Dream Chaser On Wheels

If It Aint Broke

2011-07-11T18:43:38-04:00

You’ve probably heard the saying “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. But what would you do if it’s only a little broke? Do you stay with the status quo or take the risk in your attempt to improve? I was faced with this dilemma the week leading up to Nationals. The first few minutes of stepping into my skates, I always felt like my left frame was pointing to the wrong direction. Visual inspection suggested otherwise but it just didn’t feel right. I was skating well on road and alright on 400m track. However, the stress of racing on the 200m banked track got to me and I decided to adjust my left frame to my marked position because I needed every advantage I could get for the weekend of racing.

Any experienced racer can tell you fussing with your equipment set up is the last thing you ought to do before a big race. I was well-aware of the risk but the frame position was clearly marked so I had confidence it was a minimal change to the tried-and-true. My sprint races at Nationals were nothing to write home about. In fact, my times were well off my personal bests set over two years ago. I dismissed it lightly thinking I simply have not been training for track racing and my cornering skills have taken a turn for the worse.

The distance races went a little better strategy-wise. The 10k points race was a hard fought battle, clawing my way from last place to close a three quarter lap gap. I was dead by the time I caught SH so obviously I had no energy to accelerate past her. When it became clear that SH would not let me rest in her draft, I had to do something if I wanted to beat her. She is a much better sprinter than myself so giving her a free ride to the finish would only mean handing her third place on a silver platter. Fitness is my strength so I had to use it to my advantage to drop her long before the race was done. I started doing acceleration down one straightaway every lap. Well it was not enough, I picked it up to acceleration in every straightaway. With less than five laps to go, I finally dropped her and got my third place finish. I was so exhausted that I dreaded having to do it all over again the next day for the 15k.

The 15k was the second event on schedule on Sunday right after the senior men had their turn. Stupid me slept in and barely arrived on time for my race. With 75 laps waiting for us, we took an easy start and dropped back every lap. Somehow I managed to stay in the pack just long enough to give me a half lap advantage over the skater behind me. I focused on skating at my most efficient and skated unbelievably steady lap times. It was a much more relaxing race by comparison and I took third place. With two third place finishes, I earned third place on the distance podium. It was a pleasant surprise for the weekend.

I did not think about it much but I was wobbly the whole weekend. Merely ten laps in to my distance races and I lost the stability to glide on my left skate. I thought it was nothing more than my horrible ability to skate on a 200m banked track. Well, it happened again last week when I skated club practice at the familiar 400m track. My left leg cramped up quickly and I could barely finish the drills. I am no stranger to this feeling and knew immediately my frame adjustment was the culprit. Frame adjustment is all about trial and error. Even the most miniscule change can feel drastically different with the wheels on the feet. It was an incredibly frustrating experience as I struggled to find a new home for my left frame. At one point, it got so bad that I could not even finish skating 5km in a straight line without leg cramp.

Aside from the frustration and anxiety of setting up my frame before the marathon this weekend in Montreal, I am a little curious about this whole situation. Remember how it all started with the frame feeling like it was pointing to the wrong direction? The obvious answer is it shifted from some rough terrain I skated through. However, it really did not look like it moved when I checked my skates. I begin to suspect it is related to my evolving technique. Since returning from Denmark, I usually warm up with exaggerated drills to extend my gliding phase while moving dead straight. I try hard to minimize weaving left and right when I glide on one skate. It is entirely possible that this drill gradually changes my body position and weight distribution. Hence the uneasy feeling of my old frame position. At this point, I only hope to find a good place for my frame so I can be ready for Montreal this Saturday.

Within Reach

2011-06-23T18:13:53-04:00

If you ask me for my evaluation of last weekend’s Apostle Island Inline Marathon, you may receive two completely different answers. The short version is I skated well and I’m thankful for all the heartfelt congratulations on my first win as a pro. It has taken years of training to reach this point and it means a lot to me to be surrounded by supportive friends. That also means I have a very short blog entry to write and we’ll chat again next time. So let’s get to the self-indulgent long version, shall we?

Coach SZ and I had been carefully monitoring my recovery from Denmark training camp leading up to this race. Thrown in a bit of jetlag and some early symptoms of a cold, I was not sure if my body was ready to race came Saturday morning. Fortunately, I had an amazing training session last Wednesday skating with GN at the trails. Shins did not lock up and I had the top-end speed I last saw in Denmark. It really boost my confidence and I remained relax on the long drive from Thunder Bay to Wisconsin.

The weather forecast did not look favourable and I was bracing for another rain race. No matter, I had my trusty Storm Surge and Streetfight rain setup. On race day morning, it was cold and drizzly. I was too occupied thinking about my lack of warm layers than stressing out about racing. I suppose that was not a bad trade off. I did my usual warm up of jogging, static and dynamic stretches, working up to race pace on skates, and a few accelerations. I did not feel particularly strong but it was nothing to complain about. My rain setup felt good on the wet but smooth pavement.

