Dream Chaser On Wheels

Milestones

I have much to tell about last weekend’s Apostle Inline Marathon. But right now, I’m in the mood to look back upon some milestones that I hit along the way since I started skating competitively in 2006. 2011 season holds much significance because I have a big goal to achieve in September. All those hours of hard work in the last five years culminating in one race. It’s easy to let the stress get the better of me. With my first win in the pro category last weekend, I want to savour some important moments of my skating career.

The 2007 Mississauga Criterium women’s 10k race was a small local race but it was the first time that I earned my spot on the podium. I stood on podiums before but with the typically small number of racers in women’s races, it was all by default. On that hot summer day, I dropped enough competitors to finish my race in third place.

Changes

Since I came home from Denmark, I’ve been resting a lot to get my body back to race-ready condition. The increased training load at Sk8skool did not really affect my cardio condition but the accumulated fatigue in the muscles began to show toward the end of my trip. My sleep schedule has been erratic at best so I can’t even blame jetlag for not resting well.

Usually I don’t sweat over this sort of things because we all have good days and bad days. However, my immediate concern is the Apostle Islands Inline Marathon this Saturday in Wisconsin. MW and I will fly to Thunder Bay on Friday and make the five hour drive across the border. Prior to this race, I have only raced the Texas Road Rash and Mount Forest 10K this season. You can say my race instinct is getting a little rusty.

Word from the organizers is that there will be over 300 racers at the event. My main focus is to have a strong start to get into the right pack and finish with the same pack. I’ll have to remember that I am capable of bridging a gap as well as dealing with repeated surges in speed. Both scenarios were simulated at our training sessions in Denmark and I handled them well. Those are convincing arguments that I will have no excuse to give up the race before my time.

2010 Montreal 24hr Relay Team Uniform

This year, Charlie Craven from CCD once again designed the team uniform for my Montreal 24hr Relay team. The uniform will be produced by CCN in short-sleeved inline skinsuit and matching armwarmers. Here is a look at the design. 

Full size image available for download here.   Full size image available for download here.

On a more frivolous note, this is a slimming design. Trust me on this. I care VERY MUCH about the slimming visual effects of skinsuits.

If you own a CCN suit from 2009 or can borrow one to try on, that will give you the best idea of sizing. However, for those without access to one, this is the chart provided by CCN. Please note that the measurements are body measurements. There are no size tables for armwarmers so typically order the same size as the skinsuit fitting. The arm warmers are offered in XS, S, M, L, and XL.

	XXXXS	XXXS	XXS	XS	S	M	L	XL	XXL	XXXL	XXXXL
Body Waist (inches)	20	21.5	23.5	25	27.5	29	30.5	32	34	35.5	37
Body Chest (inches)	21	25	27.5	30	33	34.5	36	38	39.5	41	42.5
Body Hips (inches)	21.5	26	29	32	34.5	36	37.5	39	41	42.5	48

The prices will depend on how many suits we end up ordering. My estimate suggests:

Skinsuit: $55 CAD

Armwarmers: $20 CAD

You can prepaid me in cheque, cash, or email money transfer at the time you place your order. This uniform is available for sale to anyone, not just members of the Toronto Inline Skating Club Montreal 24hr Relay team! If you're in the US, don't feel left out. We can work out a way for me to deliver the suit to you, probably at one of the upcoming races. I only ask that non-members kindly refrain from wearing it during the Montreal 24hr Relay to avoid confusion during the race. The race will be held in August so I expect the weather to be hot (umm, sweaty suit anyone?). Personally, I plan to order two skinsuits and a pair of armwarmers because it can still get chilly at night. If you would like more information, don't hesitate to contact me by email (dessertbycandy [AT] hotmail [DOT] com) or talk to me in person at club practices.

Order deadline is June 21, 2010.

On High Alert

Lately I find myself doing plenty of training among vehicular traffic. More often than not, it scares the bejeesus out of me. If it is an easy recovery skate, I'm pretty cool with it because I can slow down and skate very conservatively. However, for hill repeats or intervals, it's scary at best. It is not always be practical for me to train on trails especially for my morning workouts. Nor are there climbs on any of our trail system around Greater Toronto Area. Skating on roads has become a necessary evil in my routine.

There are a few traffic light intersections on my regular route around my house. The pedestrian signal countdown is indispensable because it gives me a clear idea of how long before the signal changes. All-way-stop-signs intersections are a lot trickier. I pray every time crossing one of those that there are no cars anywhere near the intersection. Drivers typically have no idea of my braking distance nor that I simply cannot brake effectively going downhill. I try to make eye contact with the driver and make it absolutely clear that I have no intention to stop. Wishful thinking for the most part, really. But I do what I can to ensure my own safety.

