The first month of 2010 is in the books, & 20 days since my last update. On the 15th I competed in a Short Track event in Syracuse, NY. This was my first official meet of the year that I competed in. I was a little race rusty to say the least. I was skating competitively in my division but couldn't seem to keep my skates under me. Two hard crashes left me banged up and out of the possibility of a top three finish.
I went down in my first heat of a 777m. This is like racing a long 500m. The speed is high and the racing tight. The first three opening laps were fast, I sat in second place matching the speed of the lead skater & could sense the thrid place skater tight behind me. We began the 4th lap and as I was exited the turn heard the tell tale sound of my right skate blade scratching over the surface ice, my left knee hitting the ice, my left hand firmly planted trying to hold my weight. The boards came fast & the impact very hard. My shoulder and head hit first. Instant pain right between my shoulder blades. Everything went black momentarily, then I was spinning back out into the track. I instinctively balled up as not to get hit by the skaters behind me. I saw & heard a set skate blades whiz by before coming to a stop. I sat what felt like a minute regaining my orientation, I'm sure it was only a few seconds. I got back to my feet and slowly began to skate. The pain was immediate and it hurt to move around the track. I thought at the time I was only a lap down, but after the other skaters had finished I had two laps to complete. I was obviously down longer then I had thought and was moving much slower after the crash then I had thought. I limped off the ice when I finally finished.
The crash had left my shoulder injured yet again. I had injured it in a series of three crashes the year before. Being a speed skater I always turn left and the result is when I fall I fall on my left side. Each of the falls seemed to compound on the one previous. I was just getting back to the point of no shoulder pain and full range of motion. Now I'm back to were I was a year ago. Oh well, I know what to do for an injured shoulder so I guess I'll get started with the rehab, again.
The first crash sent me to the C final, which I won easily. Next was the 500m. The 500 is an all out sprint from start to finish. No rest time, full exertion, top speed. The start went well, I came off the line in thrid, moved to second coming out of the second corner, corner three top speed, forth corner entry good, apex pivoting, wait that block's not supposed to be there, "POP" left skate blade taken out from under me, sh!t here comes the wall, crap I'm heading toward it feet first, get the feet up so my ankles don't break, impact. I managed to get my feet up however I caught my right blade in the pad, pronating my foot upon impact. The pain wasn't too bad and I was able to get back on my feet quickly before the other skaters had finished the straight-a-way after the corner in which I crashed. I was able to begin skating right a way only slightly noticing the pain on the outside of my right ankle. Third race and second last place finish. Ouch.
My main reason for skating this meet was to secure a 500m qualifying time for the Empire State games. This meant I had to stay up and complete my 500m "B" final.
I was definately feeling the result of the two crashes, my shoulder and neck were hurting, and I was ignoring the bruising pain to my right ankle. I knew there was only one skater I really need to worry about in my 500m final. I knew if I got out front early I would be able to maintain the lead, barring a fall, to the finish. The gun went off and five of us sprinted to the first corner, I was in second just inside the lead skater. I sprinted hard out of the corner and down the entire straight. I continued to sprint hard through the second corner and got two crossovers in and four coming out, stutter stepped and repeated two in, three out, stutter step, 2 in 3 out, stutter step 2 in 3 out. I had left the pact a quarter lap behind. I went into cruise mode and fininshed in first. Qualifying time secured. Mission complete.
The 1000m races were the only events remaining. I won my heat easily, and came in 5th in the final. Three laps to go in the 1000m final my back cramped and I was unable to counter the ending sprint. The ride home was going to be uncomfortable to say the least.
Somehow I had garnered enough points to tie for fifth overall. Bent but not broken, I survived the Syracuse meet, got my qualifying time, and could still walk under my own power. All was good.
Two week later, my shoulder & neck still hurt and the bruising of my right ankle is almost gone. Time to focus on the Empire State Games. Last year I came home with two Bronze medals. My goal is to match or improve on last years finishes.
Till then, skate on.....
~TR
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
To skate or not to skate....
A week has passed since my last post. I've only skated twice this past week once on blades once on wheels. A bout of bad food left me out of commission last Tuesday forcing me to miss RSST practice. We also have practice Thursday nights but due to the 8:30 pm ice time its difficult for me to make. Long work days and having to be up early on Fridays takes it toll on me by the end of the week. Saturday morning practices typically go well, though I don't usually skate my best a 07:30 am. I'm usually just warming up and getting my skate legs at the time we're finishing practice.
