8 miles on Preston Ridge Trail. It was 5 C (41 F), with “17 m.p.h.” breeze from the north. I started out skating north (so I could look forward to the return trip) and almost talked myself out of it a couple times in the first mile. It’s my first skate of February and no pretty weather in sight. But weather is fickle so I’m looking for sunshine to sneak in there somewhere.
290 km / 180 miles YTD (goal: 2000 km / 1243 miles)
75.66 kg / 166.8 lbs (goal: 70 kg / 155 lbs)
28 miles on Preston Ridge Trail, White Rock Creek Trail, and around White Rock Lake. A cold front is blowing in tomorrow with rain, so it’s unlikely I’ll get to skate before next week <sad face />
172 miles / 277 km YTD (goal: 1243 miles / 2000 km )
166.8 lbs / 75.66 kg (goal: 155 lbs / 70 kg)
Once again some business had me in downtown Dallas in the middle of the day. Did 4 laps on the Katy Trail. I had adjusted my left skate frame out a little – about 2mm front and back – and it seemed to help with the rubbing I had been getting on my left outside ankle. Chased bicycles some, but was getting tired after 2 1/2 laps. I’m sore in all the right places (outer thigh, inner thigh, core) so I think I’m just out of shape.
It was 70 degrees today, btw. I skated in running shorts and a t-shirt. If the rest of the “winter” stays like this I’ll be in great condition for the Texas Road Rash this April in Austin! I could conceivably get in 200 outdoor miles in January. January!
144 miles / 232 km YTD (goal: 1243 miles / 2000 km )
165.6 lbs / 75 kg (goal: 155 lbs / 70 kg)
I was in downtown Dallas for a street protest at the Dallas Morning News, to encourage them to include Debra Medina in their debate on January 29 for the Texas governor’s race. I had to drive right by one end of the Katy Trail so it would have been ridiculous not to skate it. It was close to 65 degrees and I wished before I was through that I’d worn less clothing.
I did 28 miles (4 laps) starting out slow and easy, then chasing a mountain biker the return half of my third lap. On the back side of my fourth lap I skated with a guy named Gary, taking turns pacing each other. I’ve seen Gary before but never actually skated with him. He sings along with his iPod – sometimes loudly – and skates like he’s dancing. It really is a thing of beauty to watch.
I really don’t want to gloat, for all of you living further north, but I do have in 116 outdoor miles so far in 2010.
116 miles / 187 km YTD (goal: 1243 miles / 2000 km )
166.2 lbs / 75.5 kg (goal: 155 lbs / 70 kg)
The official high for today was 62 F but it looked a lot like 65 on my thermometer at home. I wasn’t going to skate, but who was I to argue with the thermometer in January? It said, “Go skating!”
I did a quick 20 miles up and down White Rock Creek trail and part of Preston Ridge Trail. I felt pretty lame Monday on the way back, but it was 10 detrees (F) warmer today and I didn’t do the 9 mile loop around White Rock Lake. My legs felt really strong on the return lap today. I was focusing on setting down on the outside edge to get a decent double-push and not supinating at the outside of my push. I didn’t skate fast, but I skated faster than I have been. There was a 12 to 15 mph wind in my face on the way and on my back for the return. That might have helped.
Also I can’t help but noticing that I have in 88 miles for the year on January 13! Wow! This may be a good year for mileage. It’s supposed to rain the next few days and then get sunny again Sunday.
88 miles / 142 km YTD (goal: 1243 miles / 2000 km )
166.0 lbs / 75.5 kg (goal: 155 lbs / 70 kg)
Hey 01-11-10 is a cool looking date, eh? Sort of mirror image-ish.
I skated White Rock Creek to White Rock Lake, then skated a lap around the lake and back home. That’s about 29 miles, but I’m going to chart it out on Google Maps and see for sure (I suspect I might be low, actually). It was quite nice at around 50 degrees F. when I started. As the sun got low in the sky it felt a lot cooler on the way home, even though it only got down to 45. There was plenty of places the creek was still frozen over, just to remind me it wasn’t all that warm.
