Learning as I go......

So today I finally decided to cook my skates in the oven as they are heat mouldable. Straight out of the box they were fine but I started to get some pressure points on the ankles so now that's done and I'll see if it will make a difference.

In doing so, this meant that the blades had to come off so there's a new adventure for me. Eventually, they were gonna come off anyways cause I was on a pair of used blades and now my new blades are in so I will attempt to do it all myself......a learning experience in progress.

Since the end of August, training has been steady. I have so far been able to travel to Calgary every week and skate twice at week at the Oval. I am now a member of the Calgary Speed Skating Association.....go figure eh? I can either drive to Quebec city for 5 hours and skate outdoors or fly to Calgary in 4 hours and skate indoors on the world's greatest ice......easy decision.

Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, are cardio and full body weight workouts. Tuesdays and Thursdays are speed skating specific leg workouts. Saturdays are for runs, bike, hill running, and weighted sled pulling. Sundays, as the Man himself would have it, is a day of rest which means taking care of stuff around the house, cutting the grass, etc, and of course, sharpening my skates for the upcoming week.

I have not timed myself since the end of July and club races start in October......only a race time can qualify you. If things go well enough, I will try to qualify for the next level up by December and then maybe continue in Calgary for Jan, Feb, and March. You see club level is C (where I am at and where everyone starts pretty much). The next level to qualify for is the Link program which is B, (which where I want to be by the end of March and possibly as quick as December) and there are specific times for that. The level after that is the National level which is A.

My only 500m was a 43.83 and to qualify for Link I need a 41.10. My only 1,500m was a 2:19.64 and for Link I need 2:11.10 so I think both times are realistic to achieve.
I am training hard and I have new and better equipment. I look at my first pair of skates that I was so excited to get and they are not even used more than two weeks and they look so old.

Anyways, my knees hurt but they are holding out. I have a consultation coming up soon and although I know I will need surgery, I just want to know if I can hold out for awhile.....like a couple of years....heh heh.

Anyways, back to the skates I go....hope I don't put the blades on backwards...

Peace