I can be very lackadaisical. I love summer with my kids because of the lazy mornings and relaxed days just hanging out enjoying their company. In my day-to-day life I tend to start one thing, get distracted then move on to the nex… shiny penny! Or, if truth be told, shiny YouTube.
But if you give me a goal, I have the focus of a laser beam.
I often don’t push myself because I’m happy just sort of meandering about. That’s why programs like the 100 Push Up Challenge are good for me, it forces me to focus and push myself further. Otherwise I’d do three push ups and be all “my arms are sore” and stop.
Hockey Playing Husband and I were talking about speed skating next year and the fact that I’ve committed to do a race. In a turn of events even I didn’t see coming, Son No. 1 is now not only fully on board with my continuing to speed skate he wants to see me in a race. So there’s no getting out of it now, really. Not that I would have tried to get out of it. I mean, maybe just a bit. While Hockey Playing Husband is trying to convince me to skate a meet earlier in the season I’m sticking to my guns and plan to skate one later in the season. I feel more comfortable participating with a few months under my belt. Also, there’s a bit of that whole not pushing myself thing again. *shrugs shoulders*
Which means I need a goal. We went and looked at the results from the Masters races in Milton to get an idea of race times. There were enough Masters at this meet to have four groups: A, B, C, D. I won’t get into the logistics of it all but essentially, you skate a race which determines the group you will be skating in for your final race. ‘A’ group has the fastest times, ‘B’ has the second fastest and so on. The times for the ‘C’ group in the 500 m were between 1:04 and 1:09. The D group had times varying between 1:20 to 1:25.
If you look at the video of me skating two laps of this 500 m we did in class, I’m going at about 20 seconds per lap which puts me at 1:40 for a 500 m. Can I go faster than this? Most likely but I’d be giving up any form that I have, which is not a lot, and would just be someone who’s skating fast on speed skates and not actually learning to speed skate which is what I want. The technique of it all fascinates me. Don’t even get me started on website and newsletter stats and analytics.
Why yes, I am a closet geek.
In order for me to get up to a C level that would mean me taking off about 30 to 35 seconds from what I currently which works out to approximately 6 to 7 seconds per lap.
To reach that goal there are about one hundred other goals I have to strive towards which include, but are not limited to, working on my leg strength, working on my balance, getting my feet closer together, moving my feet faster, fully extending my legs when I push out, swinging my arms like I mean it and not like a straw man left out in the wind, staying down low, starting crossovers earlier, keeping my ass down, stop looking at my feet and the starts…my gawd, the hot flailing mess that is my start. You get the picture. There’s a LOT of work to be done focusing on the small things in order to be able to accomplish a bigger thing.
Next year after I actually participate in a meet it will be easier to set a goal because I will have a personal best that I can work towards beating. But the fact remains, I do need a goal. It’s how I work.
I’m new to all of this so I really don’t know whether or not this is a realistic goal or one that’s completely out of the realm of possibility and therefore I should work towards a time that’s more attainable. Or is focusing on something slower just me, once again, not pushing myself.
Welcome to my head. I suggest you don’t take a seat, it’s messy in here and you may never find your way out.
In the end, I’ll be participating in a race next year and whatever time I end up with it’ll be mine, which is kind of cool. Yet also terrifying.
In other news, do I not have the prettiest laptop ever?
p.s. I kind of forgot I had signed up for a 10 k race in May so I’ve started running again.
p.p.s. How awesome is this Spartan Race? Anyone want to do it with me?
Butterflies, shiny pennies….it’s all the same
Just so you know your first lap is slower because you’re getting up to speed. And also a 500m race is 4.5 laps, not 5. I wouldn’t worry about the time much, if I were you.
It’s not so much the time as it is having solid goals. Like I ran a 10 k in a little over an hour last year, so this year my goal is to do it in one hour or less. So in order to do that I’ve been doing sprints. It helps me to focus not only on the number but all the little things I need to do in order for it to happen.
And yes, I know it’s 4 1/2 laps – I was doing lazy math to give myself a ballpark figure. Feel free to time me though
I like my laptop skin which you can find here: http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2389/2251972598_b2c88c97d8.jpg&imgrefurl=http://artdabble.blogspot.com/2008/02/lawrence-yang.html&h=376&w=500&sz=157&tbnid=GK7L8e_xOYEELM:&tbnh=93&tbnw=124&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dlawrence%2Byang%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=lawrence+yang&docid=HP9CWAx5n9nMBM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Z-drT_XzKOTY0QHVu73wBg&ved=0CFMQ9QEwBw&dur=28
I have also used my own photographs for my Kobo and I kinda like to brag about it when people see it.
sue
Brag away Sue!
p.s. Now that spring is here we’ll have to set up an Abberfoyle date!
Having goals always helps me – otherwise I might not push myself that little bit more that I sometimes need. I’m doing a half-marathon in June and while my times are way slower than a lot of people racing, I know I’ll be happy if I make my goal time
And Spartan Race – totally!! My husband and I are doing one in Calgary in August, then next year my goal will be a tough mudder. Crazy but exciting looking!
I did the Warrior Dash last year and it was so much fun! Spartan looks a little more hardcore but still fun.
What’s your goal time for the 1/2?
Having goals is important, and it sounds like you’ve got good ones. My suggestion (as someone who was pretty wobbly when I started speedskating)–spend as much time on your inlines as you can this summer. Can you put frames/wheels on your new short track skates? If so, that’s even better! Find an empty parking lot, or school track–somewhere you can do corners. Then, put on every piece of padding that’s manufactured, and get out there and skate laps! You can improve fitness, balance and technique simultaneously, and it’s a heck of a lot more fun than dryland. Unless you fall, of course, but that’s a risk we take, eh?
Of course, open skate times on ice are great, too, but you need to find something uncrowded enough that you can uncork a few hot laps without killing a little hockey player…if you have open ice like that, that’s even better than inlines.
Oh, and I’m so glad to hear that your son wants you to race!
I won’t put wheels on my new short track skates only because there are no brakes. And yes, I’m being serious. But I do have regular roller blades and will be getting out on those – there’s a school by my house so looks like I may do parking lot time there.
A monkey wrench has been thrown into my plans for the next three months re: ice training so I’ll definitely be doing dryland.
LOVE! the laptop skin. And your attitude. Your time will be yours, no matter what. Plus you’re going to be smoking strong with all that squatting and running and pushing up. Oh…I have to go…I see a butterfly…see my head is the same as yours.