Well, I got accepted to my first college. I wasn't really worried about getting into it, I knew my chances. When you have a 4.1 and a 1150 (or 1800 if you count writing) on your first SAT (i took it again but haven't gotten my results yet) a lot of local schools aren't the most difficult ones to get into. The more difficult schools I applied to are Pitt and Penn State both of which I haven't heard from (Pitt being the harder of the two to get into). So the whole safety school thing is out the window. I never really picked a safety school in the first place. I had like a 2-4 week response on the first college I applied to so I figured if I didn't get into it I would start applying to a safety school.
I have absolutely no idea what I plan to major in. For the past two years I planned on majoring in journalism/communications but last year I did a graduation project on it and I wasn't happy with the results. I am a good writer. I don't know why but I can write papers well. Particularly journalism papers. So I always thought it would be easy to just do what I am really good at. But the problem is I would become a Sports Journalist. Sports journalist work the hours of 4-12 on most days in order to get their piece written before their paper sends to press shortly after midnight. Normally you start out with nothing writing articles for a paper just trying to get hired. Then you will most likely work at a small time paper and make (if you are lucky) the average $40,000 a year. When I decided I wanted to be a journalist I had this vision of myself working at a big paper like the NY Times and sitting in my office cubicle writing the latest piece on the current Professional sport. Then the reality hit me and the fact that there is such a small percent of people that make it that far. The reality is that most journalist work for small time papers in more rural settings. Their paper probably comes out once a week and they are the papers that have done articles on me besides the one article I got written about in the Reading Eagle which is the only legal city in Berk's County.
Then there is Short Track. Haven't really done much of it thus far this year. I think about 5-6 practices. One race. The little Lehigh Valley race we went to this past Saturday. Not to be mean but there wasn't really competition. I was racing my brother as my biggest competitor and I do that at practice. Discounting the 500 I was over 5 seconds off my PB in the 1000 and like a good 13 seconds off my PB in the 1500m. Three former inliners made the Junior ST World Team: J.R. Celski, Eddy, and Robert Lawerence. That's good. I think I'm going to try and attend that meet next year. Top 16 in a 1000m TT end up being allowed to try out and after looking at this years last couple qualifying times I'm pretty confident I can make it especially because I feel I'd be better at a 1000m TT then I am at the 1000m pack race. We'll just have to wait and see. I still might see if I can attend a meet where I could qualify for the Am Cup time. I'm about two seconds over it from last year but with competition I think I might manage it by the end of the season.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
Fat Time
Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas might make it a little easier to eat. Other then Halloween you don't necessarily have to watch what you eat. Right now you still might be looking over at the Halloween bowl that's sitting there on the kitchen table full of sugary sweets and chocolates. You do need to watch those. To much sugar can make you tired during the day. Not to mention the cavity watch for your teeth and the weight watch on your scale.
But during the year how often can you say that you eat a full meal? I don't mean a meal that fills you up but a meal that covers the majority of the food pyramid. Thanksgiving and Christmas are probably two meals you eat full. Not only that, but with all the left overs from Thanksgiving how often do you heat them up? Probably a few times which gives you a few extra full meals.
But if you live closer up north you may realize winter is approaching pretty fast. Or at least the weather is. The days get shorter and you become much more likely to stay inside rather then get out. You will be more tempted to eat then you are in the warm months. A few ways to make it a little easier is to surround yourself with healthier choices. Fruits, nuts, granola are all snacks that are healthier. Nuts actually are proven to be quite filling so if you just need something quick and small there you go.
One of the easiest ways (in my opinion) to offset weight gain during the winter and to stay in shape is weights. I think it is so much easier to lift weights in the winter then in the summer and if you are going to put on weight at least you'll give your body the ability to convert it to muscle. When someone mentions weights people automatically think heavy weights and big muscles but that is not the case. There are multiple ways to lift weights. One way is for strength. Strength is high weight and low reps. Then there is for muscle mass. Mass lifting is with a little less weight but higher reps. Then there is endurance lifting which is much less weight but way more reps. Any of which can keep you in shape during the winter. Don't let the cold months become the fat months.
