Last spring after the end of the skating season I was looking around the internet to find a warm knit hat with a speed skating image on it. I wanted to give L, C, and my children each one for Christmas this year.
After hours of searching I could not find any but did find two companies that would make custom hats. The first company I contacted basically told me that for five hats they did not want to bother. When I contacted the second company, Tallu the owner, said he was up for the challenge and asked me to send some images. After a few weeks I received an email that said the skate shape had been mapped out on graph paper and was ready to be transfered to the knitting machine. He wanted to make a sample hat for my approval and needed my color choices. A week later I received an email stating the sample hat was in the mail. The day the sample hat was to arrive I rushed home from work to see it. It was better than I imagined. After many more emails the color choices for the remaining four hats were selected and the final order was placed. Each hat turned out great and I am so pleased with the service I received.
Today Christmas arrived at the oval as all five of us were at the speed skate practice time at 2:00pm. Prior to going on the ice I gave each recipient a bag with his/her initial on it and on the count of three they opened their bags. Each of us wore our hats and they are as comfortable and warm as they look.
I wish each of you a Merry Christmas and hope you have many hours of happy skating in the new year.
Here is a close up photo of two of the hats.
Today was day one of the John Rose Open. I had two goals while I watched the races leading up to the 10K scheduled for the last event of the afternoon. My first goal was to enjoy watching the variety of skaters and lengths of races. The smallest skaters are always the cutest but it was the teens that were the most fun to watch. My second goal was to figure out when to start the cross over when I have speed behind me as I enter the turn.
As I wrote in an earlier post I needed to learn how to do the cross over. Well in the past 6 weeks I have been working on the cross over and now know the basic technique. What I have not learned is how to go into the first step when you have some speed behind you. I had planned to take a lesson last Wednesday and learn how to do so but the -20 something wind chill made me stay off the ice. I am not sure if I am a wimp or I just have not hardened up this winter. Watching the fast skaters gave me something to think about but no time to practice.
When the ice was ready L and I stepped onto the ice with our other competitors to warm up. I think there were 12 of us, a good number for the first 10K at the John Rose Open. I was excited that I was to have real competition in that I was not the only over 40 woman skating. I knew I would have to earn my medal in this race not just win it like I did in Bemidji.
We lined up at the starting line with 26 laps ahead of us. The gun shot was heard and I began to skate. The first turn was only in 50 meters so I did not have enough speed to even need a cross over step so I thought ok fine the next turn I will need to be ready. That is when I hit the straight away and the wind. I think the wind stood me straight up. Visions of my Bemidji race came into mind and I realized that this is something I will have to learn to overcome. For now though the next turn was nearing but without speed it did not matter. With the wind at my back I went quickly down the next straight away and was in a mini pack with a husband and wife couple. I thought I would be able to pass them until we hit the turn. Speed I had but this time the ice was so smooth I could not get a grip to do the cross over. I really need a lesson! The couple and I jockeyed around for first place in our little pack for a few laps and they they skated ahead and I never could catch them but finished only slightly behind.
As the race continued I was able to handle the cross overs at the down wind turn and never needed to use them in the windy turn. After 29:47 on the ice I skated across the finish line. The time was faster than I anticipated and I earned the silver medal.
I am happy with the race and know what I need to work on before the next 10K at the oval in January. So now a few hours after the race I am doing what I did last February in Bemidji, drinking a Guinness and looking at a medal. Cheers!
Now that we are into December, the weather decided to turn little more winter like here in Minnesota. The temperature dropped below freezing and the ice on the oval firmed up. I can skate a little faster when the ice is hard and not spongy. This should make for great ice for the Americas cup this weekend and the John Rose Oval next weekend.
The hard ice could not have come at a better time as I am now training for my second race. A 10K race was added to the John Rose Open and I will be one of the competitors. This will be a challenge for me as I finally feel somewhat confident on the cross over step. Last year in Bemidji I did not have to do a cross over because the track was 1K long. To get a feel for what the race will be like I skated 12 laps at a racing pace, which is just short of 5k on Wednesday evening. The skate went better than I thought it would and I actually felt good. With a few more days on the ice before the race I am sure to grow in confidence.
