, which one?

– Yes, together with my fiancée, we primarily engage in helping the shelter in Gniezno, because that’s where we live. In fact, the two dogs we adopted are our choices. They’re dogs that are deeply in my heart, namely Szila and Tosia, two female dogs of the shepherd type. Unfortunately, we tend to want to take all these dogs home, but that’s impossible considering we have a young child. Of course, my fiancée visits the shelter more often, I unfortunately a bit less, because time is limited, but when I can, I also go and support in various ways. I take some dogs for a walk and certainly, there are a few dogs at the shelter in Gniezno that I’d gladly take home today. Unfortunately, for now, the limit, which is two dogs at home, has already been reached.

– In your opinion, how can we support animals in shelters during the winter period? What do they need the most at that time?

– Unfortunately, often dogs don’t live in very comfortable conditions, so all sorts of mats, beds are welcome to be delivered to the shelter. We would certainly wish for the shelter infrastructure to be better, so there would be funds to build shelters where dogs would stay inside rather than outside. Winter is associated with water freezing in bowls, which must be monitored and served, so there’s undoubtedly a lot to do. Funds are needed for everything, for example, in Gniezno’s shelter, a large investment is underway, a new building is being built, which will provide much better conditions for the dogs there.

– Thank you very much for the interview and your time.

Interviewed by: Nadia Gniadek, a 1a class student, photos from the athlete’s Facebook and Instagram profiles as well as from the Metalkas photo session.