Keep your goals in mind and body fit.
But during the year how often can you say that you eat a full meal? I don't mean a meal that fills you up but a meal that covers the majority of the food pyramid. Thanksgiving and Christmas are probably two meals you eat full. Not only that, but with all the left overs from Thanksgiving how often do you heat them up? Probably a few times which gives you a few extra full meals.
But if you live closer up north you may realize winter is approaching pretty fast. Or at least the weather is. The days get shorter and you become much more likely to stay inside rather then get out. You will be more tempted to eat then you are in the warm months. A few ways to make it a little easier is to surround yourself with healthier choices. Fruits, nuts, granola are all snacks that are healthier. Nuts actually are proven to be quite filling so if you just need something quick and small there you go.
One of the easiest ways (in my opinion) to offset weight gain during the winter and to stay in shape is weights. I think it is so much easier to lift weights in the winter then in the summer and if you are going to put on weight at least you'll give your body the ability to convert it to muscle. When someone mentions weights people automatically think heavy weights and big muscles but that is not the case. There are multiple ways to lift weights. One way is for strength. Strength is high weight and low reps. Then there is for muscle mass. Mass lifting is with a little less weight but higher reps. Then there is endurance lifting which is much less weight but way more reps. Any of which can keep you in shape during the winter. Don't let the cold months become the fat months.
Keep your goals in mind and body fit.
the Joy's of Local November
We are going to Donora for regionals. The eastern region. Located in eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey is traveling west over four hours to Donora. If I didn't have relays there's a possibility I wouldn't have to go. The worst part is that I'm an official, my hotel will be paid for and I will get paid to be at regionals but all the people that are in the 2 hour (or less) range from the other option that if they had to could have drove back and forth cannot anymore. They will have to pay for a hotel. Two or more years ago I would not have stayed at a hotel at a meet unless it was more then 2.5 hours away. Last year the number of people that didn't make it to nationals in their division could probably have been counted with my fingers. But that is besides the point. I think if nothing else is added and my region wants to have regionals further away then it may be time to make it a one all-day meet.
We found this information out yesterday at our second league meet of the Keystone Speed League. League meets are fun. We go we skate four times (two division races two elite (nira) races) and you go home. It's good to get the racing in without having to go to an invitational. For me I use league meets for fun and I officiate them so that's always another reason for me to go. I don't show up to a league in my best shape because frankly I don't need to. Another reason I like league meets is they give me a chance to put on indoor wheels once a month. (Seriously.. I only wear indoor wheels at races) They also give me a chance to test indoor wheels that my sponsor company produces. There may not be a meet a skate this year until about April that I will not test something different, that is just how it goes. Testing wheels is a good thing it is something that has to be done. It's how you develop a wheel (hint research and development).
The best part about it is taking the shot's at the meets. There's always the people that will ask you about what you are wearing and it's simple "they're a test wheel, they're a prototype." Then there are the people that take shots. These are the best people. These are the people that despise you simply because they can. They go out of their way (considering I'm an official and usually in the center of the floor they actually have to come out of their way) just to say something smart. Just to say something to give them a little smirk on their face so in their head they can say to themselves "I really told him." Then it gets better. When you actually try to give a kind/polite response to their childish question and they cut you off with a childish comment. If you are going to go out of your way to say something to me, at least allow me to respond or get a word in.
The people that do this are never the people on your level.. never. They either have to be above you or below you. And because at a league meet few people are above those sponsored (in terms of skating), they are usually below. They can be a novice skater, a parent, or just some adult that has it out for you. This aggravates me, I will not lie about it. But I do not try to say anything else I do not stoop to their level. But I do something to give myself a little smirk. Needless to say, one of the people that did this saw their child get lapped in the first half of the next race.
