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| My club hockey team while I was in high school, photographed following a practice session. I'm in the front row, third from left. Most of the hair has long since departed this world. |
Call this Chicagoan a fair weather fan. There's something special about summer and fall here - as I kept muttering to myself while digging out from under two feet of snow in early February.
Despite what you may have been led to believe in my prior post, we're blessed here in the northern Chicago suburbs with some good (albeit flat) venues for safe bicycle riding. And I'll take advantage of those opportunities - that is, until the thermometer begins taking chilling dives later in the fall here. That's one of the few times you'll find me at the head of any pack of triathletes - in this case, those transitioning to the indoors for training.
Our local health club features a wonderful stationary bike studio - complete with video and sound systems plus trainers who ably lead their charges through strenuous, entertaining workout sessions. I've done several of these workouts and find value in them. Still, something seems missing - the turns and accompanying tests of balance perhaps, or maybe the winds (we have plenty of that here and not just from the local politicians) and rush of air.
A couple of years ago, while in my early fifties but still in my pre-triathlon days, I began engaging in some off season workouts in of all places, an ice rink. Thank goodness for my pack rat tendencies, because in my gallery of old sports equipment I found a pair of hockey skates that I hadn't used in at least ten years. They remained in good condition, and all they needed was sharpening. So off to the local community indoor rink I went.
I'd played ice hockey in high school and figured that - like learning to ride a bicycle - it wouldn't be too much of a challenge to get my "sea legs" back. After several sessions at the rink practicing backward and forward crossovers, various methods for stopping, etc. (and enduring an abundance of less than majestic spills plus blisters and bruises along the way), I felt comfortable enough in my skates and ready to tackle some tougher, higher speed workouts on the ice. I was also fortunate in securing two or three stretches of wide open ice time each week at the local rink - nothing worse than trying to dodge an obstacle course chock full of other skaters on a surface measuring 200 by 85 feet.
Summing it up, I stumbled upon a terrific supplemental off season activity here. Ice skating works the quadriceps and glutes in particular (two key muscle groups needed in biking), and provides excellent tests of balance and stability in the process. Some practical advice though for those of you contemplating adding ice skating to your repertoire - you may yearn to skate fast and far - but please learn how to stop first !
