Road Rash Chronicles

Don't cha hate it when one small correction can cause so much discomfort?  Who knew that skating was supposed to be this much trouble?  

At last nights practice, Sergio flew up beside me and gave me 2 really important tips.  

1.  Make sure you have your weight deep and back enough to allow for a strong heel push.  Seems I am still toeing a bit.  Argh.
2.  Upon recovery, try to bring your knees together.  "kiss the knees"  

What seemed like small corrections at the time had my hips screaming within minutes.  Ouch!   I will endeavor to add that to the list of things to remember and work on.  Seems this list is getting longer instead of shorter.  

Two more people commented on my pronation last night as well.  But there is really nothing I can do at this point.  My frame is all the way in and unless I am missing something I can't see how to correct it.  It is only week 3 on my new race skates and although I am not "afraid" of the outside edge, my ankle doesn't seem to like that position.  When I had my semi races, I think I was spoiled a bit.  I had no fear at all of carving that outside edge because I knew I had the support of the skate.  This time around, there is no support there so my mind has yet to put that edge to the test.  It will come in time I hope.  

Alas, I was only able to do 2 laps with the race team last night.  Crap.  I think they were practicing intervals because for half the loop I was okay but then all the sudden they were gone in a flash of lycra.  Even at my 100% with arms flailing about, I couldn't catch them.  Oh well.  I will just have to wait until they decide to practice lame ass skating.  Then I will be able to keep up no problem!!

But the most frustrating part of practice was a stupid mistake I made while pack skating.  I was pulling a nice pack of about 7 skaters at a reasonable pace when I saw Sergio about 100 meters ahead.  I took the pack and we attacked those 100 meters to pull right up behind Sergio.  (yah for me)  but.....  At the upcoming turn, I pulled out wide at the entrance in order to fall back (part of the drill) and didn't time my transition properly.  The next thing I knew my pack was gone and I was left trying to sprint to catch up to them.  

I learned via Dom, the nicest girl in the whole wide world, that I should have stayed pulling until the turn was completed and then transition back.  That way I am not losing the momentum or speed from the crossovers.  I had to do twice as many crossovers at a much slower rate since I had pulled wide way to early.  I will remember for next time.

So much to learn.  So little time.