Zen and the Art of Speedskating

I was just finishing my 3rd cup of coffee and a delicious breakfast consisting of several different kinds of salty fish (I LOVE many things about Norway, breakfast has come to be one of them), when the race organizer walks over to me with a long & unhappy look on his face.

Mr Love, I know you are going to be unhappy to hear this, but there is going to be a problem certifying your 1000m race yesterday as a Masters record. The electronic timing, as you know, malfunctioned, and we just had one hand timer clocking your race, IMSSC protocols need at least 2 sources to agree on a time for it to officially a record. I am very sorry, you will simply have to skate fast today.

He tried to be as nice as he could about it, it wasn’t his fault, rules are rules, and I was as nice as I could be in asking a few questions & clarifications, but internally I was suddenly REALLY fired up. Damm! a waste of an excellent race!!

As blah as I was yesterday, this set a fire going in me, and I had those primal predator feelings going as I stepped onto the ice to go to the start line.

I was the 11th pair in the 500m, with an outer lane start and that always tricky final inner turn. As I stepped to the start line I thought of the fantastic movie “This is Spinal Tap” and literally said out loud to no one: “the 11th pair, hmmmm, HA! BUT THIS ONE GOES TO 11!!”

I gave my wedding ring a kiss, (I did that for some reason at trials, it’s a new habit that seems to have stuck) and got into my starting position.

The gun went off, it took me a few steps to get organized, as I was frothing at the mouth a bit too much, but I drove as hard as I could for the first 100m (10.6!! what has happened to my normal 10.3 start!!!), However I absolutely nailed the first turn, and hit the backstretch already at top speed. I got really “long & low” on the backstretch straight, set up the final turn well, was somewhat unsteady & wavering through the turn, exited a little tight, and then drove that last 100m with everything I had, I only felt a little bit of slowing down over the last 50 meters.

Final time, 37.93!!! That felt damm good! A good dollop of REVENGE at no-one and nothing in particular.

I had a ton of time till my 1000m, and forced myself to calm down, as I have to get my start under control. It’s a hard balancing act to do, to keep the emotional level revving along in the right place on a long race day. My right knee hurt in a strange place, and some part of me wanted to just get this over with.

After over an hour of 1500m races, it’s my turn at the start line again. For some reason, I got an inner lane start again. Very odd, but I am faster that way, so I did not complain.

Kiss the ring (and my faraway wife, actually she is in Milan right now visiting family, so not really that far), and sink down into ready position.

BANG!

Off the line well! The first 1000m turn is only 60 meters from the start, so its tricky, but I hit it and then the first straightaway with EVERYTHING. Second turn went great too, I thought I heard the announcer say “Andrew Love, 200m 17.09” Wow! That is fastest ever if I heard that right! Third turn also was great, Drive the straightaway and I hear the bell for the final lap. It’s hurting now, I accelerate the fourth turn much better than yesterday. I am on a good race. I dive into the last 200m and my skating begins to rip apart like a meteor entering the earth’s atmosphere.

In the final corner, I hear a bunch of super cool older Italian skaters I had dinner with last night yelling “DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE” (DIE means, literally, “Go!/Give” and I was doing a good job of dying!). Their strong voices moved me even through the pain, this is what skating is about! These images to the right are ones that my friend Paolo Gemme took during the race.

I cross the finish line with a loud “uunnhhhhuuhgh!!!” and see the time 1:16.11.

I am happy, today was faster than yesterday until 200 to go, then it was far slower. Yesterday was a better race, and I think that 1:15.7 was an accurate time, but at least I did officially get the IMSSC record!

Life can sometimes be very odd, and throw out challenges that one would never expect. I think the crucial thing is not to dwell upon odd & difficult things that happen, but more what should you do with the challenges you face. Oh, and friends you meet along the way, who cheer for you in other languages, that makes life really sweet!!!

Filed under: on the road, sweat