We found this information out yesterday at our second league meet of the Keystone Speed League. League meets are fun. We go we skate four times (two division races two elite (nira) races) and you go home. It's good to get the racing in without having to go to an invitational. For me I use league meets for fun and I officiate them so that's always another reason for me to go. I don't show up to a league in my best shape because frankly I don't need to. Another reason I like league meets is they give me a chance to put on indoor wheels once a month. (Seriously.. I only wear indoor wheels at races) They also give me a chance to test indoor wheels that my sponsor company produces. There may not be a meet a skate this year until about April that I will not test something different, that is just how it goes. Testing wheels is a good thing it is something that has to be done. It's how you develop a wheel (hint research and development).
The best part about it is taking the shot's at the meets. There's always the people that will ask you about what you are wearing and it's simple "they're a test wheel, they're a prototype." Then there are the people that take shots. These are the best people. These are the people that despise you simply because they can. They go out of their way (considering I'm an official and usually in the center of the floor they actually have to come out of their way) just to say something smart. Just to say something to give them a little smirk on their face so in their head they can say to themselves "I really told him." Then it gets better. When you actually try to give a kind/polite response to their childish question and they cut you off with a childish comment. If you are going to go out of your way to say something to me, at least allow me to respond or get a word in.
The people that do this are never the people on your level.. never. They either have to be above you or below you. And because at a league meet few people are above those sponsored (in terms of skating), they are usually below. They can be a novice skater, a parent, or just some adult that has it out for you. This aggravates me, I will not lie about it. But I do not try to say anything else I do not stoop to their level. But I do something to give myself a little smirk. Needless to say, one of the people that did this saw their child get lapped in the first half of the next race.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Good Shape?
What is good shape? In October when are you in good shape? Is it when you are skating a marathon a day and skating your best and then all you have to do is hold it for the next 10 months? no. I'll tell you what good shape is in October.
The signs of good shape are simple to notice, but only you can notice them. And only if you are honest to yourself. You can read them and say, "Yeah I do all of that." but you probably don't, not everyday.
1. How much are you skating?
It's October so 10 times a week is not necessary. Actually, at that rate you most likely won't make it to the end of the season. I would say 4 times a week is adequate. Two is never enough. If you only skate two times a week you cannot actually think you are going to be in good shape. 4 times a week. Nothing big. If your team doesn't get in that many well that means you need to do something on your own. It all matters on what you do at practice. You should be doing fundamentals, if you are going over about 75% at any point you probably shouldn't. I'm talking about circles. Unless you skate at my rink, your indoor rink most likely has artistic circles put down on the wood, skate on them. If you can get your ankles straight before you try and go fast you'll increase your power (in every step) tremendously.
2. What do you want?
It's only October but if you don't know what you want out of your season you are headed in the wrong direction. You are skating for no reason. You are wasting your time and your coaches. Even if you just want to lose weight, that is your purpose. At no point in a season should you not know what you are skating for. You should remember this at every practice, even away from practice. Make a season goal. But don't get carried away. Keep it reasonable. Make it tough enough that you have to work every single day for it but not something that deep down isn't realistic this season.
3. What is your mindset?
When you tie your skates for practice what are you thinking? On Tuesday are you going through your day thinking, "Today's Tuesday, I've got practice.." Are you confident in what you are doing right now? If at any point you are at practice and your coach decides to do a certain drill are you like "why are we doing this?" ask. They are doing it for a reason. Your coaches want the best for you, ask them why you are doing this or why you aren't doing this. Bring up suggestions and see what they think. If you don't like the drill, then you are wasting it. Even if you aren't skating the times or the speed or whatever you want to right now you should still be confident that what you are doing is going to make you the fastest at the end of the season: the only time that matters.
4. What are you doing besides team practice?
You have a goal, you are going to your team's practices you are confident in your coach but what are you doing on your own? For some people this step does not apply. But if you want to be a national champion, a world team member, a world champion you can't expect to get where you want to just by going to practice. Take matters into your own hands. If it is doing dry land exercises for a half hour every day, or slideboarding every day for a half hour (if you can make it that long... without standing up), or skating outdoor. You want to be a champion? If you don't become one it wasn't your coaches fault, it was yours. You can lift weights (just get the correct program), cross-train or anything.
