Skating in Washington State

[Ice Ramps]

Originally Posted by online inline

Hey, dale. Leave the rucksack home, but maybe we can hook up. I have a couple of different people trying to get together with me, probably sunday mostly, so let's keep it open. saturday is a better bet. Itching to go..,

Either day works for me, I will need to arrange child care if its Saturday, and I have a big list of stuff to work on with my truck. Regardless I need to get a good skate in this weekend that is my #1 priority for this weekend!

-Dale

[online inline]

dale, PM'd you.

[slowsk8]

Originally Posted by Ice Ramps

Hey slowsk8,

Turns out my Daughter has two more night meetings of girl scouts before my Tuesday's become open again.

-Dale

Let me know when you can make it.
I just put on a new frame and am waitting for some nice weather, I have not been outdoor skating
for far to long, need to get back to it.
When it drys up I have some friends that skate the Orting trail. Think you would like it.

[Ice Ramps]

Turned out to be a great day for skating. Online Inline, Jessica, Pete, another (not sure of the name), and I met up at Cedar River Trail at 10 am this morning. Little did I know I was in for a "wake up call" I realized before the first mile was up that this group was a "bit" faster than me. I'm not in the same league as this group! Yeah perhaps 110mm would help me some, the rest is just going to be me putting miles under my feet. Anyway we skated 20 miles my pace was about 4 min 35sec per mile which is the first time I have been consistently held a sub 5 min pace for that long. I felt pretty good afterward like I could go another 10 miles or so......but man I gotta step up my pace! I did right at 21 miles but I took a an extra loop on the end of my skate as a cool down.

Barry,

I just now ate a real meal today at 6pm. All I had to eat all day was a granola bar before the skate. This entire weekend has been like that for me.....one big rush w to many things on my to do list. Glad I made it out though. When are we doing this again?

-Dale

[slowsk8]

Ah, but the joys of the return trip on the Cedar, well at least until the cork screw.
wish I had knowen you where going I would have joined you.

[Ice Ramps]

Originally Posted by slowsk8

Ah, but the joys of the return trip on the Cedar, well at least until the cork screw.
wish I had knowen you where going I would have joined you.

I'll be sure to extend the invite ahead of time for the next trip! Let's peer everyone into going like its mid 90's again!

I was thinking after I got left in the dust I should change my screen name to slow motion!

Oh about the corkscrew, Barry stayed behind to warn me about that and I took the first bit slow, pretty sure I could take that though. On the return trip the last bit going up hill was no joke. I looked down and noticed that my left skate frame had shifted so I lost some time fixing it as well as any hope I had of catching up to the group. Great skate though.

-Dale

[online inline]

Dale, good to finally hook up and break the ice on some trail skating.
You did great. Yeah, it was a bit fast, but you went the distance and i can see that you have solid form. Those are two really major things you have going for you.
You need to iron out your equipment, as you know. I think a hi-low (3x110+100) might be a good choice, together with a boot that is a bit stiffer and less worn out.
Today was unusual with so many people showing up. Usually, it;s just me or maybe Pat and I.
We can do this again some other weekend, especially if you are willing to drive another half hour north to Redmond.
Tom, you are welcome any time. I don't skate Cedar River all that often, but come on up when we do.
that was a lot of fun. Thanks for coming up, Dale.

[Ice Ramps]

Originally Posted by online inline

Dale, good to finally hook up and break the ice on some trail skating.
You did great. Yeah, it was a bit fast, but you went the distance and i can see that you have solid form. Those are two really major things you have going for you.
You need to iron out your equipment, as you know. I think a hi-low (3x110+100) might be a good choice, together with a boot that is a bit stiffer and less worn out.
Today was unusual with so many people showing up. Usually, it;s just me or maybe Pat and I.
We can do this again some other weekend, especially if you are willing to drive another half hour north to Redmond.
Tom, you are welcome any time. I don't skate Cedar River all that often, but come on up when we do.
that was a lot of fun. Thanks for coming up, Dale.

Yeah it was a blast Barry! I think boots first followed by a new frame/wheels I'll have to buy them in stages I think, as my ex-military vehicle hobby has gobbled up my extra funds pretty quick. With the flat feet and all I will need full custom's again. Frame length does not tend to bother me that much so I may go with 4 x 110's also makes the wheel rotations a bit easier. Most of the skate frames I have had in the past have been 13.2 or so. I will hit you guys up in Redmond but I think Renton/Cedar River is more practical not to mention there is a mall nearby my family can hang out at (least until I get them into the addiction).

-Dale

[online inline]

what size foot do you have? I have a custom boot you could use if you are about a size 8. Not sure they would fit you but if so....

[Ice Ramps]

Originally Posted by online inline

what size foot do you have? I have a custom boot you could use if you are about a size 8. Not sure they would fit you but if so....

8.5, although with the flat feet I found its better to go with a full custom most companies can build my orthodontics into the boot even. One reason I gave up the bont's and went back to the old Verducci's which are still decent. I'd like to try them anyway since it may be end of the year before I can order full customs again. I really want to see what a set of 110's will do!

Thanks for the offer Barry! Perhaps they will help limp through until I get new ones.

-Dale

[online inline]

these might be 8.5, but hard to tell.
Doesn't hurt to try. Use them if they fit you, which is admittedly a long shot.

[motosk8ter]

Hey Dale,

For a guy that has been training on a runway at night under combat conditions I think you did an awesome job out there. Your times are faster than mine on a good day! Those Washington skaters are awesome and I suspect you skated with some of the best.

[Ice Ramps]

Originally Posted by motosk8ter

Hey Dale,

For a guy that has been training on a runway at night under combat conditions I think you did an awesome job out there. Your times are faster than mine on a good day! Those Washington skaters are awesome and I suspect you skated with some of the best.