The Novice program started last Tuesday. One of the first comments A made was the amount of skaters was so much more than last year. When I talked to one of the women in charge she told me that there were 20 more skaters. That is wonderful news and I am sure part of the increase was due to the “learn to speed skate night” that was held a few weeks ago. As my children took the ice the coaches broke the skaters into different groups based on ability and years of skating on speed skates. Both of my children were placed in the same group with Erik as their coach. They had a great time and were so happy to be back in lessons. Thank you Erik for a great start to the season.
On Thursday night I walked around the oval while my children were on the ice. I had a blast watching the different groups of skaters and their coaches. There are some talented experience skaters and I believe that they will really grow in their skills this year under the guidance of their coaches. However the skaters that were the most fun to watch looked to be between 4 and 7 years old. One little girl in particular who looked to be 4 was flying along on the ice. I look forward to watching her in the future. She may one day be an Olympian.
My family will be back on the ice Saturday night hopefully with a car load of friends. We love skating and so enjoy our time on the ice as a family. We are trying to expose others to this great sport. Even if we do not get them on long blades, I am content as long as they enjoy their time on the ice. There is one person that I wish I could get on the ice. My father who is 85 years old wants to skate like he did in his childhood. He dreams of the feeling of flying across the ice every time we talk about skating. My mother and I have both vetoed his request of finding his old skates and driving him to the oval. If only there was a way to turn back the clock on his aging body and let him skate again.
It was a great week on the ice!
Reaching for something in the distance, so close you can almost taste it. Release your inhibitions. Feel the rain on your skin, no one else can feel it for you, only you can let it in. No one else, no one else can speak the words on your lips. Drench yourself in words unspoken, live your life with arms wide open. Today is where your book begins, the rest is still unwritten.
Natasha Bedingfield- Unwritten (2005)
So the season has started and I have been working towards the goal of a 59:59 25k marathon. It is going to take A LOT of hard work. And what is like the nagging little piece of toilet paper on the sole of my shoe? 29 seconds. Only 29 seconds separated a gold and a silver medal for the senior women during the National Marathon Championships last season. And even though I held onto the race in the final laps (thank you Mr. Man who broke wind for me!), I know this year is on and C will not be going down without a fight. So the 59:59 is beckoning me and the 29 second piece of toilet paper will be hanging off my shoe reminding me that I won’t be going too far. Yes, it is going to be a season of hard work.
So since I haven’t blogged in a while. What have I been up to?
Well, I have been speedskating at the oval. I actually was at the oval on Wednesday during the ‘try speedskating’ night. It was cool being on the ice with some of my favorite speedskaters. Joe, president of the Greater Minnesota Speedskating Association was out skating. I have a great respect for Joe, when I skated my first National Marathon- I really sucked, but Joe stayed outside the entire time and cheered me on until I finished. He then invited me to come into the heated trailer to warm up. It was a blessing as E and I were totally unprepared for the entire race (we’ve learned a lot since then). So last year when my 50k race went to shambles I stayed out taking pictures (see the Spring 2009 issue of Racing Blade) and cheered for every last skater and Joe was out there too.
So D and I got to skate for a while with Joe on Wednesday. It was great fun as he was trying to work on my bad technique- I am not sure if he reads this blog but if he does, I will let him leave a comment about my really bad looking skating technique. Joe also decided to challenge my fear of drafting- I know. I know. Drafting is a must for a 59:59 marathon. All of a sudden coming down the back straightaway I felt that eerie feeling of someone in your personal space and there was Joe drafting off of me. Thanks Joe!
In conclusion from the ‘try speedskating’ event, I need to give a HUGE SHOUT OUT to Midway Speedskating, Roseville Novice Program, and Greater Minnesota Speedskating Association for the excellently run event. It was so nice to see that many kids out there trying speedskating and they gave those of us that were out for a ‘recreational’ skate enough room to still safely skate.
Continuing on this quest for the 59:59 marathon. I tried slideboarding with 1994 Olympian Chantal (-Dunn -Bailey) Cermak of the Bemidji Speedskating club. I was a miserable failure at the attempt- ask her youngest daughter and middle son who I provided some great entertainment at my awful attempt. I am not sure how many times Chantal’s son told me it wasn’t scary. The entire day was a great time, I love the city of Bemidji, and to top it off we surprised Chantal- as she thought I was going to call and train her about her new website (did you see it? http://www.bemidjispeedskating.org/) and then I called and said, “I really need directions to your house!” I know Chantal (who I know is a reader of this blog)- E and I have to move up there.