5. What are you doing to set yourself up for success?
Ever heard of nutrition? Sleep? Right now it is October. It's is the beginning of the season which is the easiest time to get hyped up about training hard this season and eating right but you probably wont withstand that mentality every day for the next 10 months. I would say wait until at least December for your nutrition in most cases. Eat (to some extent) what you want for now. That way when it is time to buckle down you've gotten all the junk out of you and you can focus. (If you want to be a world champion or make the world team.. December may be too late) Sleep eight hours a day no matter what. Naps don't count. Go to sleep at 10, get up at 6. They say you sleep in 4 hour cycles, that's why you might wake up in the middle of the night (after about four hours). If you lift weights then take a protein bar with you or a quick protein shake. When it is cold you can leave shakes in your car and they will be cold. Within 30 minutes of your workout getting some type of protein into your body will help your body retain more of the muscle you just worked up.
6. How is your personal life?
Not to invade privacy or anything. But the less distractions you have the easier it is to achieve your goals. Better grades in school will result in better skating. Less girlfriend/boyfriend/wife/husband trouble will improve your skating. I'm not lying either.
7. Are you listening to your body?
The only want to know if you need a break is to listen to your body. There will be times in the year where you just shouldn't push it as hard. One way to know is your heart rate. If you take your heart rate first thing once you wake up. And I mean like literally first thing (hit your alarm and take your heart rate) that s when your heart rate is at it's lowest. Days when you see a spike you should probably only do 75%-80% of your workout.
Right now I am in perfect shape. Technically I am in the worst shape physically since the start of the 2006 season when I broke my collarbone but I am probably in better shape then I ever have been. Right now I skate 3 times a week, next week it will probably spike to six which is adequate for myself. (that includes outdoor even though we are down to the 40's already). Next week I will start my slideboarding routine and weightlifting. In about two weeks I'm starting my nutrition. And I sleep 8-9 hours every night. Every drill I do I do it the way it is suppose to be done. I can remember about 5 minutes worth of drills where I have just gone through the motion all season the rest is focused on my goals. I no what my goals are and I remind myself every single day what I want and what I need to do.
The signs of good shape are simple to notice, but only you can notice them. And only if you are honest to yourself. You can read them and say, "Yeah I do all of that." but you probably don't, not everyday.
1. How much are you skating?
It's October so 10 times a week is not necessary. Actually, at that rate you most likely won't make it to the end of the season. I would say 4 times a week is adequate. Two is never enough. If you only skate two times a week you cannot actually think you are going to be in good shape. 4 times a week. Nothing big. If your team doesn't get in that many well that means you need to do something on your own. It all matters on what you do at practice. You should be doing fundamentals, if you are going over about 75% at any point you probably shouldn't. I'm talking about circles. Unless you skate at my rink, your indoor rink most likely has artistic circles put down on the wood, skate on them. If you can get your ankles straight before you try and go fast you'll increase your power (in every step) tremendously.
2. What do you want?
It's only October but if you don't know what you want out of your season you are headed in the wrong direction. You are skating for no reason. You are wasting your time and your coaches. Even if you just want to lose weight, that is your purpose. At no point in a season should you not know what you are skating for. You should remember this at every practice, even away from practice. Make a season goal. But don't get carried away. Keep it reasonable. Make it tough enough that you have to work every single day for it but not something that deep down isn't realistic this season.
3. What is your mindset?
When you tie your skates for practice what are you thinking? On Tuesday are you going through your day thinking, "Today's Tuesday, I've got practice.." Are you confident in what you are doing right now? If at any point you are at practice and your coach decides to do a certain drill are you like "why are we doing this?" ask. They are doing it for a reason. Your coaches want the best for you, ask them why you are doing this or why you aren't doing this. Bring up suggestions and see what they think. If you don't like the drill, then you are wasting it. Even if you aren't skating the times or the speed or whatever you want to right now you should still be confident that what you are doing is going to make you the fastest at the end of the season: the only time that matters.
