I am very relieved that our first official club practice of the outdoor season went off without a hitch. As the new president of our club, I feel there is a bit more responsibilities on my shoulders. I still remember the frenzy of paperwork at the beginning of some early season practices last season. I was overwhelmed and it really affected my ability to concentrate on training. Luckily everything ran smoothly today.
Practice today was a combination of highs and lows for me. First off, my left shin and ankle did not coorperate. That translated to a lack of edge control pretty quickly...and I was not a happy camper. It was my own fault though for not adjusting my frames earlier for outdoor skating. I got fed up enough that half way through practice, I took off my skate and swiftly nudged the frame to where I marked it for outdoor last year. While I flopped around with little edge control on my left skate, technique went down the toilet. Definitely not a pretty sight!
On a happier note, there were a few promising things that I noticed. First off, my acceleration felt more natural and powerful than last season. I still have a long way to go before achieving the leg speed that I need. However, it was evident that I have improved extension and is now pushing with more power. My general feeling is that my acceleration is smoother and less laboured. Secondly, my winter of circle drills is beginning to pay off. I feel more secure in the corners for sure. I know that I still revert back to old habits when I get tired. While my legs were fresh, my confidence in negotiating the corners at speed has greatly increased. Last but not least, something must have clicked with my straightaway strides. I was skating clockwise during cool down and was not paying attention to cornering. For reasons yet unknown, I felt like everything began to come together in the straights and I was skating better than ever before. I can't verbalize that elusive feeling yet but I'm hoping my Saturday trail session can reveal some answers. Crossing my fingers that this feeling will return.
Warmest first practice in memory. Photo courtesy of SpeedSkateWorld.com
Yes, Candy, it was a great session:)
Where do we usually meet on Thursdays? I cannot find Colonel Samuel Smith, what is the main intersection?
Posted by: Monica | April 03, 2009 at 19:35
See Google Map: http://maps.google.com/maps?sourceid=navclient&q=28+Colonel+Samuel+Smith+Park+Drive,+Toronto,+Ontario,+Canada&ie=UTF8&hl=en&z=16&iwloc=cent
Posted by: DessertByCandy | April 04, 2009 at 10:47
Thank you, I appreciate that.
Posted by: Monica | April 04, 2009 at 10:53