I had pretty good form for the first 20 miles or so, but I was sloppy on the way home. I need to work on that. I’m off to a good start on my miles for the year! I bumped the goal up to 1243 miles because 2000 km just sounds like a nicer number.
68 miles / 109 km YTD (goal: 1243 miles / 2000 km )
166.4 lbs / 75.5 kg (goal: 155 lbs / 70 kg)
20 miles today on (and to and from) White Rock Creek trail. It was coolish (upper 40’s F), with a 15 m.p.h. wind from the south – making it a headwind there and a tailwind headed home. My hands and ears are usually the first things to complain about the cold. My hands didn’t go numb, my ears were a little cold on the way there (I wasn’t wearing anything on my head) but they were okay.
I’m not even timing myself right now; just watching my technique. I skated 19 miles on January 2 – same trail but different to-and-from route. 1200 miles for 2010 would only be 100 a month, but it’s the cool-weather months like January and February that usually hurt my miles. We’ll see how I do. It’s supposed to be cold the next three days but I may be able to skate again on Sunday (predicted sunny with high of 46 F).
One little thing I’m going to note just in case someone else has the same problem. Since I’ve had speed skates I’ve always put the ends of the laces right down the front of the skate under the strap. You know; right on top of the criss-cross’d part of the lacing. Recently I’d been getting a wear spot just on the forward side of my ankle where my Ezee-Fit bootie ends. So, on a whim, last Saturday when I skated I put the loose end of the laces down the side of my skate. Still under the strap, just not on top. It made a noticeable improvement on the comfort of both skates. So, there you go. Old dog, new tricks.
I’m back on my blended salads after too much junk food for the holidays. I did have several warm banana chocolate-chip muffins I’d made. Couldn’t resist. I’ve been generally pleased that the weight I took off last summer has stayed off without any drastic measures. Like I mentioned in my last post, I’m planning to drop to 150 during the summer and stabilize around 155.
39 miles / 63 km YTD (goal: 1200 miles)
167.0 lbs / 75.75 kg (goal: 155 lbs)
31 miles today on Katy Trail. It snowed last night (wasn’t cold enough to stick much) so I waited until this afternoon for things to clear off. Katy is flat and has good concrete so it dries the fastest of any Dallas-area skate trails. It was my last skate of the year. I did my usual 28 miles, plus 3 more to bump me over 1000 for the year.
So for 2009:
It’s been my best year of skating ever. I made my weight loss goal. It was a nice surprise that my blood pressure responded so well to the exercise and weight loss. I like feeling thinner too!
Plans for 2010?
I went out yesterday for as long as I could stand it. It was just over 40 F (5 C). After 3 laps my fingers were numb, my left skate was squeaking (seriously needs bearing attention) and my ears were a bit cold. If at all possible I’m going to get 29 miles sometimes before 1/1/2010!
971 miles / 1563 km YTD
166.0 lbs / 75.3 kg
The warmest day of December in Dallas probably happend 12/23. A cold front was predicted to blow in during the afternoon. Confounding the weatherman – as weather often does – it was sunny and 70 F.
I was planning to go skating but I got a call from a recruiter and I really need a job. It wasn’t really an interview, I was just supposed to take a written technical test. It was scheduled at 2 p.m.. I was hoping for 30 minutes and then jet over to the skating trail. Instead the recruiter took a long time to get to me and the test took over an hour.
It was almost 4:00 before I got down to my vehicle. The only thing on my mind was “How fast can I get started skating?”. Instead, the side window had been broken out of my vehicle and about $1200 of stuff had been stolen! They took all my skating clothes which normally live in a suitcase behind my seat. But they left my skates! The door wasn’t even unlocked. The thief just reached in and grabbed everything they could, and the skates were too far back to reach (and probably about zero pawn-shop value, as beat up as they are). I spent the next hour talking to the police and the building management. Because there were still things of value I couldn’t even skate then with my window broken out.
No fun!
It’s 22 and snowing tonight. In 50 more miles I’ll have 1000 for the year. I’m praying for a warm day, but if I don’t get one I’ll go to a rink and skate for 4 or 5 hours!
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