Wrapping up January 2010

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