LondonSkaters Speed Team - Speed Skating & Rollerblading Club in London

TheGinger1 · Joined: 07 Jul 2009 Posts: 86

Hi Guys,

Sorry I've dropped out of the loop recently. I've moved out of London to just south of Guildford to be closer to work. My life has been quite hectic and I haven't skated since Goodwood. But now that spring is rolling into view, I'm starting to think about targets for the year.

I really enjoyed myself at Le Mans and would like to go back (as long as I can come up with the cash), but I kind of set myself a high bar to beat last time......

My target would be to go sub 8 mins and average around 8:10. To do this I need to do some consistent training especially on technique. Last year I was right on the edge of my control, especially in the corners, so getting so cross over technique in will be essential. Between time and money, I'm not going to be able to regularly get to London so my questions are as follows:

A) Does anyone know any skatable roads around Guildford (you could get lost in some of the pot holes around here).

B) Can anyone suggest good ways to start learning crossover technique.

Thanks,

Ben

ed! · Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 2:29 pm Subject: Re: Training Roads Near Guildford

dan_b · Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 2428

Depending on how close to Guildford you need to be, it may also be worth asking the Camberley Skaters (www.cskate.co.uk) if they know of anywhere

Barrie · Joined: 21 May 2006 Posts: 1380 Location: Putney

TheGinger1 · Joined: 07 Jul 2009 Posts: 86

Once spring rolls round, I was thinking about doing a Thursday session up in Richmond Park. I normally have a day off on Thursday but will be training a guy in the evenings. So I'd go up, do an hour on the skates and then do the intervals with my client (2 birds......).

I agree that I need better control. I felt right on the ragged edge last year, especially in the corners where I felt I was srubbing lots of speed off. The only comparison I can make is the difference between sliding round corners when skiing or carving them. The guys infront of me carved round on rails while I was fighting my skates and still drifting wide........ Time to get on a train and head back to the big smoke isn't it Smile

I like the idea of the ice speed skating and will put it on my list of "things I will do when I've got some cash" Smile

Mikey-two-Names · Joined: 24 Feb 2004 Posts: 4108

Any chance you can ever make it up to Hyde Park on a weekend? I'd be happy to spend a free half hour looking at your turns.

dan_b · Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 2428

If you're scrubbing lots of speed in the corners, that sounds to me (hypothesising wildly here) like an edging problem, and the fix is perhaps exactly the same as what you'd do on skis: find a slope and practice linked slalom turns down it

There's not that many places on the le mans circuit that a crossover will be seriously critical for an 8 min lap, but obviously it saves a lot of effort if you're drafting someone else who is crossing over.

Glenn · Joined: 05 Feb 2005 Posts: 1109 Location: ST Pauls

If you can afford it (time and money) go for the ice skating; that will improve your technique quicky and make me very jealous.

G

peterc · Joined: 10 Mar 2004 Posts: 1284 Location: M3 somewhere

I haven't skated off ice near Guildford, if you want to do pure cross over drills you don't need that much space, as it can all happen in a circle.

Indoor sessions like Camberly and the Saturday morning London sessions may be a good call, they know the odd speed skater and shouldn't get freaked by us lycra types.

And ice will give you cross-overs to die for, but if Le Mans this year is your thing you will want to be able to cross to the right too, and wheels sessions may get you there more quickly.

I'd say take up Mikes offer if you can so you know what to practice and then find some space and practice.

TheGinger1 · Joined: 07 Jul 2009 Posts: 86

Thanks Mike, That's very kind of you. I will take you up on that at some point, probably not till March though as my weekends in Feb are already booked up wirth work etc. You're probably right Dan, Glen pointed out that i'm sitting on the inside of my edges a lot still.

Thanks for the advice, the crossovers will be nice but not eccential then. I should probably put "learning to draft at high speed" and "dodging slow moving objects" higher on my list instead....... straight line technique still needs to be at the top though Smile

Barrie · Joined: 21 May 2006 Posts: 1380 Location: Putney

Mikey-two-Names · Joined: 24 Feb 2004 Posts: 4108

p.s. if you have Thursdays off, and you can make it to Biggin Hill, maybe we can do some stuff here?

TheGinger1 · Joined: 07 Jul 2009 Posts: 86

Thanks Mike, I might take you up on that. First I better dig my skates out from where ever I put them after the move and see if I can still remember how to skate!!!!!