My Week at the Oval....

This is a blog that I kept handwritten daily at the end of each training session while icing my knees by the pool (not because of speed skating though). I will post each day as it happened so it's a long one.

Sunday.......not quite sure what's going on but I am not feeling it, like I have lost focus. That's what I was thinking on the plane and that's what I was thinking about at the hotel.........for skeleton, it was non stop thinking, about the tracks, about the corrections I had to make, about training, etc.
I just feel that my motivation might be lacking, or misplaced at this point in my life. Just so many other things going on in my mind. Mentally, spiritually, emotionally, my direction is more focused on life, not on goals.
Oh well, maybe in the heat of the moment when the camp starts, I will get into it.
Peace.

Monday......well, any lack of focus quickly disappated when I got to the Oval and laced up the skates. Skating there is like spreading your wings.....so much room, so much more speed.....the energy level with all the Koreans, Chineses, Japanese, Canadian National skaters on the ice is truly intoxicating.
That place is so busy with so many athletes and young athletes doing track and field, speed skating short and long track, hockey camps, ringuette camps, strength coaches, speed coaches, it is truly unbelieveable.
Anyways, didn't fall once and I must say that I was really happy with how I skated and with what I learned today....hopefully that continues throughout the week.
Today we learned about positioning.....how low can you go, we learned a bit about cornering, and how to keep the shoulders square in the corners instead of turned in. Of course, I forgot my camera.......tomorrow.
Peace.

Tuesday.....well quads were definately tight today but again, another two good ice sessions.....we are on every morning for an hour and every afternoon for an hour and a half.......didn't fall, but I am sure it's coming.
We learned more about cornering and about recovery on the leg that just finished working. We also started acceleration drills....heh heh....that was fun!! We also learned the proper way to sharpen skates which is something I definately needed to know.
I remembered the camera today so I took a few pics. It feels real good to skate at the Oval......you can taste the competitiveness, you can hear the cheers and the clanging of cowbells and when you are going fast under your own steam, it is just exhilirating......until you see that corner coming at you and you quickly try to remember how to do your crossovers. What a blast but I am feeling it in the quads and the hips. It is easy to work the legs in a gym but to stay squatted for a long period of time is something else.
Anyways, tomorrow's agenda sounds like more speed.....blast off!!
Peace.

Wednesday.....feeling freakin' tight, quads, hips.....must be doing something right and after today, I am sure it isn't gonna get better. At least every morning I walk half an hour to get to the Oval so that warms me up a bit and then half an hour back to the hotel afterwards and that cools my muscles down too......thank God for the beautiful weather here.
We did laps today in groups emphasizing form, we did moving accelerations, we did interval training laps, we did moving starts, and we did extremely over emphasized crouched low laps....those were burning killers, they actually have an acronym for those.....SFL....so f%$#&@* low.
Another good day, I didn't fall!! The speed is picking up and my hockey experience is kicking in. Yesterday, when we were supposed to pick groups for some drills, one guy told me that he would probably be too fast for me.......I don't think sooooooo but I didn't say anything, he sees it for himself on the ice now.
This is definately a tough sport and people train very hard to get where they are, in any discipline for that matter, but to see everyone of all ages training so hard at the Oval is quite impressive.
We've been told that the camp doesn't actually end on Friday because on Saturday morning, we have, get this, races. We will be racing in a 500m race and a 1,500m race....yikes!!
Anyways, hope I just make it to Saturday.....more tomorrow.
Peace.

Thursday....it was a workout day today....they had us do quite a few laps in the morning session which filled the exact time we had on the ice......I really enjoyed that cause it gave me an appreciation of how tough it is.
In the afternoon, we did a full out rolling 400m sprint which they call a 'tempo' and out of 20 people, I came in second and missed first by half a second exactly.....so it was a good day for me....and to top it off, I didn't fall today either.
After that, we practiced stand still starts which we need to know cause of Saturday's races. I am sure they will pair us up equally.
It really wasn't a competiton but I tried to give it my all so that's what I base my time on.
I am sure if I had proper skates and a good sharpening, I can do much better. I knew on Monday that my skates were not adequate and I have been sharpening every night and they still feel skitty.....just can't get it.
Anyways, last day tomorrow and then off to the races. We are all very tight and sore but that is the price to pay for this type of challenge.
Okay, time to take the ice off, hit the pool, whirlpool, and a very hot shower.
Peace.

Friday......finally, last day of training. Tomorrow, two races, back to the hotel, quick pack, quick shower, and off to the airport we go.
Today was not too bad, practiced more corners, more balance, accelerations, moving starts, standing starts, an easy 500m and an easy 1,500m.......boy did those burn......I didn't fall.....bonus.
As a warm-up for the aftrenoon ice, we played some soccer and I tweaked my left hip flexor, just over fatigued but of course, just before race day. I didn't feel it much on the ice but boy do I feel it walking. We'll see what it feels like tomorrow morning. I got some pretty good comments from an expert out there.....now I got some thinkning to do.
I have to say, before I forget, the Univeristy of Calgary is simply an amazing place. I have bever seen a place like this. It has it's own food court like a shopping mall, and a Tim Hortons to boot. I was here in 97' for my first World Police and Fire Games, which I have very fond memeories of but I never had a chance to see the University for what it was.....what a place to go to school!!!
Anyways, time to take off the ice again, hit the pool, whirlpool, and a hot shower!!
Peace.

Saturday.....race day!! Up earlier than the other days, more sorer than the other days too......wasn't quite sure how things were gonna workout.
This whole week we seen a lot of ice, more so than the elite skaters so I know our times are not quite indicative of what we can really do.
I went into this not looking at it as a race but more of a personal challenge but man, when the gun goes off and you know someone is beside you.....testosterone goes into overdrive and you just give'er!!
I placed first overall in the 500m with a time of 43.83 and I just wanted to be under 46 so that's good but boy was I sloppy. I know I could have easily shaved some time off of that one.
Then, I placed second overall in the 1,500m with a time of 2:19.65 which was also good cause after this week, I just wanted to be under 2:30. What an excruciating burn on the legs....in the curves, if you don't mentally tell yourself to lift your foot to do a crossover, you are so fatigued that that you'll just drop.
What a great experience. I received positive comments from the coaches and others, and especially one in particular that believes that I could do it. I didn't tell anybody what my goal was except for him cause I needed a straight answer......now, I need to do a lot of thinking that's for sure!!
Well, sitting here at the airport in Calgary waiting for my flight home. Miss my girls that's for sure and can't wait for a home cooked meal.
Peace.

So after skating at least 4 times on store sharpened skates, it was time to sharpen my own skates for the first time. I had bought a jig and stone to do my own skates, just like any other serious speed skater cause it just simply gets too expensive to sharpen at the store every time ($15 a shot) and they will only last for 1 to 4 on ice sessions.
This was a test to see how sharp I could get them and how much time it would take me. Initially, I spent 10 minutes rough stone and 5 minutes smooth stone on my skates and tried them out Tuesday last week but they were not where I wanted them and geez do you feel vulnerable when they are not sharp.
Back to the drawing board I went and spent another 10 minutes rough stone and 5 minutes smooth stone and skated on Thursday and they were much better. This tells me that I need about 15 to 20 miutes to get my skates where I like them and I am figuring if I do 10 minutes after each ice session, that should also do it.
I will learn more when I am in Calgary about sharpening I am sure.
Anyways, back to the FIFA U20 soccer where Gambia just upset favorite Portugal......you just can never be sure in life.....

Peace.