This is what short track speed skating looks like.
If we had a long track speed skating program where I live I’d take it because skating this close to someone else scares the buh-jeebus out of me. In long track you skate in pairs and there’s buffer room.
The truth is I’m not afraid of falling and hurting myself, I’m afraid of falling and hurting someone else. One of the people in my class is an ex-NHL player. I know nothing about hockey and was all happy being oblivious until someone told me he was actually a pretty big deal. And then I was all “why the hell would you tell me that?” and since then, I can’t get rid of the visions of me falling and taking him out.
Not to mention the other skaters who whip by me on the rink. I can see them coming from the corner of my eye and I’ll hesitate doing a crossover because I’m afraid *that’s* the moment I’ll slip and end up killing someone.
Finally, last week I told one of the coaches about my fear of taking out another skater and how I was always aware of who was coming up behind me so I wouldn’t hurt anyone. And then he gave me what has so far been the greatest piece of speed skating advice I’ve ever been given.
Always look forward and focus on the skaters ahead of you, the skaters behind you will be doing the same thing.
Basically, I need to stop looking over my shoulder and worrying about what everyone else is doing, look forward and focus on what’s ahead.
Funny how that works in real life as well.
Image courtesy of johnthescone’s European Short Track Speed Skating Championships, flickr
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Love it! I love that advice. And I love that you spoke up to your coach about your fears because he knew exactly what you were talking about and you’ll do better for it. Yay.
Once he said it, it made so much sense to me – for speed skating and in real life.
I skate long track at the Pettit center in Milwaukee (where I live) and whenever I hear the high speed train of elite athletes approaching from behind I get nervous about not wanting to be the cause of a chain reaction high speed pileup. That said, I think I’m feeling more comfortable. It does amaze me sometimes how well we all, from beginners to world record holders, manage to share the ice.
Was it just practice that has made you feel more comfortable? And I’m so excited to ‘meet’ another speed skater. I felt a little lonely when I first started writing this and now I’m beginning to see what a large (and awesome) community there is of speed skaters out there.
Well, for one thing I do crash less these days, but also with experience it’s easier to judge what’s going on, when to stay out of the way of the elite athletes sprinting and when there’s nothing quite that exciting going on. While I still obviously don’t want to crash into anyone the general level of unjustified general nervousness went away now that I’m a regular on the ice and know a bunch of the skaters.
Whoa! This is awesome. I think I have a crush.
When my daughter is born in December, I’m thinking about getting into rock climbing. I did it for a few months, about 12 years ago and miss it. Even now. And now I don’t have much of an excuse now that I’ve beheld the vision of Moms speed skating.
Do it!!!! Seriously! The feeling I get from speed skating – even though I suck – is amazing. And I love how it’s just me and the skating. I’m not competing against anyone else, just trying to improve. Rock climbing is like that too!
Um, sweetie, I hate to break it to ya…but the same issues exist in long track! (well, for me at least!). I was at a meet in Calgary once…it was basically me and the (I believe) Japanese National Team. I was afraid to do my warmup laps for my race (in the inner lane) while the Japanese skaters were racing…I kept picturing me losing it on a crossover and sliding into the racers…I could just see the headline–”Old US skater falls, takes out rising Japanese star.” Yeah, don’t need that! I still have trouble warming up in races…just don’t trust myself!
(Notice how I always skip over the inspirational message of your posts and focus on the skating? I’m not obsessed or anything, really I’m not…)
I love that you go past the inspirational shit and focus on the speed skating – it’s why I read what you write. You offer me amazing information and have helped me be a better skater.
Love that…such good advice!!!!
Holy Hanna Banana. What great advice. When I do crossovers — by myself, on the backyard rink — well… it feels like major risk-taking behavior and I might be about to fall off the face of the earth. (Is that physics? Visual-spatial awareness?)
You just gotta go for it, right? Do it anyway. Face forward. And don’t worry about any ex NHLer who spent years crash-bang-and-hurtling on ice.
I love the look at the ones ahead of you advice….what if you also pictured them naked??? Or is that only for public speaking????
Cheers
Should I be picturing you naked at Blissdom then?
I love this advice. Thanks for sharing.