4. What are you doing besides team practice?
You have a goal, you are going to your team's practices you are confident in your coach but what are you doing on your own? For some people this step does not apply. But if you want to be a national champion, a world team member, a world champion you can't expect to get where you want to just by going to practice. Take matters into your own hands. If it is doing dry land exercises for a half hour every day, or slideboarding every day for a half hour (if you can make it that long... without standing up), or skating outdoor. You want to be a champion? If you don't become one it wasn't your coaches fault, it was yours. You can lift weights (just get the correct program), cross-train or anything.
5. What are you doing to set yourself up for success?
Ever heard of nutrition? Sleep? Right now it is October. It's is the beginning of the season which is the easiest time to get hyped up about training hard this season and eating right but you probably wont withstand that mentality every day for the next 10 months. I would say wait until at least December for your nutrition in most cases. Eat (to some extent) what you want for now. That way when it is time to buckle down you've gotten all the junk out of you and you can focus. (If you want to be a world champion or make the world team.. December may be too late) Sleep eight hours a day no matter what. Naps don't count. Go to sleep at 10, get up at 6. They say you sleep in 4 hour cycles, that's why you might wake up in the middle of the night (after about four hours). If you lift weights then take a protein bar with you or a quick protein shake. When it is cold you can leave shakes in your car and they will be cold. Within 30 minutes of your workout getting some type of protein into your body will help your body retain more of the muscle you just worked up.
6. How is your personal life?
Not to invade privacy or anything. But the less distractions you have the easier it is to achieve your goals. Better grades in school will result in better skating. Less girlfriend/boyfriend/wife/husband trouble will improve your skating. I'm not lying either.
7. Are you listening to your body?
The only want to know if you need a break is to listen to your body. There will be times in the year where you just shouldn't push it as hard. One way to know is your heart rate. If you take your heart rate first thing once you wake up. And I mean like literally first thing (hit your alarm and take your heart rate) that s when your heart rate is at it's lowest. Days when you see a spike you should probably only do 75%-80% of your workout.
Right now I am in perfect shape. Technically I am in the worst shape physically since the start of the 2006 season when I broke my collarbone but I am probably in better shape then I ever have been. Right now I skate 3 times a week, next week it will probably spike to six which is adequate for myself. (that includes outdoor even though we are down to the 40's already). Next week I will start my slideboarding routine and weightlifting. In about two weeks I'm starting my nutrition. And I sleep 8-9 hours every night. Every drill I do I do it the way it is suppose to be done. I can remember about 5 minutes worth of drills where I have just gone through the motion all season the rest is focused on my goals. I no what my goals are and I remind myself every single day what I want and what I need to do.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
The College Search
Sucks. You want to find the college that is perfect for you but it's just so difficult. There are so many options. The difficult thing about missing the first three weeks of your senior year is the college search. I got three less weeks to get my recommendations, essay(s), applications, all of that. And when you get free applications as long as you apply by a certain date it makes it worse, because then you are rushing. I think I am applying to something like six colleges. Some of which are harder then others to get into to.
I don't feel as if I was successfully prepared for the whole college search thing. Like I've had good grades and a good SAT score but they don't really tell you what the application process will be like. It's a completely different ball-park.
I see all of these skaters that come out of high school and decide they are going to just get a normal job and become the best skater. And it never happens. Personally you need to plan for life after skating. I love skating, but very few, few people make a living in our sport and I have come to that realization. And I have come to the realization that as much as I want our sport to make it to the Olympics it looks like nothing more then a hope. Therefore, I am going to college, I have no idea where. I am applying to 5 different Pennsylvania schools across the state from 15 minutes from my dad's house to 5-6 hours across the state. Then I am applying to Utah University. I am not so sure about my plans with that, but I'm at least applying in case anything happens.
Just because I am going to college doesn't mean that my skating career is over. What it does mean is that you most likely won't see me at many invitationals once I get into college. But I can practice almost everyday while in college. Nothing changes, there will still be empty parking lots and I will still have skates. I will still be the same skater I am now while I am in college, I can guarantee that. Now the Utah thing, who knows at this point, I don't.