And finally, since I really want to skate this sub-hour marathon, it is really an annoying beckoning force in front of me. I have also scored well on the craigslist.com and found myself a cycleops. It is so nice to be able to bike indoors, even though we have had an uncharateristically warm November. For $40 I got the cycelops and a smooth wheel SCORE! I also earned myself a slideboard through a bet with my husband. That will be a project for this weekend.
As I was growing up the thought of skating in November never entered my mind. I had to wait for the weather to grow cold so the local fire department could flood the ball field. Skating had to wait until mid December but once the ice was ready we spent many hours on the rink. One of the perks of attending Bayport Elementary was that once the rink was ready, lunch recess could be spent on the ice. As an adult I work in education and once in awhile I supervise lunch recess. I wish I could relocate my school to sit along side the Oval. I would be the first to volunteer to supervise recess every day between November 1 and March 1. Just think of the ice time I could log in!
October was a very long month in my household. The unseasonably cold weather for the first half of the month made the three skaters that live here focused on skating. I believe we all were dreaming at night about being on the ice. Only one of us owns skates and as the adult I had to listen to two children tell me they were sure their feet would not grow so I would shell out the big bucks to purchase them skates. Being the mom I knew that their feet would grow and that renting for another year in the Novice program was definitely the best option for my checkbook. I want to thank Cindy and Nancy from Midway Speed Skating Club who allowed me to arrive with two very happy children on a 60 degree November morning to rent skates so we could start our skating year on November 7. These two children would never of forgave me if I skated for a whole month before they were able to start skating for the year.
On that day the three of us put on our skates and hit the ice. Well we kinda sunk into the ice a little as it was very soft. But we were on the ice for the first time in eight months. It was a beautiful day; the sun was out, there was a cool wind, and the short sleeves did the trick for the day. I commented to one of my children that while we love the cool breeze now, we may have different thoughts on a cold December night.
Day two on the ice was this evening. The sun sat just as we arrived at the oval making the temperature drop into the lower 50’s. It was a perfect night; the ice was firm, my full balance was back, my crossovers went well and my muscles knew what to do. Since this was L and C’s first time on the ice they took it easy and were not happy as I flew by.
Now that the three members of my household have been back on the ice I can articulate what each of us is striving for. B the youngest of us wants to skate, make new friends at the oval, and eat food from the concession stand. What else would you expect from a 9 year old? A has a more lofty goal. I learned at the fall parent-teacher conference that she wants to be a world class speed skater. For this year it means to improve on her form, get faster in the process and compete in more races than last year. This is my warning to all of those skaters who are classified as 10 years and younger you may have a new feisty competitor. Since A’s birthday is in August she qualifies as a 10 year old but this girl is all muscle and can scare even the biggest adult with the force of her power. As for my goals; first I want to master the crossover and second is to compete in the 25K marathon in Bemidji for the second time. I would love to skate a faster time than last year but more importantly I want to lap L and C twice this year. The crossover goal looks achievable but the double lap is going to take a lot of work.
All you speed skaters out there enjoy as our season has begun! There is nothing better than having the cold air in the lungs as you power around the oval. Life is great on ice!
…and another blog post. I think I remember most of what I had written last night – but I had already had a full day plus not much sleep on Friday night, so here’s to hoping that the Internet isn’t hungry enough to gobble up any blog posts today. 
Just to mention again, we’d love to see you skating at the Oval. Check out the schedule here (choose the schedule for the Guidant John Rose MN Oval.)
The weather has, ahem, been unseasonably warm after a unseasonably chilly and rainy last couple of months. Yesterday’s November day included highs in the mid-60s without much wind. My thoughts then moved to the following question: What exactly does one wear skating in such weather? As much as I would like to don shorts for one more day before the cold weather makes its appearance and the snow files, I can’t imagine that’d be a good idea while skating. (I can almost hear my Mom’s words of caution and disbelief in my head that I’d even consider shorts…) I find myself conditioned to contemplate how I’m going to keep warm while skating – not to consider how not to overheat!
While the day held other plans for us, L and I stopped by to see D skating at the Oval. Looking out onto the ice, I pondered what all the upcoming season has in store for us. We each have our own reasons for skating and can get competitive at times. Last year I was excited just to be finishing the 25km marathon distance – this year, I think I need to make up those 29 seconds (and more) from last year. It should be noted that it felt very odd to comfortably walk outside in a short sleeved t-shirt and jeans, all while there is ICE available to skate on!
