New highs!!....Big improvements!!......New skates??
The last sanctionned race for this year, the Can-Am, took place this weekend and with it came new highs for me.......6 races..............4 distances..........4 new PBs.
On Thursday, I raced the 500m and the 1,000m.........the 500m I PBd and the 1,000m I pretty much matched my last PB so I wasn't happy with that........but redemption is sweet.........
On Friday, I raced the 500m again for fun and speed and mantained my PB and then I raced the 1,500m which I PBd by over 2 seconds.........really happy with that.
On Saturday, I was only supposed to race the 5,000m but since I was disappointed with my Thursday 1,000m........I asked if they can squeeze me in that race and they did..........so I PBd my 1,000m.......redemption is sweet.....and then I raced the 5,000m, not quite knowing what I had left in me, but I PBd that too by over 5 seconds...........I don't know where that came from but of course I was very pleased with my overall performance.
PBs will start to get harder to come by as I get closer to World Cup times and now I have to look at my equipment. My coach, and others, have been really adamant that I need better skates......custom moulded skates, like everyone else, so I can feel the ice better and have better support so I can hammer those turns..........they truly believe that I will gain time by being more in tune with the ice........and these boots will fit my feet perfectly........the downside.............that's $1,260 I did not calculate in my budget, which will be depleted after December anyways.
Well, the promise I made to myself last month when this skate issue came up, was that I would wait to see if I progressed enough after the last race, this past weekend, to make that decision of spending that money on skates or not......I guess I will have to now.......my appointment has been made for Monday to custom mould my boots.
As it stands right now, I am 2.5 seconds off the 500m time, an initial improvement of over 4 seconds, 2.5 seconds off the 1,000m time, an initial improvement of over 6 seconds, 4.5 seconds off the 1,500m time, an initial improvement of over 20 seconds, and 35 seconds off the 5,000m time, an initial improvement of over 25 seconds...........my main focus has now become the 1,000m and 1,500m distances and it could very well be the skates that make that difference........of course, I would love to qualify in all 4 distances........since I am here right??
Believe it or not, even though I feel like I have been here forever, this race and the last race 2 weeks ago, marks the beginning of the skating season.......we are just starting........of course, I may still do some weekend races.
Anyways, all the base training has been pretty much accomplished.......December will be focused on technique, the main element to shave off time, and getting used to my new skates........
On another note, the Dinos have now moved to 8-2 on the season with one game left before Christmas break and that game will decide who is in first place overall........talk about a mid-season grande finale.....
Well, that's it for now folks.......crunch time has officially begun......
Peace
On Thursday, I raced the 500m and the 1,000m.........the 500m I PBd and the 1,000m I pretty much matched my last PB so I wasn't happy with that........but redemption is sweet.........
On Friday, I raced the 500m again for fun and speed and mantained my PB and then I raced the 1,500m which I PBd by over 2 seconds.........really happy with that.
On Saturday, I was only supposed to race the 5,000m but since I was disappointed with my Thursday 1,000m........I asked if they can squeeze me in that race and they did..........so I PBd my 1,000m.......redemption is sweet.....and then I raced the 5,000m, not quite knowing what I had left in me, but I PBd that too by over 5 seconds...........I don't know where that came from but of course I was very pleased with my overall performance.
PBs will start to get harder to come by as I get closer to World Cup times and now I have to look at my equipment. My coach, and others, have been really adamant that I need better skates......custom moulded skates, like everyone else, so I can feel the ice better and have better support so I can hammer those turns..........they truly believe that I will gain time by being more in tune with the ice........and these boots will fit my feet perfectly........the downside.............that's $1,260 I did not calculate in my budget, which will be depleted after December anyways.
Well, the promise I made to myself last month when this skate issue came up, was that I would wait to see if I progressed enough after the last race, this past weekend, to make that decision of spending that money on skates or not......I guess I will have to now.......my appointment has been made for Monday to custom mould my boots.
As it stands right now, I am 2.5 seconds off the 500m time, an initial improvement of over 4 seconds, 2.5 seconds off the 1,000m time, an initial improvement of over 6 seconds, 4.5 seconds off the 1,500m time, an initial improvement of over 20 seconds, and 35 seconds off the 5,000m time, an initial improvement of over 25 seconds...........my main focus has now become the 1,000m and 1,500m distances and it could very well be the skates that make that difference........of course, I would love to qualify in all 4 distances........since I am here right??
Believe it or not, even though I feel like I have been here forever, this race and the last race 2 weeks ago, marks the beginning of the skating season.......we are just starting........of course, I may still do some weekend races.
Anyways, all the base training has been pretty much accomplished.......December will be focused on technique, the main element to shave off time, and getting used to my new skates........
On another note, the Dinos have now moved to 8-2 on the season with one game left before Christmas break and that game will decide who is in first place overall........talk about a mid-season grande finale.....
Well, that's it for now folks.......crunch time has officially begun......
Peace
posted by Demetrios "Dee" Stefanopoulos at 8:05 PM
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