I have all intentions in majoring in Journalism or Broadcast Journalism. Focusing on politics and sports writing. I love sports, I watch sports, I know a lot about a lot of sports. And I like writing about politics, I like finding the information and working on it. I will be in my third year of Journalism at my high school this spring semester. The things about Journalism is that it's a really unsure career. There is the small-town, once a week papers where you get paid next to dirt, then there is the local papers where you write every day but not top end stuff and not a great salary. Then you have you're big city papers. The articles are better, the pay is better. Then you have the top of the line Journalism. The big time. It's difficult. But I plan on putting as much effort into the career I choose as I do into skating.
The thing is, anything I write that isn't in a newspaper isn't quite as good as it would be in a newspaper. Journalism writing is so much easier and common for me. You write what everyone wants to know, the facts. Who/what/where/when/why/how. That's what I write best...
So my college search continues...
I don't feel as if I was successfully prepared for the whole college search thing. Like I've had good grades and a good SAT score but they don't really tell you what the application process will be like. It's a completely different ball-park.
I see all of these skaters that come out of high school and decide they are going to just get a normal job and become the best skater. And it never happens. Personally you need to plan for life after skating. I love skating, but very few, few people make a living in our sport and I have come to that realization. And I have come to the realization that as much as I want our sport to make it to the Olympics it looks like nothing more then a hope. Therefore, I am going to college, I have no idea where. I am applying to 5 different Pennsylvania schools across the state from 15 minutes from my dad's house to 5-6 hours across the state. Then I am applying to Utah University. I am not so sure about my plans with that, but I'm at least applying in case anything happens.
Just because I am going to college doesn't mean that my skating career is over. What it does mean is that you most likely won't see me at many invitationals once I get into college. But I can practice almost everyday while in college. Nothing changes, there will still be empty parking lots and I will still have skates. I will still be the same skater I am now while I am in college, I can guarantee that. Now the Utah thing, who knows at this point, I don't.
I have all intentions in majoring in Journalism or Broadcast Journalism. Focusing on politics and sports writing. I love sports, I watch sports, I know a lot about a lot of sports. And I like writing about politics, I like finding the information and working on it. I will be in my third year of Journalism at my high school this spring semester. The things about Journalism is that it's a really unsure career. There is the small-town, once a week papers where you get paid next to dirt, then there is the local papers where you write every day but not top end stuff and not a great salary. Then you have you're big city papers. The articles are better, the pay is better. Then you have the top of the line Journalism. The big time. It's difficult. But I plan on putting as much effort into the career I choose as I do into skating.
The thing is, anything I write that isn't in a newspaper isn't quite as good as it would be in a newspaper. Journalism writing is so much easier and common for me. You write what everyone wants to know, the facts. Who/what/where/when/why/how. That's what I write best...
So my college search continues...
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
The Now and The Future
Right now I am enjoying my Senior year of High School. Back in June I made the decision to run XC so since I got back from worlds that is what has grasped most of my attention. In my second week I am finally past the point where I can run and still walk up the steps at home normally (I was crawling up them the first week). At my school you must have 10 days of practice in before you can participate in the event so next Tuesday will be my first XC race and I'll probably give an update after that.
I decided to run XC for a few reasons. One is that I really wanted to get back into running shape but I just couldn't manage to do it on my own. Now that I am in running shape I don't plan on losing it for a very long time. The thing about being in running shape is that you can use it for a warm up off-skates and it works so well but if you aren't in shape for it you're doing your body worse. The second reason I decided to run XC is because I always enjoyed it and we have a biker on our team who started half-way through last years season and ended up going to states so I thought what the heck we'll see what I can do. And it's my Senior year so I'd rather not look back and wonder what if.
Saturday is my first ice practice since somewhere around March. I will make every one possible from this point on and in terms of skating ice will be pretty much my number one priority for a few months. This will be my second full season of ice and it should just get better then last year.
October 12th marks my leagues first indoor meet. So that starts the indoor season. I'm looking to skate acceptable all year indoor but I have no particular goal for indoor. I want to skate good indoor because I hate to lose but I think it's pretty clear what my focus will be.
