Zen and the Art of Speedskating

The last post was pretty dark & morose, so I will balance it with the happiness I have today.
It was beautiful again outside! 61!! Jessica and I had a blast playing Frisbee in the warmth! I have also gotten lots of great comments and recconected with old friends due to my post the day of 2 peters, and also, I see my brother told a funny story in his blog, about me & pumpkins & a hailstorm. I honestly I can’t remember this story happening, but it sounds like the kind of weird stuff that I do.

I spoke to my coach Boris today, he had read my last post and was worried about me. We talked for a while and he thinks that this training is just exposing certain weaknesses in my specific low skating position strength. Skating is a great sport, but the super deep knee bend position that one must hold to go fast is quite awkward. I am strong, but not skate position strong, and this training reveals that weakness. Ultimately Boris is worried about me getting injured as my body adjusts, and told me some cautionary tales. Yet I feel pretty good under the training load. My body is adapting to become better at skate specific angles; it’s the mind that is still fighting the stress. I am going to experiment with a different eating pattern pre-jump workout, maybe that will help. Boris told me to really make sure my easy days are really easy. So my muscles are fully recovered for jump days. Therefore with encouragement from my coach, Frisbee “training” will be a good substitute for a structured bike ride today!!!

One of my teammates, Eva Rodansky, even called me a few days ago just to check up on me and make sure I was doing ok (she has been through the joys and sorrows of Boris-land, it brought her back to the world cup circuit! and here were times she was going nuts from the effort). I wish I could share more details about exactly the method and madness of Boris’ training program, but its confidential info. But come and train with me and the rest of the folks on the High 5 Speedskating Team! and you too can enjoy the agony and ecstasy! (and improvements!). If that sounds like a plug for a great coach, it is.

My father has been in town the last few days. I am so happy to have him around, Jess says I get this goofy smile when I am around my family. I think dad and I are very similar except for the following details;

I just am 15% smaller and 15% louder.

I also have 30% less pure brain horsepower than dad, but am 30% more spontaneous.

35% less well read but 15% more in touch with redhead attitude.

I have 70% more precise hand eye foot co-ordination, but 98% less effective brain mouth co-ordination.

He reads 90% of the whole new york times every day, I read 50% of the editorial page.

I am 70% more likely to leap before looking than dad, but I am also 40% more likely to have fun doing it, even if the leap ends badly.

I am 85% less knowledgeable about baseball, but 50% more current on music.

He has 30% more freckles than me, yet I am probably in the sun 30% more than he is.

Dad has at least 70% more years in academia than I do, but I have 100% more miles on my car delivering pizza!

We are probably roughly equal in lifetime cycling mileage, he never raced, but did dozens of century rides in the 70’s & 80’s

We can talk for hours and hours in utter contentment, and afterwards I find myself quoting him all the time. It’s always wonderful to see him.

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