Sunday morning derby practice had a decent turnout despite a small contingent of skaters absent due to a bout in Albany the previous night. The girls are beginning to get used to the routine of a off skate workout followed by on skate drills. I'm becoming familiar with the derby terms, references, and drills. I really need to get adequate knee pads so I can practice the different fall techniques I'm supposed to teach.
I've always believed the most effective coaching takes place when a coach can demonstrate the technique being taught. Knowledge of the movement through personal experience gives the coach better insight when directing the athletes through the movement or technique being taught. This I believe adds the the effectiveness of the coach and enhances the relationship between athletes and coach. Its the lead by example method.
I work myself as hard as the athletes I train, pushing myself, pushing them, to exceed their own expectations, to go beyond what they believe to be their limitations. Every athlete has something they excell at, its important to identify what that something is and exploit it to its fullest. For example, if a speed skater excells at corner entry, focus on that, build off the corner entry to incorporate a better pivot position, then to corner exit, foot speed, then to straight a way stride. Use their best mastered technique as their starting point. Knowing they are good at one technique gives them the confidence to master then next and so on. I never allow an athlete to flounder at a technique they are having trouble mastering. I will break it down in to small parts and have them master one small aspect of the technique before moving on to the next. If they are not getting it or its coming slowly, I have them run through it few times, then stop and do something they are really good at. This gives them time to clear their heads, reaffirm their skills before returning to the new task at hand. Whether right or wrong I have seen and experinced good success with this method of coaching. Repetition of poor technique, reinforces poor technique, repetition of proper technique, reinforces proper technique. It is easy to say and comprehend, yet it can be a tricky thing to teach.
Skate on.
~TR
Sunday morning derby practice had a decent turnout despite a small contingent of skaters absent due to a bout in Albany the previous night. The girls are beginning to get used to the routine of a off skate workout followed by on skate drills. I'm becoming familiar with the derby terms, references, and drills. I really need to get adequate knee pads so I can practice the different fall techniques I'm supposed to teach.
"I can't teach it if I can't do it".
I've always believed the most effective coaching takes place when a coach can demonstrate the technique being taught. Knowledge of the movement through personal experience gives the coach better insight when directing the athletes through the movement or technique being taught. This I believe adds the the effectiveness of the coach and enhances the relationship between athletes and coach. Its the lead by example method.
I work myself as hard as the athletes I train, pushing myself, pushing them, to exceed their own expectations, to go beyond what they believe to be their limitations. Every athlete has something they excell at, its important to identify what that something is and exploit it to its fullest. For example, if a speed skater excells at corner entry, focus on that, build off the corner entry to incorporate a better pivot position, then to corner exit, foot speed, then to straight a way stride. Use their best mastered technique as their starting point. Knowing they are good at one technique gives them the confidence to master then next and so on. I never allow an athlete to flounder at a technique they are having trouble mastering. I will break it down in to small parts and have them master one small aspect of the technique before moving on to the next. If they are not getting it or its coming slowly, I have them run through it few times, then stop and do something they are really good at. This gives them time to clear their heads, reaffirm their skills before returning to the new task at hand. Whether right or wrong I have seen and experinced good success with this method of coaching. Repetition of poor technique, reinforces poor technique, repetition of proper technique, reinforces proper technique. It is easy to say and comprehend, yet it can be a tricky thing to teach.
Skate on.
~TR
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Sunday Morning Derby Practice
A recently new adventure I've begun is assisting with the coaching of the Roc City Roller Derby Team. This is a women's flat track derby team going into their second year. Until a few months ago I didn't even know people were still participating in Roller Derby. My memories of roller derby from the 70's & 80's were that it was merely championship wrestling on skates. Fake, staged, all for show with no real purpose other then mindless TV entertainment. Come September this past year our Speed Skating team put on a learn to speed skate clinic and a couple members of the roller derby team participated. We got to talking, they invited to one of their bouts, a little more talking, and now I'm helping to coach their team.
I believe there is a camaraderie among skaters, whether it be ice, inline, quads, speed skating, roller derby, you name the discipline there is a common bond. Put shoes on your feet that enable you to go really fast and move in ways you are not normally capable of and it changes you. I can't explain how, it just does. The way your body moves through space, the sensations of the wind, the vibration in your feet & legs, the forces pulling at you, and fluidity of the motion, all acting on you at once. It's exhilarating, scarring at times, but mostly just fun. You experience the moment, nothing else matters, worries disappear, and your mind just clears. Having a bad day, throw on a pair a skates and after a short time you begin to smile, laugh, and your body feels great. Falling? It happens, just get back up and keep skating.
