Week 4......race weekend!!

Well after 4 weeks of solid training, I raced my first weekend 1,000m race and I fully expected to smash my last PB by at least 2 seconds but to my great disappointment, I simply nailed the same ole same ole. I am not discouraged though cause I have been working hard this past month and especially this past week..........I mean I can say quite a few things but they would only be excuses.....what I can say though, is even if the time is the same, I felt a lot better with my stride, I didn't even think about my corners as I leaned into them like I used to with my beautiful big black Honda Super Blackbird (can you tell I miss her??), and I will say that the last corner was hard to keep standing so I knew I was blowing up........I mean the day before, I got my fastest times on a 400m tempo and an 800m tempo and by simple calculation, I knew I was gonna do well race day but, like everything else in life, you never know........we are not in control.......otherwise, it would be too easy!!

I am glad that I am gonna have a few days off soon, I will welcome the break physically and mentally........most skaters I talk to take about 72hrs off every 4 weeks and usually take two days off during the week.........I am told that speed skating really blasts your legs and recovery is necessary........still learning here!! Of course, I get to see my family too and that will be great!!

The Dinos hockey team has a pre-season record of 5-1 so far and I have finally put all the right names to the right faces of the girls..........now I gotta give them nicknames........then I will forget their real names.........but I am having fun.

After 4 weeks though, I finally feel that my body is coming around and has adjusted to the specific training and to the diet. Of course, I had to change the intesity of my dryland training as I said earlier, speed skating really takes a lot out of you and I had to modify my diet to intake more carbs so now I am on a pretty much 50-50 diet of carbs and protein. Pasta only on Sundays just doesn't cut it anymore and you should see how much bread I am eating.......still, I am leaning out.....

So after 3 weeks of feeling too bloated, too skinny, too heavy, too tired, too hungry.....and believe me, I eat!!.......my monthly budget for food was $400 and I am already at $850 (after a Costco run)............I believe I have figured it out......good, cause I gave myself only the first month to get this kind of stuff out of the way so I can concentrate only on skating......so far so good and from a starting weight of 179lbs........I weighed in on Saturday at a solid 174lbs.

Also, after only 4 weeks, you would never know it if you saw me stretch, but I have become way more flexible than I have ever been.........I mean I stretch two and sometimes three times a day.......it is amazing at how much it helps prevent injury and how it makes you perform better when one is more supple. I feel great after a stretch and they last me anywhere from 30 mins or an hour if I really emphasize on breathing and meditation.........new stuff for me!!

And here's some news, I have the possibility of landing 2 jobs at the Oval......one working the front desk and the other, get this........driving the Zamboni....heh heh......can you believe that, after all my years of playing hockey......I end up driving a zamboni.........go figure!! I am really not sure if I want to work at all for that matter but I have to decide pretty quick.......the extra cash would help cause the way things are going, my budget will only last me three months and the asst coaching job doesn't pay at all......it would be cool to clean my own ice though..........stay tuned......

Sushi Sundays....after a greazzy breakfast, lunch calls for salmon sushi every Sunday.

Stretching during the NFL games.....that comes after the sushi....

Peace,

Dee