US Long Track Championships Day 4

Switched to my trustworthy Maple Aluminum blades for today. I was talking to Roscoe (Bob Fenn) about switching blades so close to a big competition. He said you guys don't need trainers you need psychologists.
The 1000m is a good distance for me. I remember when I first started. Joe Franz who was an awesome skater and inliner said that I will be a good 1000m skater. Weird how he knew. And Paul Marchese said I would be a good crit rider then too. I had no idea what a crit was (criterium bike race). Funny thinking about that.

I used the 500m as a warmup and wanted to skate relaxed and technical. I did that and it felt good. Bummed I didn't go faster but boy was I consistently slow (for me) on the 500m 38.36, 38.38 and 38.40 i believe. The last one was relaxed and much less effort and felt better on my old blades.

I like what Andrew said about his results Sat.....

"Even so, I popped off a great (for me) 500m today, 37.12, in some pretty slow ice conditions. That time was much faster than I thought I would skate this year.
It’s only good enough for 16th place of the 34 sprinters. But in the race vs. myself, I am quite satisfied. Long track is weird like that. "

Ditto for me today in the 1000m (1:14.2?) , it was only good for 20th place but in the race of me vs me it was ok. I have gone 1:13 three times and 1:14s now twice. I was really thinking that I would skate a PB (less than 1:13.51) but it wasn't to be. I was thinking 1:12 or 1:11. I am a "weekend" warrior as some skaters have said to me. Funny story before racing Saturday, I texted Andrew at 10pm about the changed start time and said I was doing laundry, folding clothes, and cleaning cat litter
:( . He texted me back saying he was doing the same....lol. That's the life of a married "grown up" speedskater.
That made me smile seeing that. If you don't know what a typical day of a Long Track skater is here you go. The latest start time we had was 10am....move everything up for earlier starts (9am on regular Weekend Time Trials).

7am or much earlier : wake up (remember I'm the last minute type. I think the extra sleep is worth more than a couple of more minutes warming up)
- Eat small breakfast, Get everything together for the day. Food, drinks, etc and take all my sharpening stuff, bender, gauge, etc.
7:40am leave for rink
8:05am arrive at rink
8:05-8:35 get moving (jog, spin) stretch, yoga, etc.
8:40-9:20 (sometimes 8:50) warmup on the ice with slow laps, drills, do some accels (250m from 500m start line), roll starts (from a slow roll do a start for 40-100m), standing start and anything else I feel I need. I need to warm up slowly on the ice and it helps to get on earlier so I can jump on a few accels with skaters. I was lucky Sat to jump on Kip Carpenter for a couple. Sunday Andrew led me on one once I was fully warm. The first day I got too excited and jumped on an accel to early. I need to warmup slowly.
9:20-9:50 relax in the lockerroom with legs up. Hopefully not sharpen but many days I was grinding away.
9:50 National Anthem (stand at attention and be grateful that I live in the greatest country on the planet, even though I'll be the first to criticize the current administration). It drives me crazy at Nationals when I see skaters "warming up" during the National anthem. I just want to slap them on the side of the head.
10:00 women's 500m. do some running starts off the starters pistol. turn cable with the Trainer and watch races. Cheer for skaters i know.
10:15 get suit on and come up from the tunnel and do some jumps, dryskate jumps, sprints.
15 minutes before race get on the ice and do an accel and roll start at the very least
5 min pre race sit on the bench and relax and get ready.
Race

sometimes do warmdown laps sometimes not. Get off the ice and spin then chill out till the 1000m in 2 hours. Eat and drink something. Repeat stuff above about 45 minutes from my 1000m.

After 1000m skater cool down laps then get off the ice and do a 20 minute running interval workout to flush lactate and stretch. Talk to some people and relax then leave the rink at 2-2:30. Total time at the rink for two race 6-7 hours. It's tough when you are doing laundry at 10pm at night. I have to be thankful to my wife who makes alot of this happen. I don't know how I will do it when we have kids. I'll have to get them into speedskating.