As a new season begins, an unexpected permutation of the usual variables has arrived: temperature, sun and wind. And yet, there’s something about warm and ice that my mind can’t seem to wrap itself around.
When L and I first purchased our skates at the end of the 2007-08 skating season, I think we must have chosen the coldest and windiest days (or so it felt) to break in our new skates. The following skating season in 2008-09, we were out on the ice with equal enthusiasm in some seasonal weather for November. Why then do I find myself struggling to find that same drive in consideration of the opposite extreme of cold?
After a quick look at the weather forecast for the next week or so, the mild weather is going to continue. Guess I’m going to need to adapt and figure out how many layers I will not need to wear! Nothing endures but change – this has become evidently true for me in the past year.
I feel strange as I type the following, but is IS the truth: The Oval is open, and I haven’t gone skating. YET.
The Oval officially opened yesterday evening with a public skating session. Check the schedule – we’d love to see you out skating with us! (Please choose the schedule for the Guidant John Rose MN Oval.)
… I had written a thoughtful post about this upcoming season, and clicked on “Publish” and *poof* something ate my post for dessert like Cookie Monster eats cookies!
Will plan to update again soon!
Did you see this Monday night? The story will start at 2:02
Here is the back story. DSB bank in the Netherlands used to be the primary sponsor for US Speedskating. Well, this fall (October 19) they went bankrupt and left US Speedskating with a deficit of about $300,000. Thus, in other words leaving US Speedskating in a bit of a lurch. The sad thing is, there are very few large American sponsors of US Speedskating. This is surprising as US Speedkating has won 75 Olympic Medals, more than any other winter sport.
Speedskating is not really a household sport in the US. Not every kid wants to go out and become a speedskater. Which equals a lack of sponsorship lining up to give money to US Speedskating. Kids these days are more interested in becoming a professional baseball player or playing some day in the NFL. How many kids do you hear want to become a ‘world class speedskater?’ I know two. Or think about it this way, how many times have I been at the Oval and I have heard, “Oh you are driving an hour each way to go skating. Why?” Why do I do this? Because I love this sport. Why do I love this sport? This is the sport that teaches me no matter how hard I work, there is a reward at the end.
Just like I wrote in My Perspective, I want to see more people in the stands, I want more people to love the sport that I do. Stop watching it on the TV only during the Olympics and come out and watch at the Oval just once. There are several opportunities for you to do so. Bring cowbells to Bemidji and cheer on during the marathon. Scream as loud as you would for the baseball or football players.
I don’t know how many readers we have, I thank those readers that we do have. However, I want to encourage you to donate to US Speedskating and the Colbert Nation on the US Speedskating website.
Thank you!
There are 10080 minutes left until we are at the oval. Oops! Better add 60 more minutes because of daylight savings time ending tonight. So actually there 10140 minutes to go! Or 169 hours! Or 608,400 seconds! Can you read into my excitement?
After 8 months off of the ice I am ready to get back on. I am ready to work on a straight away stroke and the crossover step. I am ready to skate a one hour marathon. I am ready to finish a 50k. I am ready to be out on the ice where my only concern is not killing myself with those ice sleds. I am ready!
Over the past 8 months I have been biking but not skating all that much. I won’t whine about the biking too much either but E has a 29er bike and with my short legs and 26″ wheels, I have to work a bit harder to make up for lacking 12 inches in wheel circumference. I tried inline skating a few times but I was really timid as I still have not recovered mentally from the April 2008 bouncing across the pavement, coccyx breaking, couldn’t sit for a month experience. I am really pathetic, I know.
Tonight as I was waiting for the trick-or-treaters, I took my inline wheels off and switched to my ice blades. I also fixed my skate boots tongue which had wreaked havoc on my foot last February. I am debating as I wait for the last of the trick or treaters if I should bring down my sharpening jig and sharpen my blades up too. Probably not the best idea as I scared one kid as I was passing out candy with my ice blade in my hand. I am not sure what they would say if they saw me sharpening my blades.
In other news, I have launched the website for Bemidji Speedskating who is the host of the 2010 long track national marathon. Chantal Cermak, their coach, and who is awesome didn’t really have a website for her club, so I offered to build her one. It took a while but I think it came together nicely and will be easy for her to maintain.
Well, 7 more days to go. I think after 8 months of waiting this week should go quickly.
Camille
Lisa
Dorothy