I've learned to take up an entire traffic lane when I skate where there's two lane traffic. Sure I get honked on a regular basis. Who's got faster speed and superior acceleration though? They can get around me easy enough. What's most perplexing is the "friendly honk". I know that there are plenty of understanding drivers on the road who honk at me so that I am aware of their presence. It is a really nice gesture especially if the car comes up from behind. Unfortunately, car honks are not designed to convey emotions. How do you tell the difference between "hey there, I'm gonna pass you in less than a second" or "get off the road, you're in my way"? In most cases, I try to acknowledge the honking but not changing my line. Predictability is key. I secretly hope that if I train in the neighbourhood often enough, the drivers will eventually get used to my skating.

Despite enduring ridiculous amount of stress a few times a week during my road skating sessions, there are a few things that I enjoy. The obvious advantage is learning to skate at race pace on realistic race course pavement conditions. Trails with smooth pavements are a treat but how many races can you name that do not include variable surfaces? Oh yeah, and I learn to turn right. Like vegetable, climbs are good for me so I gladly train on them. There is an elementary school in my neighbourhood and my training coincides with their gym class' jog-around-the-block activity. It brought a smile to my face this morning when one of the kids pointed out with excitement "she's speedskating!". Perhaps we're not such an obscure sport after all.

Training has been going well in the last couple of weeks. Last week I was busy dealing with jetlag so I missed a couple of morning sessions. Things are more or less back on track now and I am where I should be. My improvement at club practice is the biggest surprise for me this season. I think training at the 400m track allows me to skate harder, less limited by my cornering skills. Coach PD's program is consistent and it provides the intensity I need to have a productive training session. After discussing with coach SZ, we fine tuned my program so now I go to Saturday morning group trail skates as well. It's the perfect setup for me to practice attacks and breakaways. Motivation is a little lacking recently though. I'm just not keen to throw on my skates. Once I get moving, things are fine. But when I'm the one who has to give myself a swift kick on teh behind for every training sessions...skating is so purpose-driven nowadays. Suffice to say I look forward to experience again the anticipation and joy for skating.

Support

I'm thankful to be surrounded by supportive coach, training partners, teammates, and friends. I've been hard on myself after last Sunday's race in Montreal. Despite an outpouring of encouragement from everyone, I had trouble differentiating reasonable rationalizing of my performance versus simply making excuses for myself. It is a fine line seperating those two.

I had a long talk with coach SZ. One of the first questions she asked me was why is more than one good races not enough to be convinced in my capability yet a single bad race is sufficient to shake my confidence to the core? Good question. In fact, it is something I already asked myself. In March, I won a field sprint for the first time at Squiggy and held my own during training camp with my teammates. Only two weeks ago, I skated strong at Texas Road Rash and sustained a breakaway from the pack. Not to mention weeks of good practices with Toronto Inline Skating Club. All of these are positive signs that my training is working the way it should. Last weekend, when my body was not recovering between hard efforts and when I could not respond to attacks, I became very concerned. Why? Because those are supposedly my strengths and they failed me. Nevermind that I overlooked the fact that I was sick three days before the race. Nor that I had trouble staying upright because my stablizing muscles gave up in the cold condition. My focus was solely on not delivering when it counted and outskated by my competitors.

I told SZ that it comes down to a fragile confidence. I see good performances as exceptionally lucky flukes and bad performances as the norm. This is a skewed assessment of my ability stemming from years of being the slowest skater at TISC with aspiration to race competitively. In short, a poser. SZ and I agree that we need to work on my confidence in skating. Half the battle is believing in myself. Confidence will come as I accumulate more solid performances.

SZ related a few stories of her own recent race experiences and they really help me to see things in a new perspective. When I think back on all my best races, they are the ones that I approached with very specific goals and race plans to accomplish. "Hang on to such and such for as long as I can" is NOT a race plan. Racing with a purpose is being in control of my own race. Taken to an extreme, it's about not just reacting to whatever the pack does but taking an active role so the pack reacts to me. More than anything, this realization lifts me away from the depth of self-doubt.

I had a trail skating session with long-time training partner JaS yesterday. It has been far too long since we skated together and I really miss it. I can always count on him for giving me unbiased feedback on all things skating-related. We chased some bikes and just skated for the fun of it. He made a few observations on my technique, both positive and negative. The Good: deeper outside edge setdown and more pronounced weight transfer. The Bad: high cadence. The Ugly: small recovery and lack of power in my push. His observations reflect exactly what I focus on and the training condition since the season began. When we first skated outdoor, I was fresh off a rigourous winter of weight training. There was good power from my push but video showed upper body was not over my supporting leg. I made a conscious effort to adjust and is now too far the other way. As for the high cadence, I'm very aware of it due to weeks of training in very windy condition. I must make a mental note to slow down my cadence so I can skate with a bigger recovery.

Despite being an individual sport, a skater is never alone. They believe in me. Now is my turn to believe in myself.