I had my sight set on keeping up with last year’s winner Kara Peterson (Adam’s Test Team). It was 2009 Minnesota Half Marathon when we last raced against each other. From all account, I knew that she is strong and capable of staying with the lead pack. She also has plenty of teammates in the lead pack. I only hoped my fellow teammate Nadine and I could both successfully latch on to the lead pack right from the start. I positioned myself directly behind Andy Kostka from Hoigaards since he trained with us in Toronto last summer and I had good grasp of how to skate efficiently in his draft. The start was tame but my clumsiness with the timing mat meant I quickly lost my target draft. Oops. Luckily, Andy’s teammate Conrade Thomas sped past me and I did not dare to risk losing the draft this time.

There were numerous surges and attacks from Adam’s Test Team. I focused on anticipating the change of pace and recovering as much as I could between the surges. Some people moved up, some people got dropped, some people attacked, the first lap was a blur. Kara and I were the only women in the lead pack so my job was to simply hang on. Alas, after 15km of intervals, my legs desperately wanted a break. I started to get gapped a few times and had to claw my way back to the pack. My time in the lead pack was numbered and Kara continued to look strong.

Between the end of lap one and the next water station, I got dropped. I resisted the urge to keep skating and just leisurely rolled along while keeping my eyes out for the chase pack. It seemed like a long time before the pack materialized and I noticed another Hoigaards skater got dropped just ahead of me. The pack was much smaller than I hoped with two skaters from Midwest Skate Club and an independent skater. Five of us grouped up quickly and my race to stay second place started. I had no clue if other pro women were right on our heels so I negotiated with the guys to help fend off the next pack as long as we could. I couldn’t care less about field sprinting with these guys since it would not make a difference with my placement in pro women.

Well, we tried. We were caught by the next pack before we completed the second lap. The lead pack of pro veteran and grand veteran barrelled toward us and I quickly jumped in the pack. Coincidentally, I was directly in front of Max Muscle’s videographer! You can watch the whole thing captured on video starting at 4:45. I was in red/black/white with “Kickin’ Asphalt” printed across my backside.

First thing first, I scanned the pack for other pro women. There was one woman I did not recognize nor seen her at my starting wave. Just to be on the cautious side, I kept tabs on where she was in the pack. As the pro vet pack started the third and final lap, attacks started happening and skaters tried to move up in the pack. I was well-aware that had I gotten into the mix and interfere with their races, these guys would not be too please to tolerate me in the pack. I was also a little concern that my teammate Steve was nowhere to be found.

It was inevitable that the large pro vet/grand vet pack would split. I was not too concern with getting caught up in the excitement though. Let’s just say I was not gunning for a personal best finishing time anyway. I was in the back half when the pack split and at that point, I only needed to finish the race with the pack to maintain my placement. I pulled strong when it was my turn but otherwise I stayed out of other people’s way. It was unusual to watch the field sprint unfolded as if I was a spectator.

Race result is available here. I finished the race at 1:19:28, almost four minutes behind Kara Peterson. It was only well after we finished the race when I realized Kara raced in Masters so technically, I won the Pro Open Women category. However, for all intents and purposes, I don’t see this race as a victory. I came second in a race that I did not yet have what it takes to challenge the winner. I am closer than I ever did in the past but I am not there yet. Having said that, it sure felt nice to sweep the podium with my teammate Nadine. It is my motivation to repeat this photo in future with a genuine win.

Milestones

2011-06-20T15:18:23-04:00

I have much to tell about last weekend’s Apostle Inline Marathon. But right now, I’m in the mood to look back upon some milestones that I hit along the way since I started skating competitively in 2006. 2011 season holds much significance because I have a big goal to achieve in September. All those hours of hard work in the last five years culminating in one race. It’s easy to let the stress get the better of me. With my first win in the pro category last weekend, I want to savour some important moments of my skating career.

The 2007 Mississauga Criterium women’s 10k race was a small local race but it was the first time that I earned my spot on the podium. I stood on podiums before but with the typically small number of racers in women’s races, it was all by default. On that hot summer day, I dropped enough competitors to finish my race in third place.

In 2008 I continued to compete in the age group category (i.e. not pro). An early season race in Detroit marked my first win in the 30-39 women category. I was feverish and weak yet somehow I skated with future teammate Bob Harwell in the pack. Harwell dropped me like a rock when he attacked but that race marked the first time I was competitive with racers I previously only heard about.

When I attended the awards ceremony at Northshore Inline Marathon in 2006, I quietly said to myself that I want one of those medals around my neck one day. In 2008, that dream became a reality. I proudly accepted my third place medal in the women 30-34 category despite overcoming a crash mid-race. It was a great moment when us three Canadian girls all earned third place finish in our respective category with Martine in pro women and Carolyn in 34-39 age group.

2008 really was a banner year. I went to New York for the NYC Skate Marathon on a whim and won the overall advanced women 42k in a rain race. I ruined one whole set of bearings yet the satisfaction of an unexpected win was well-worth the price. A podium finish is great but it’s certainly not the same as being overall winner (Just look at that inflated ego!).

