Well, on Saturday I blew out my candles for my birthday. I blew them out in order to make a wish of what I wanted for the next year. The only wish I could think of was the want to shed 60 pounds. So my training begins, healthy eating begins, and a quest to return back to the glory days begins as well.

What are my goals?

1. 120 pounds (or around there).
2. Toned arms.
3. Core strength.

Well, the return to speedskating has begun.

The return to training hell.

The return to healthy eating and behaving in the drinking department.

This sucks! Or so I think.

This year I am wearing red on Friday, February 5 and I want you, your coworkers, your mom, your sister to as well. Educating about heart health is so important. So let me introduce my little project called:

Operation Go RED!

Why? My speedskating coach as many people know had an Ascending Aortic Aneurysm repaired last August. It is a HORRIBLE affliction and is more likely to go undetected and be misdiagnosed (e.g. John Ritter died from an aortic dissection after doctors suspected and diagnosed a heart attack). And with everything Chantal has given me in the past year, Operation Go RED! is a little way that I can say thank you.

What to do? This Friday wear something Red (a top, a sweater, etc.) and if you can take a picture and send it to lisa at bemidjispeedskating dot org. I am going to print the pictures, make a collage, and give them to Chantal when I head up to Nationals. You can also hold a sign that says, “I’m wearing red for …” because we probably all know one woman who has been affected by heart disease.

I’ve skated at Nationals before. Okay I have skated the marathon for Nationals- which are in 3 weeks, four days, never a short distance series. But, I vowed to myself that I would leave the senior ranks with a bang and would try the short series. And 15 years after my coach did the same thing, I am hoping for the same result (she took home the gold medal).

I wonder which (marathon or short distance series) is more forgiving…

• Am I going to get DQed because I have had a real problem skating in the lines as of late?
• Am I going to get DQed because I am bit slower after the bad crash and I am sure to get lapped twice?
• Am I going to be laughed at because I am not a sprinter?
• Or that I am without a coach for the day?
• Or because I am a slow and steady skater, much like a hamster on a running wheel? And that is why I can skate a marathon.

I cannot see myself ripping out a 3,000 meter race in the 4:00 minute range- which some of the junior skaters can. Honestly, I am scared of the juniors. I just don’t want to be labeled the slow fat speedskater, which I feel like I am right now.

Update on the bad crash, I still cannot put any weight on my right wrist, while it is not broken it still aches and it is getting frustrating.

In a week I will be skating in the U.S Speedskating National Championships- it won’t send me to worlds or anything like that as there are four national championships in speedskating. 1) All-Around Nationals 2) Single-Distance Championships and 3) Age Class/Pack Style and 4) Marathon. This time I am skating choice #3. Basically what it means, all the skaters in that age class will go to the start line, the one who crosses first (and has the most points after five races) will become the national champion of their age group. It is like roller derby for speedskating.

My training has been tough. I took a bad crash on MLK, jr. day at skating, I seriously thought I had broken my wrist. Nope just shook my confidence pretty good. I was a bit edgy then on my skates in later skates.

Soon the season will be done and I will be away from the ice. I don’t think I will miss it at first but then I think I will miss it after a few times on my inline skates.

My diet is going okay. I have dropped below the first mark, still have about 30-40 more pounds to go to be where my goal is set. I am not sure how close I can get.

I weighed myself for the first time since the new year and in all of the working out, I only saw 2 pounds gone. Only 2 pounds. I have a long ways to go. Why is this not happening? I have three weeks until I have to put my skin suit on and frankly I am scared. Actually, I pity those who have to look at me in that thing.

I had to do my first 20 minute intensity workout, I am still trembling from it. At some point I will laugh at these. I have a morning and an afternoon work out tomorrow. My body better start cooperating.

Today I am heading to Bemidji to work with the former Olympian, who I affectionately call Coach SuperDooper. It will be the first of three visits before Nationals. Nationals are in six weeks and age class nationals in three. The hard stuff, hour squats and 5-10 mile runs in the cold, starts in the next week. At least we will get a heat wave from the subzero temps we have been having. I might today get to drive the zamboni while I am there. I have visions of singing the song ‘I want to drive the Zamboni’. I do know that photos of me driving will be a part of my year end video.

Three more hours in the car, I have some work to take care of as we head there so it should not take long.

Today I worked on the backside of nationals. Logistics was the biggie since the app will be rolling out tomorrow.

I am a bit tired from yesterday’s skate. So I only worked my upper body and reducing stress while I drove (my commute time was nearly tripled).

Speedskating today. Skated the program (500, 800, 1000, 1500, and 3000) that I will at Age Class Nationals in 3+ weeks.

Also worked on some technical details with J (my second fave in speedskating). To be ready for the Marathon (my specialty) in 6+ weeks.

There are two things that keep this speedskater happy.

The iPod playing some hip hop music and the bike giving me a workout.

And today I got both.

As far as food, according to my calorie tracker I ate about 1100 calories. I can have about 1200 per day.

Tomorrow I have skating. I should be working out with my second favorite person in Speedskating. He will give me quite the workout.

Did I mention that working on the bike, writing this blog post and watching my MN Twins in reruns is an excellent work out of back strength.

Okay early workout tomorrow morning and then an evening skate. I must be crazy!