Race Kit Essentials

Having travel regularly to out of town skate races, I have developed my own kit of essentials that I always pack with me. There are the obivous items such as skates, helmets, and skinsuits which I'm not going to discuss. Rather, I'll share with you what I can't go without food-wise. Being prepared is key to eliminate unnecessary stress (I am not a fan of looking for grocery stores night before a race).

During the race, I like to eat CLIF Shot Bloks and I carry a small bottle of water in a squeeze bottle. See the faces of Sponge Bob Square Pants and his pal Patrick on the bottle? These bottles are catered to kids but the smaller size is perfect for me. Who wants to carry extra weight anyway? I also have a CLIF bar in my kit just in case I get hungry during the trip without convenient access to my preferred snacks.

Everything else in the picture are related to pre-race breakfast. Most North American races are held in early morning and looking around for breakfast options at that hour is not always the most enjoyable task. I just want to get ready to race in the most efficient manner possible. Therefore, I pack my breakfast with a few considerations in mind.

1. Nutritious and filling, providing steady release of energy for the next three hours.
2. No refrigeration required.
3. I can prepare everything in a hotel room.
4. Portable for both traveling by plane or car.

I start my meal with a banana smeared with peanut butter. This is a good balance of carbs and protein. However, the sugar in the banana will be digested pretty quickly so I need something else with more fiber to slowly release energy. I make a fresh muesli with unsweetened instant multigrain cereal, unsweetened apple sauce (conveniently packaged in a squeegee bag with a cap so I only use as much as I need), unsweetened soy milk, raw almonds, and dried cranberries. To make sure that I am 100% self-sufficient, I pack along a plastic bowl and cutlery.

This power breakfast has proven to work well for me whether I am preparing for a full day of multiple races such as nationals or marathons or longer endurance events such as Montreal 24r relay and New York 100k. What is in your race survival kit?

Spring Fashion 2010 For Skaters

It's that time of year again for Dream Chaser's pick on practical training apparel for skater girls. As much I would like to gush, the selection this year just isn't all that exciting to me.

My long-standing favourite collection is adidas by Stella McCartney. However, their spring/summer 2010 line up just don't do it for me. The performance tennis dress is a very classic tank dress with an intricate print on the front. What is more interesting is that they've added a cycling line this season with jerseys and padded shorts. The ruching detail on the shoulder is really pretty. The three backpockets are thoughtfully designed as well. The two on each side have elastic opening while the one in the middle has zipper closure. If I'm not as much of a dress-devotee, I would totally get this jersey. I hope to see this line florish in upcoming seasons because cycling apparel are often very practical for skaters too.

Canadian brand Lululemon is another favourite of mine. They are better known for their yoga apparel but their running collection has been steadily growing in the last couple of years. I like their running skirts with built-in shorts in particular. Unfortunately, nothing really catch my eye either from their spring 2010 collection. Hopefully there'll be something more interesting as summer rolls around.

The surprising item for me this season comes from Nike. Compression shorts are my wardrobe standard because I do love to run around in mini skirts and dresses, training or not. For years, choices for this very practical item have been limited to the oh-so-boring black or white. "Choices" mean difference in length for the in-seam. Yawn. Well, not anymore! Last weekend I picked up a couple pairs of Nike Pro - Core Graphic Compression Women's Shorts. They come in cute colours such as turquoise+purple, black+grey, yellow+orange. Do I hear fabulous? Good looks is obviously important but better yet, these shorts are so comfortable with flat seams and moisture-wicking fabric that we've come to expect from training apparel.

Speaking of practical, the temperature in Toronto is still a bit chilly and I often find myself layering on the arm warmers and knee warmers. Most cycling apparel brands have them in their collection but my personal favourite definitely goes to Sugoi. The fleece-lined fabric is cosy and the elastic grips never slip. I don't know about you but my limbs tend to get colder than the core. That means when I layer for training, I want thicker material for arms and legs but not my body. I always keep a pair of SubZero arm warmers and MidZero knee warmers in my skate bag just in case.

I do hope that summer will bring more exciting choices for the fashion-conscious skaters. Until then, train hard and look good! 

Pre-Race Neurotics

I realize that I haven't been racing in a while and my race instinct is getting rusty. Last month at Squiggy didn't really count. I heard the news on the much shorter race format long before I had time to get nervous about the race itself. Besides, my entire focus was on my team training camp. I had a great time in Tampa but it was not the confidence builder that I hoped for. The way the events unfold, Texas Road Rash is once again my season opener. I don't feel ready to race in more ways than one.