So to get back to this mornings derby practice, I was quite surprised by the number of skaters that showed up despite the horrid weather. 20 degrees, snowing hard, white out conditions, and the roads not plowed. Those that arrived for practice were definitely ready to skate. We got in the building 30 minutes late due to the rink personnel arriving late. 45 minutes of warm-up, stretching, & agility drills, with some plyo's thrown in, then to the skates. Matty & Sara, two of the other coaches took the girls through multiple drills focusing on pack communications, fall & recovery, and jammer passing. With all the falls, hits, and general derby mayhem, the girls were all smiles at the end. They were tired and happy. I didn't work them as hard as the previous week, being we got such a late start. They should be able to walk fine tomorrow.
I've got a lot to learn regarding derby skating, the falls being in one, strategy, and the rules. OMG are there a lot of rules. My impression of roller derby is no longer that which I described earlier. These girls are athletes, dedicated & enthusiastic, no doubt about it. There personalities are much like the speed skaters I come to know. Their competition comes from within themselves. They strive to better their skating skills, their physical condition, their sense of teamwork, and in doing so they better themselves as a person.
Skate on.
~TR
I believe there is a camaraderie among skaters, whether it be ice, inline, quads, speed skating, roller derby, you name the discipline there is a common bond. Put shoes on your feet that enable you to go really fast and move in ways you are not normally capable of and it changes you. I can't explain how, it just does. The way your body moves through space, the sensations of the wind, the vibration in your feet & legs, the forces pulling at you, and fluidity of the motion, all acting on you at once. It's exhilarating, scarring at times, but mostly just fun. You experience the moment, nothing else matters, worries disappear, and your mind just clears. Having a bad day, throw on a pair a skates and after a short time you begin to smile, laugh, and your body feels great. Falling? It happens, just get back up and keep skating.
So to get back to this mornings derby practice, I was quite surprised by the number of skaters that showed up despite the horrid weather. 20 degrees, snowing hard, white out conditions, and the roads not plowed. Those that arrived for practice were definitely ready to skate. We got in the building 30 minutes late due to the rink personnel arriving late. 45 minutes of warm-up, stretching, & agility drills, with some plyo's thrown in, then to the skates. Matty & Sara, two of the other coaches took the girls through multiple drills focusing on pack communications, fall & recovery, and jammer passing. With all the falls, hits, and general derby mayhem, the girls were all smiles at the end. They were tired and happy. I didn't work them as hard as the previous week, being we got such a late start. They should be able to walk fine tomorrow.
I've got a lot to learn regarding derby skating, the falls being in one, strategy, and the rules. OMG are there a lot of rules. My impression of roller derby is no longer that which I described earlier. These girls are athletes, dedicated & enthusiastic, no doubt about it. There personalities are much like the speed skaters I come to know. Their competition comes from within themselves. They strive to better their skating skills, their physical condition, their sense of teamwork, and in doing so they better themselves as a person.
Skate on.
~TR
Saturday, January 2, 2010
January 2010 - Let the Journey Begin
Wow, 2010 has just begun and I finally got my own Blog. I haven't decided on the direction this blog will travel as my interests are widely varied. My main interests revolve around speed skating, roller derby, strength training, and conditioning. I imagine my blog will incorporate these interests as a primary focus while I continue to develop my own techniques, training routines, and accomplishments, ( my own as well as the athletes I help train).
My interests just don't stop there. I enjoy art as well, maybe not in the sense others may, but in my own eclectic style. I'm no portrait artist by any means, I don't paint landscapes, still life, etc. I dabble in Henna tattoo designs, creating art on the skin as well as clothing. I've pormised myself I will focus my attention more in this area over the next year. My wife insists it calms and focuses me. I'll take her word for it.
As I begin to grow my site I will call on the assistance of like minded people to share their thoughts, ideas, stories, and insights. This may be a means to express who I really am, where I've come from, and where I'm going in this world. It's funny as middle age begins to settle in, how one's priorities change, the world becomes busier, and the need to slow down and simplify becomes greater. Let the journey begin. ~TR
My interests just don't stop there. I enjoy art as well, maybe not in the sense others may, but in my own eclectic style. I'm no portrait artist by any means, I don't paint landscapes, still life, etc. I dabble in Henna tattoo designs, creating art on the skin as well as clothing. I've pormised myself I will focus my attention more in this area over the next year. My wife insists it calms and focuses me. I'll take her word for it.
As I begin to grow my site I will call on the assistance of like minded people to share their thoughts, ideas, stories, and insights. This may be a means to express who I really am, where I've come from, and where I'm going in this world. It's funny as middle age begins to settle in, how one's priorities change, the world becomes busier, and the need to slow down and simplify becomes greater. Let the journey begin. ~TR
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