The street was quiet at Ellis. It was early Sunday morning in April 2012 and most people were still asleep in their warm beds on this residential street. I looked out of place and honestly a little cold in my layers of spandex with skates strapped to my feet. Training can be fun and social but today’s hill repeat session was not one of those.
I looked up at the road ahead and braced myself for the one kilometre climb to the top. Training would not be over until I reached the top eight times. I pushed off and struggled to remember the rhythmic strides for optimal climbing. I knew that once I find my rhythm, I could breeze up that incline like nobody’s business. Too bad muscle memory abandoned me for the time being.
My lack of technical grace did not deter my resolve. My legs kept moving, powered by pure stubbornness and hard-earned cardio fitness from countless cold winter days. First thing I learned about climbing is never allow anyone or anything to interrupt my cadence until I crest the climb. I kept my eyes on that imaginary finish line.
I really shouldn’t have put on that extra pound or two. World Masters Championship was only a month away and I already invested so much into the race. That extra bit of weight made me feel sluggish and I was only half way up the hill. My legs begged me to slow down but that was not an option. I thought of all the friends who helped me in my journey to become an inline speed skater. Friends who believe in me and my dreams even before I knew those dreams could become reality.
Funny what happened when I got distracted. While my mind revisited favourite memories of my supportive friends, my body swung side to side in a familiar motion that effortlessly propelled me up the hill until I reached the top. I was out of breathe but a wide smile crept up involuntarily on my face. The last two minutes were filled with anxiety, frustration, and a bit of physical pain. At the same time, I was buoyed by determination, friendship, and ultimately pride on what I accomplished. It was an abridged version of my experience as an inline speed skater in the last six years.
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