Friday, February 19, 2010

My Crush on Apolo Ohno, Explained


349/365
These are my speed skates. They haven't seen much action in the past year or so, but I do know how to use them. Learning how to speed skate on the short track was way more challenging than I anticipated, and took me far out of my comfort zone. I had assumed that knowing how to get around the ice on figure skates & hockey skates would be enable me to just strap these guys on and zip around the rink. Was I wrong! Not tripping on the long, straight blades, balancing on the edges, propelling myself forward, turning without falling -- all had to be learned as if for the first time.

But before too long, I was moving with relative ease, if not blinding speed, around the track. As my skating improved, I got faster, and crouched lower. Sometimes, I even passed other skaters, while whipping around the turns and balancing on one skate at a time. Every so often, my blades would lose their grip, and then I'd be down, sliding into the mats that line the walls of the rink. Once, I managed to skim the ice with my fingertips as I pivoted through the turn, and I imagined that I must have looked just like an Olympian!

Watching those athletes this past week makes me think I should get back out there. Of course, I have several excuses: the rink is far away, practice is held late at night during the week, I'm not fond of skinsuits... But I did enjoy it. Maybe I'll try a few turns on the "home ice" this weekend.

4 comments:

Mr. CM said...

This weekend, on those skates . . . I better get out there and groom the ice lest we have a scenario like the Olympic long track speed skating--amateurs.

Lisa said...

You are a woman of many talents!! Do you think Mr. CM would be kind enough to photograph your return from speed skating retirement so we, too, can bask in your glory?

Mr. CM said...

I snapped the photos . . . It's up to the management to post them.

Milkayphoto said...

WOW, Chris - your hidden talents amaze! Yes, please post Mr. CM's photos (make him write the post, too, as a guest blogger...) :-)