I can't believe it.....

December.....come and gone....just like that!! Good thing too cause I was just beat....I felt I was dragging my ass all month. I am really looking forward to a good break and like I tell the girls on the hockey team, the 2nd half of the season is a brand new season so I tell myself, the New Year is definately going to be a New Year.

I raced this past weekend....the first time with my new boots...and....my new blades and new speed suit thanks to my good Danish friend Anders. He sold me his blades, used one season, for a very generous price and he also sold me an extra speed suit he had which I wore during the races. He is going back to Denmark and I will miss him cause we skated together often and have the same dreams.....I wish him all the best and I hope to see him again on the ice, preferably in 2010....

The races went okay, considering new equipment and all....500m and 1,000m....nothing spectacular to report as I am always learning.....let me explain. When the Chinook is here, the pressure drops and for some reason, this makes the ice faster as there is less air friction....now, since it has been -30 for the past week, the air pressure rises, more than usual, and this makes the ice slower....this was explained to me before the races which was a good thing cause then I wouldn't be wondering what was going on. The normal tendency is that everyone's times would be slower and that they were......

The pic shows my new skates, which still hurt somewhat, and the new blades which are 17.5 inches instead of 17 but they are the top of the line Maple blades....Thanks Anders.

Well, hopefully everyone will get a chance to spend Christmas with their loved ones. This is a time of year where we can reflect and be thankful for how fortunate we are. I wish everyone health, happiness, and of course.....Peace.

Merry Christmas to all and a great New Year.....