The success of my 2008 season meant I began to set my sight on racing pro. It was certainly not an effortless transition but one of the best things that happened was joining Team Asphalt Beach/K2 in 2009. The support of my teammates obviously plays a huge part in my skating but more importantly, I learn to race and strategize as part of a team.

It seems like I have a knack of surpassing expectations when I race for the fun of it. I registered for the 38 mile race in 2010 Athens To Atlanta after much persuasion from my teammates. I just thought there’s no better way to experience oldest road race in North America than skating in a cooperative pack with my team who knows the course like the back of their hands. I won the women’s category knowing the course record is within reach should I attempt it again in future.

After working with my head down in the last two seasons, I finally have some tangible result to show. At times, improvement was so subtle that doubts set in. Training in Denmark proved to be a good decision as it cemented my ability to skate faster than I ever believed I could. Sure I did not beat out all the competition (kudos to Kara Peterson for a strong performance and winning the overall) but I hope it is the beginning of something good. I was so proud to share the podium with teammate Nadine.

For the time being, I’m enjoying an elevated confidence in my skating. The power of positive thinking cannot be under-estimated. I want to harness every little advantage to better prepare myself for the big race ahead. Tick tock, tick tock.

Changes

2011-06-15T16:10:26-04:00

Since I came home from Denmark, I’ve been resting a lot to get my body back to race-ready condition. The increased training load at Sk8skool did not really affect my cardio condition but the accumulated fatigue in the muscles began to show toward the end of my trip. My sleep schedule has been erratic at best so I can’t even blame jetlag for not resting well.

Usually I don’t sweat over this sort of things because we all have good days and bad days. However, my immediate concern is the Apostle Islands Inline Marathon this Saturday in Wisconsin. MW and I will fly to Thunder Bay on Friday and make the five hour drive across the border. Prior to this race, I have only raced the Texas Road Rash and Mount Forest 10K this season. You can say my race instinct is getting a little rusty.

Word from the organizers is that there will be over 300 racers at the event. My main focus is to have a strong start to get into the right pack and finish with the same pack. I’ll have to remember that I am capable of bridging a gap as well as dealing with repeated surges in speed. Both scenarios were simulated at our training sessions in Denmark and I handled them well. Those are convincing arguments that I will have no excuse to give up the race before my time.

Last night I went to Toronto Inline Skating Club practice and shared with PD some of the drills we did at Sk8skool. The few days of rest I’ve been enjoying seem to have positive effect. Although I wasn’t happy with how sloppy I felt on skates, at least my shins did not lock up like they did last week. Rest continues to be my number one focus this week.

This season I have been a little late in finalizing my race calendar due to indecision. Traveling cost is on the rise and to be honest, I wasn’t all that enthusiastic about racing. I’m good with doing my homework (i.e. training) but over the years, all the negative thoughts and voices have taken their toll. At home, I’ve been carefully surrounding myself with a circle of supportive coaches, mentors, and training partners. They never hesitate to offer me constructive criticisms yet they are also generous with recognizing my strengths and accomplishments. While I was training in Denmark, the unfamiliar environment brought much of my insecurities to surface. Between long talks with coach SZ and evaluating my performance in more objective light, I’m now more comfortable with myself as a competitive skater. Racing will continue to be challenging, of course. At the same time, if it is too easy, what is the point of working hard?

End Of Training, Start Of Vacation

2011-06-10T03:15:13-04:00

My training at Gerlev with coach Sooty, Sara, and the international crew has come to an end. Two nights ago, we drove over an hour to a road track for a session with the Sk8skool skaters. It was the first time I skated on an asymmetric road track. There were three left corners followed by a little chicane and another left corner with slight incline. What a fast surface and smooth surface!

Training intensity has really scaled back this week since most people are going to race this weekend. However, the accumulated fatigue in my muscles has finally made itself known. My shins locked up again when we began practice and it took a while before they relaxed enough for me to skate normally. It was too bad because it was such a fun track to skate on and we could build up some serious speed here.

Paceline warm up was followed by 2 sets of 10x half lap sprints with one and a half lap of rest in between. I focused on faster feet in the corners so I wouldn’t get gapped too much. Straightaway acceleration felt good and I could feel the difference driving the knees forward made. We then did 3 sets of second place race. For five laps, the pack skated like we were racing only that we had to fight for the second place in the pack. I tagged along at the back and took the chance to film a couple of laps. You can get an idea of the track from my video:

Yesterday skating was not on top of my priority because it was my long-awaited lunch at Noma. I have so much to share about this memorable meal but I’ll have to take time to write them down. I love how the food is full of creativity and playfulness. After JN and I returned to Gerlev, coach Sara took the three of us, including NCJ, for an easy roll near the school. It was mostly the stretch the legs before traveling to races. As for me, it was my last serious training in Denmark. I felt good on my skates and I think my cruising speed has increased a little since I came here. I look forward to training and racing when I return home so I can find out if I have really made some improvements.

I’ll be staying with a friend for the weekend. He promised me a whirlwind tour of Copenhagen but the piece de resistance will be a pastry showdown between us when we stop for sweets along the way. I only hope I don’t put on too much weight and will still be able to skate when I get on the plane on Sunday!