Busy

This is the time of the year that I am going to be busy. I have skating school and work to do which takes up pretty much all of my time. I have half of Thursday's off and that's about it (which is why I'm writing this on a Thursday). I don't think I really mind being really busy though because you don't have much time to realize that you are tired or anything and for some reason that makes it a little easier for me.

Now onto something a little different that has been on my mind a little. I realize it is winter and cold and that it might be hard for some to realize the importance of training right now but I hate those days where I show up to practice and it seems like everyone is in a slump. When you show up and everyone is just kind of like blah, no one is trying to move there feet fast, everyone is tired but not from going as fast as they normally do. Like everyone slaps on a tired face and tries to look more tired then everyone else, I hate it. And the worse part is that it's contagious. I'll be skating and all the sudden I realize my foot speed has slowed down, that I am hurting but could be making myself go a little faster and hurt a little more. Then at that moment I do it, I go a little faster and make it hurt a little more. No one else does that and I hate it. Like when we are running through drills and I'm the last person in the pack I can't tell who is giving 100% and who is just going through the motions with 'tired face' on.

But then I realize it's not that bad. Because as soon as I realize that everyone is in 'tired face' I just go harder and it makes it so much easier. Then I realize there is no way that my rink is the only one that ever has 'tired face' mode. Especially when I go to some rinks and it seems like every practice is a 'tired face' mode. Then I realize even if just one of my competitors happens to have one 'tired face' practice I've gained ground by running harder then ever on that day. Then it feels good.

There are two weeks until Hickory which will be a big meet just like Roanoke always was and before that Philly. For the last week 'tired face' has been turned on which means 'sad face' will follow once some people get to Hickory. Then it will be the infamous 'I want to get faster' mode right after Hickory when there is no big race to gear up for. That is always the best. When its time to dial back just a bit and work on what you need to so that you can go fast when it is time. No one likes that time of the year because they think that in Speed Skating if you aren't blazing around the track there is not a chance you are getting better.

I've done more things at a slower more painful, beneficial pace this year that I think it will work out brilliantly. I don't think it will really show up until July/August but once it does it's going to make going fast a lot easier and it will make racing even more fun for me.