My mind is already set for June. I know what I did last year and I know what I have to do this year. The only awkward part is I know how hard I trained last year and I know I should feel like the task I'm trying to do is almost impossible but I don't. It's doable. I know how hard I have to train and it won't be that bad. Yes it will be hard and tiring but that's what I skate for. I wouldn't skate if it was easy. To make the jump I want to make, more of my changes will happen before I even tie my skates.
I decided to run XC for a few reasons. One is that I really wanted to get back into running shape but I just couldn't manage to do it on my own. Now that I am in running shape I don't plan on losing it for a very long time. The thing about being in running shape is that you can use it for a warm up off-skates and it works so well but if you aren't in shape for it you're doing your body worse. The second reason I decided to run XC is because I always enjoyed it and we have a biker on our team who started half-way through last years season and ended up going to states so I thought what the heck we'll see what I can do. And it's my Senior year so I'd rather not look back and wonder what if.
Saturday is my first ice practice since somewhere around March. I will make every one possible from this point on and in terms of skating ice will be pretty much my number one priority for a few months. This will be my second full season of ice and it should just get better then last year.
October 12th marks my leagues first indoor meet. So that starts the indoor season. I'm looking to skate acceptable all year indoor but I have no particular goal for indoor. I want to skate good indoor because I hate to lose but I think it's pretty clear what my focus will be.
My mind is already set for June. I know what I did last year and I know what I have to do this year. The only awkward part is I know how hard I trained last year and I know I should feel like the task I'm trying to do is almost impossible but I don't. It's doable. I know how hard I have to train and it won't be that bad. Yes it will be hard and tiring but that's what I skate for. I wouldn't skate if it was easy. To make the jump I want to make, more of my changes will happen before I even tie my skates.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
It's All Over
Well the 2008 season is officially over. What a year it was. Before a recap of the year which will come a different day I will finish with worlds.
It rained for us again during the marathon. It sucked a lot. The course wasn't a very good one to begin with so with the rain it just became terrible. Junior Men once again did not end up getting a medal which made us look horrible. To make matters worse we didn't even get a relay medal like the previous two years. That puts us in a pretty bad place. I really thought we had the team to do it and I thought we trained pretty hard at residency. As a team (Junior Men) I think we were so close. 1000m final, 500m final, relay final, 300m final, a couple top 10 long race finishes.
The Junior Women skated so good this year. They had three individual medalists which was a team high. And they ended up with six medals including the relay which is great.
The Senior Women were dominate in sprints. To think Sara and Brittany would do what they did on track is just ridiculous. I never would have thought they would get 6 of the 9 medals in the 3 track sprints (Yes, I'm calling the 1000m a sprint race). This was Sara's first year medalling individually and you never would have guessed it.
The Senior Men skated good. They had the sickness in their group but I think two of them qualified for the world games (I am not certain though) which would be Josh and Dane. They also had two medalists in Josh and Joey.
It sucks that again Junior Men ended up the weakest link, especially because we had a stronger team heading into worlds this year then we did last year I think.
It rained for us again during the marathon. It sucked a lot. The course wasn't a very good one to begin with so with the rain it just became terrible. Junior Men once again did not end up getting a medal which made us look horrible. To make matters worse we didn't even get a relay medal like the previous two years. That puts us in a pretty bad place. I really thought we had the team to do it and I thought we trained pretty hard at residency. As a team (Junior Men) I think we were so close. 1000m final, 500m final, relay final, 300m final, a couple top 10 long race finishes.
The Junior Women skated so good this year. They had three individual medalists which was a team high. And they ended up with six medals including the relay which is great.
The Senior Women were dominate in sprints. To think Sara and Brittany would do what they did on track is just ridiculous. I never would have thought they would get 6 of the 9 medals in the 3 track sprints (Yes, I'm calling the 1000m a sprint race). This was Sara's first year medalling individually and you never would have guessed it.
The Senior Men skated good. They had the sickness in their group but I think two of them qualified for the world games (I am not certain though) which would be Josh and Dane. They also had two medalists in Josh and Joey.
It sucks that again Junior Men ended up the weakest link, especially because we had a stronger team heading into worlds this year then we did last year I think.
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