Physically, I did my share of work. The transition from off-season to race season training in the last month was not the easiest. I saw glimpses of promising signs while training with my teammates in Tampa. Since returning home, I've been struggling a bit. Coach SZ designed a rigorous (since when is it not rigorous anyway heh) program with strong focus on solo skating. One training objective for me in 2010 is to develop the ability to generate and sustain speed on my own. Much easier said than done especially with the unforgiving combination of cold and windy condition we enjoyed in Toronto the last four weeks. I've been on skates for the majority of my workouts though plyos and indoor bike have not stop either. Body functions differently in cold temperature and strong wind provides endless supply of resistance training. It's grueling especially without the protection of a pack. All complaining aside, I am starting to see the difference it makes. Twice a week practice with the Toronto Inline Skating Club gives me a good idea of how I measure up to other skaters. I have been skating well beyond my expectation at club practices, finishing strong in every drill.

Mentally, I'm not exactly my bubbly self recently. I miss the social aspect of training with other skaters. I feel a bit like an outsider now simply because I haven't been attending as many group skates as I used to. Solo training works great with my schedule in the sense that I can complete my workout very efficiently. However, the flip side of that efficiency is that I adopted the attitude of "get in, get out, get the job done". I know that in the long run, this attitude will zap all the joy out of skating so it is not sustainable. Tangible results and improvements are rewarding but part of the joy of skating is the freedom to move at speed. I need to find a better balance. On the up side, I am tougher than I used to be. Solo skating is a mental game of pushing my body to perform while feeling uncomfortable. By doing that often enough, I gain a level of confidence not previously seen. I am learning to outlast my competitors.

A month into the outdoor season, I have seen both positives and negatives. I am human and on days when I can hardly manage to crawl at 25km/h, doubts inevitably set in. Thankfully, I've also enjoyed some good training days and they gave me hope that I am on the right path. I don't feel ready for Texas Road Rash but that's okay. My main objective this weekend is to enjoy the process of racing and see how my body performs. This Sunday at 10am, I want to have a smile on my face for a job well done.

Is That A Monkey I See On Your Back?

I love the expression "monkey on my back" primarily because the imagery amuses me to no end. Come to think of it though, I do have one to call my own and it is track skating. The majority of our club practices are conducted on a track. In winter, it's indoor 100m NIRA style. For the last couple of summers, it was an outdoor 200m flat track. We are currently hosting practices on a 400m flat track in 2010. Bottom line is, to make the most out of practice, cornering is key. That's exactly where I falter.

Although I consistently make small improvement on my crossover technique, it's just not good enough. Combined with my fear of corners, I have yet to successfully skate in the pack that I otherwise would on road. It is frustrating but I have adopted an attitude adjustment. I measure the quality of my workout at club practices by effort rather than by speed.

The longer straightaway of a 400m track seems to play to my strength. At the same time, the very wide corners highlight the lack of power of my crossovers. Gain some, lose some. We had our first outdoor practice of the 2010 season on Tuesday. That was the first time I skated on this track since last summer. Ooooo boy. All the cornering improvements I thought I made in the winter were nowhere to be seen. My left leg kept popping up when I crossovered (why wouldn't it stay low?!). Instead of pushing to the side, my underpush kept going back. Wrong direction! I thought for sure I would do a face plant. It was a pretty discouraging practice.

Last night, things improved slightly. Despite a beautifully warm morning, the temperature dropped drastically by the time practice began. All I wanted to do was to stay home and sip hot cocoa. All of us toughed it out of course. Once I warmed up, I was actually skating well. Crossover push direction was decent and I finally sat comfortably when I took a different line in the corners. There were plenty of steady pace skating punctuated by faster laps. For once, I actually felt strong on the track instead of just dying to get the whole thing over with. Coach SZ's training program has me doing plenty of solo skating recently and I am starting to reap the benefit. I don't mind pulling the pack nor skating on my own anymore. The mental aspect is important because I do not let myself slack off even, heck, make that "especially", when skating solo.

Tampa Team Training Camp

The advantage of a delayed write up is that my memory gets fuzzy and leaves out much of the mundane details I otherwise would include. Ha! What a sorry excuse.

My team, Asphalt Beach, had our first team training camp in Tampa after the Squiggy racing weekend. By all accounts, it was a huge success. It kicked off my outdoor season with some much needed mileage. I verified my current fitness after a winter of tough training. I learned to skate with my teammates, finding out each other's skating style. Plus what could be better to build commeraderie than to "suffer" together for a few days?

LW put together our program with a mix of off-skates, plyos, rolling drills, paceline work, strategic exercises, intervals, and hill training thrown in for good measure. These are all various drills I do on regular basis between my own training and TISC practices. It was a good refresher for sure. What interested me was that I got to see myself doing those drills from plenty of photos and videos taken during the training camp. Shall we begin?

All photos and videos are courtesy of ldskater.

Monday morning off-skate. Holding a 90s squat in this photo. LW called me out for putting elbows on thighs so I stopped doing that soon after this photo was taken.  

Plenty more photos and video after the jump.