It sucks being the worst in the class. And I’m not saying that so there’ll be some sort of “Oh Sharon, you’re at least out there trying” pity party. It’s a fact. I suck ass at speed skating.
And I’m okay with it.
Kind of.
The thing is, I get out there and I see where everyone else is at and I want to be there too. And yes, I realize some of them have been doing it for years. In fact the minimum that anyone in my class has been doing it is a year.
I’ve asked.
Every.
Single.
Person.
Obsess much?
Before lacing up my speed skates I had skated three times in my adult life – once when I first started dating my hockey playing husband and twice at Winterlude in Ottawa. I have now officially skated more in the past three weeks than I have in the past twelve years.
Part of me is unable to see the accomplishment of that – I’m so focused on what I want to attain, I’m unable to see what I’ve gained.
And that’s not such a bad thing, is it? It has me working harder because I want to be as good as the other speed skaters. I want to be able to skate around the rink and not make any noise. The really good skaters make it look like a silent ballet, gliding around the rink with no effort. In reality, it’s the hardest I’ve ever worked my body.
We did relays on Thursday – teams of four. If you’ve never seen a speed skating relay, it is well organized chaos going 70 km an hour. I suck ass at relays too. It freaks me out having that many people on the ice who are whipping around faster than me. I can’t do crossovers yet so any momentum I gain while skating around the inner circle is lost on the corners. Then there’s the whole having to time my entrance onto the track, get down into a squatting position and be pushed by my incoming relay partner so I’m going into the first turn faster than I normally do. We did two laps at a time and were to keep it up for fifteen minutes.
About ten minutes in, I wanted to vomit. But I couldn’t stop in the middle of the relay because there were three other people depending on me. So I kept at it. I’m not going to say it felt good - me wanting to vomit pretty much sums it up.
In order to up my endurance, or lack thereof, I started running again this week. When I last dropped my Couch to 5 k program, I was on week two. Run 90 seconds, walk 120 seconds for a total of 25 minutes. It pretty much kicked my ass.
Sunday I got on the treadmill. Run 90, walk 120. 30 minutes in, I was full out running, faster than I had ever run previously.
Five speed skating lessons in and my cardio has already improved immensely.
It’s an amazing thing when you can see what you’ve gained.
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GO SHARON! – GO SHARON!
I totally admire you for taking the plunge into something new and sharing all the emotions that go with it. Helps us remember what its like to be a kid again, and how they suffer the pains of incompetence 24 / 7 often. They really are remarkable when you think how hard it is for us and we’re supposed to be mature! HA!
Well – keep on truckin’ gal. I am rooting for ya!
Hugs
Alyson
Wow love that in just a few sessions your cardio is that much better!!!! That is AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!! It’s really rewarding when we can see and feel measurable change…especially when trying so hard.
I totally understand your feelings of wanting to be at least as good as the people that have been doing it for a year. I totally predict that in a year from now you’re going to be that person that makes it look so easy…and silent
. LOL that was one of my favorite parts of your post…I can totally picture it!
So on my end I found the right yoga studio for me…just have to wait till April then I’ll be going 3 times a week
Can’t wait for your next post…
Cheering you on
Kia