Feeling a difference by confidence

Last blog I found out that the change started and it still does! Although it is not always as easy as it seemed to be if I look at my statistics on the bottom of my blog.

When I skated the first time on my new Bont inline skates it felt like skating on ice. On the 25^th March I found out that it is not always easy to get better. With a strong and cold head wind I started with my son Tom for a new tour to do a marathon distance. The days before we already skated a marathon distance and a half marathon, so there were already miles made.

We also skated in the park to film our technique to see how this would have to change to gain speed with the same strength. It showed that Tom pushed too much with his toes instead of his heel. That way you lose a lot of strength and power of your push off.

During ice skating season you learn to feel the difference in the push off, while ice is more demanding than the road is. Every error in balance, direction and placement of the feet lowers your speed immediately.

Most important in the exercises is that you have confidence in balancing on the heel of your skate while not falling to the back, that way your push off is always with the heel and not with the toe. Your knees should be bend over your toes so you skate as low as possible. That way all the power of your push off will be brought to the skate. My teacher once said: “skating is a constant way of falling from side to side”, he was right.

With all these wise lessons in my head and our practice in the park we started on the dike to Lelystad. To prevent that our time would be bad the first and last two or three kilometers were not recorded. The roads in that part are still under construction and have a lot of sand, stones and bad pavement.

I thought it would be possible to make the marathon within two hours but after a while Tom said he couldn’t keep up with the pace and we talked on how to go on. I felt OK, but he was suffering of a flu coming up and thought he couldn’t make the tour. So we decided to split up, I would go for the full and if I would meet him after my turning around we would go on together again.

This was the first time I stood on my own and would skate a marathon distance, I had my doubts but wanted to do it. Mind over matter, well mind over muscles it should be. I started, trying to find my pace and strokes, nothing worked in the beginning. The cold wind made my muscles not warm up and then every stroke you make becomes a struggle. After about 12 kilometers my strokes got better in line and I found my rhythm. On the route Tom and I skate frequently there are several crossing in the first 10 km. for cars, bikers and pedestrians. That really breaks your rhytm and pace!

When I reached the second catering stop (16 km) I decided to make it happen, it should be only another 5 or 6 km. before I had to turn around and would have the wind in my back.

On the way back I found out that the cold and strong wind took a lot of strength out of my legs. I had to focus real hard to keep them bend and make the right heel stroke and after the first crossings I found myself worn out. My upper legs were hurting and I had to push myself over the limit to keep my pace at 2:30 max.

And as a last BIG BANG I had to make another 2 km. with the wind again ahead of me. But I made it and had to skate another 3 km back home with the first part again through sand and other rubbish. That all took me an age to pass by.

What did I learn from this tour?

1. Your mind can be stronger than your body
2. The end is as far as you think it is, reach out beyond the end so it will always be easier to get where you want to be.
3. Confidence makes it work, if you keep on pushing yourself with a positive attitude you will be able to achieve whatever you want.
4. It only hurts for a few days….

Monday 26th I was going for a spinning class, trying to keep up with the others. But it wasn’t working I only used it for a recovery exercise. (It is still a little painful on Wednesday).

(I think next month I have to change my goals for this year. Anyone who has an idea is invited to post it on my blog or mail (edvharmelen@gmail.com). )

I wonder how my legs will feel by the end of this week, we have planned an inline skating tour of 30 km at Mijnten (supplier of my Bont skates), Hoevelaken. The temperatures are dropping and there will also be a little chance on showers, so I have to get my thermo underwear on.

I hope Tom will be better by then, he was looking out for it.

Ed van Harmelen

28th March 2012

Achievements	Goals 2012	Sofar achieved	2011
Weight goal	92.0 kg	102.9 kg	107.0 kg
Weight loss	15.0 kg	4.1 kg	5.0 kg
Kcal burned	150,000 Kcal	57,674 Kcal	48,500 Kcal
Distance exercises	3,000 km.	1.040 km.	1,600 km.
Best time half marathon (skeelers)	1:00:00	0:55:54	1:04:04
Best time marathon (skeelers)	2:00:00	2:07:06	2:37:36

The change is on his way

I am starting writing this part of my blog on Saturday 17^th March, the day I managed to set for the ½ marathon my new PR.

From the beginning of this year I had in mind to buy new skeelers, but could not decide what kind of shoes I would like. Would I go for the speed boots or again for comfort? While I am trying to do more marathon distances it would be most likely to go for comfort. However to make good progress in speed you need boots that fit like a glove so every move pays out in speed and less breakdown of energy.

Last Thursday I was at Hoevelaken at Mijnten skate- and skeelershop and talked to the owner to help me make a decision. As you probably know I am skating on ice in Wintertime and taking lessons every week. Martin Mijnten told me not to hesitate and to go for speed because the feel and touch is almost like skating on ice.

So I decided to go for BONT skates, the JET type and 110 mm wheels, if I needed to I still could try skating on smaller wheels. My old skates had five wheels and 80 mm diameter, so I thought it would be a little difficult to get used to a 30 mm difference. I was wrong!

My boots were heated in an oven and by vacuum molded to my feet, it took almost a hour to get them both done. Frames and wheels were mounted after the molding was done. As I worked at a clients office that day I was in the shop by the end of the day.

The weather was OK the day I bought them, but I was too late back home to go out for a ride. On Friday morning I first had to work, but in between I found some time to try them on a track of 3.91 km. First I was a little nervous, but after skating a few 100 meters my confidence grew and I was able to gain speed.

It felt like I was skating on ice, like the shop owner told me! Smooth and powerful strokes kept me going on, I couldn’t wait until I could go out with my son to see if this was my answer for the struggle to keep up with his 100 mm wheels!

After my work was done I made a ride with Tom approx. 12.5 km and I felt that with less effort the same speed was achieved and even more than with my old skates. Sorry for them, but they served me well, now it is time for my new ones.

Today the change was completed and we made a tour of 22 km to see how my feet would hold and how speed was growing. Now I was the one who could dictate the speed instead of trying to keep up. At the end we agreed to make the last kilometers on our own to see how it could be, EVERY personal best was broken today and I feel there is more to come.

Okay, we had a wind in the back, but we also had that with my previous PB, it will be different when skating the marathon distance. But if we do, I hope to have the same feeling of excitement like I had today.

The change has started and it feels great!

Ed van Harmelen

March 2012

Achievements	Goals 2012	Sofar	2011
Weight goal	92.0 kg	103.9 kg	107.0 kg
Weight loss	15.0 kg	3.1 kg	5.0 kg
Kcal burned	150,000 Kcal	48,628 Kcal	48,500 Kcal
Distance exercises	3,000 km.	910 km.	1,600 km.
Best time half marathon (skeelers)	1:00:00	0:55:54	1:04:04
Best time marathon (skeelers)	2:00:00	No workout	2:37:36