Thanks Phil, I used to be better than I am now (back in my peak in the 90's), but I was mostly unknown in the field since I skated overseas and though I did compete some the races/events I was in seemed to be more for fun than actual races that counted for ranking. I'm still on 100mm wheels too so my times may improve with the right equipment.

One of those skaters present that dusted me pretty good was Jessica Wright, if that rings any bells.

-Dale

[online inline]

Dale, welcome to the club.
It's a club i joined about 11 years ago, and the two major players were the same two guys we skated with besides Jessica.
It's not really a club, and there certainly weren't any rules or membership. It was all based on one simple premise: show up, skate fast, and do your best, becuase you're only a member in so far as you can stay in the mix.
As for me, it took me several years of showing up until i could even stay with the others beyond the first mile or so of warm-ups. I could tell you how i struggled to stay in the mix, but suffice it to say that it took a really long time and was about as hard as anything i've ever done. And the take-away lesson i can give you from that progression is this: getting beat is an honor and you will probably gain more from that than you will ever know, as long as keep trying, and learn from it.
And i am here to tell you that there is some value to it if you want to become proficient in something as difficult to learn and master as speedskating. But there's no doubt about it's not only possible to learn in this way, it's maybe the best way to learn. But it takes time and it takes an iron resolve. And with that, it is possible. And eventually, you may very well end up the one that has the most to offer.
That's what i figured out doing this for 11 years of meeting up with these guys each week for a round of 'nothing matters but what you can do here, and now, and for how long.' And when it was over, it was never really over becuase i knew i would be back the next week with what i had learned, only with an extra week of having practiced and perfected that thing for a week before we would meet up again. Surprisingly, the arrangements would be made to meet up again, once, or more commonly, twice each week, for more of the same. Which really only confirms the unspoken rule of the club, which is, show up, skate fast, and do your best, becuase when you do well, it pushes the rest of us to do well, and this thing we do is only worth doing if it can be done well.
So, with that said, I am quite sure that we will be hitting it tomorrow for our usual Thursday meet-up. It will probably be up on the Samm. River trail. You are welcome to join us. Tom, you too. I know it's probably a little too far north, but there will be other saturdays when we hit the Cedar River again.
Hope you can make it.

[slowsk8]

Well guys seems my outdoor distance skating needs more work. Been at least 2 years sence I realy trained.
Went out Monday for 12 miles, didn't want to push to hard the first time, but still didn't like my time. A bit under 12MPH av. But I did leave the clock running for 4 stops for red lights and one stop to talk with 2 lovely ladies. So the time was off. My top speed was 25.6 so I can still get going for a bit.
No major hills but some up and down grade.
Barry and Dale, I was skating from Carco to Ron Regis and back, 2 laps. Caught the light red every time
After the skate I did the 20+ mile bike ride to hwy 18 and back.
Went back Tuesday and did the bike ride again. Then spent a sleepless night with very bad back pain. (remember what happend to me in Napa?)
Got to do something about this back.

[motosk8ter]

Reading what Barry wrote I can definitely see the value of good friends and commitment. Envy that! Locally we have some fantastic skaters, decent trails and a small rink but never a speed group. Hockey and Derby yes and even attempts to get a group of Sunday trail skaters going. Bicyclists are organized like a rolling mafia and it is on their coat tails we get safer, improved trails due to their political clout.
It is time for me to hit the trail, you guys are awesome!
Phil

[Ice Ramps]

Originally Posted by slowsk8

Well guys seems my outdoor distance skating needs more work. Been at least 2 years sence I realy trained.
Went out Monday for 12 miles, didn't want to push to hard the first time, but still didn't like my time. A bit under 12MPH av. But I did leave the clock running for 4 stops for red lights and one stop to talk with 2 lovely ladies. So the time was off. My top speed was 25.6 so I can still get going for a bit.
No major hills but some up and down grade.
Barry and Dale, I was skating from Carco to Ron Regis and back, 2 laps. Caught the light red every time
After the skate I did the 20+ mile bike ride to hwy 18 and back.
Went back Tuesday and did the bike ride again. Then spent a sleepless night with very bad back pain. (remember what happend to me in Napa?)
Got to do something about this back.

Tom, (and anyone else) I'm thinking of hitting up Renton Cedar Creek tomorrow. I'm off work so anytime although my wife and Daughter was thinking of hitting the mall up nearby so if they go it will be later in the day like 3:30 ish. any takers? I can do a morning run too. Just let me know.

edit: in regards to the back pain, "The Stick" seems to help me as well as just hanging from a pull up bar and also bring knees to chest, that always seems to help my lower back pain issues.

[slowsk8]

Originally Posted by Ice Ramps

Tom, (and anyone else) I'm thinking of hitting up Renton Cedar Creek tomorrow. I'm off work so anytime although my wife and Daughter was thinking of hitting the mall up nearby so if they go it will be later in the day like 3:30 ish. any takers? I can do a morning run too. Just let me know.

edit: in regards to the back pain, "The Stick" seems to help me as well as just hanging from a pull up bar and also bring knees to chest, that always seems to help my lower back pain issues.

I was already thinking about it for Saturday I don't think my back will hold the 20 but am thinking of trying the 14. Check your PMs for my number and call me.

[Ice Ramps]

Originally Posted by slowsk8

I was already thinking about it for Saturday I don't think my back will hold the 20 but am thinking of trying the 14. Check your PMs for my number and call me.

Sent you mine back. Today I became sidetracked with other projects anyway.

[online inline]

good skating with you today, Tom & Dale.