Come Skate on Dec 27th

Time to work off some of that Christmas overindulgence. We're skating Thursday December 27th from 7:15 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.

While checking out one of my favourite web sites, I saw a great picture. Now that's low!

'I do want to call attention to one moment of perfection in this race, just as Apollo passes J.P., check out this extension & incredible compression'- caption and photo from Zen And The Art Of Speed Skating

We're Back on the Ice

The season has officially started. Ten of us skated on Tuesday night, including three trying out the long blades for the first time.

It appears that the club is going to continue the growth we experienced last year. A record nine people registered and got fitted for skates last Saturday. Four people has been the most that have ever pre-registered in the previous years!

Hope to be skating with you soon!

Learn to Skate + +

Once the Toronto Parks and Rec Learn to Skate programs fill up, many parents call to ask if we teach children to skate. We don't - we teach children as young as eight how to speed skate once they know how to skate, provided a parent skates with the child.

This morning I saw a pamphlet on the Natrel Rink at Harbourfront. They offer learn to skate programs for kids and adults.

A couple of years ago, Mike L told me that it's possible to skate on speed skates early in the morning at the Harbourfront rink before it gets busy. I skated a few times in the 2005-06 season, and agree with him that it's a wonderful rink! It's already open, so maybe I should head down sometime soon!

By the way, Coach Eric G went on a road trip to the Milwaukee Long Track speed skating oval. I enjoyed reading his report on his blog.

Our 40th Season!

This morning I had to scrape my car windshield. Now it's starting to seem more like skating season! It was hard to get in the mood last month, it was one of the warmest Octobers in Toronto's history.

Our season will start on Tuesday December 11th, 2007 and finish on Thursday February 28th, 2007. We continue to skate at Martingrove Rink on Tuesday evenings from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. We have also booked Thursday evenings from 7:15 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. This gives us ten Tuesday nights (the rink is not available on Christmas or New Year’s Day) and twelve Thursday nights.

I will be at the rink Saturday December 8th, 2007 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m (note change in time) to receive memberships and to hand out rental skates. Those skaters who were fitted last year are advised to be there early, as we cannot guarantee to hold skates after the Club opens. If you are unable to register on December 8th, I will be at the rink at 6:45 p.m. on December 11th, 2007. Please be prompt so that we can all get on the ice at 7:30 p.m.

Looking forward to renewing our speed skating friendships,

Taisa and Jay

Speed Skating Starts December 11th

MasterCard has offered to donate the money to allow the City to open its outdoor artificial ice rinks in December. The donation is $160,000... but the pleasure it will give is priceless!

I'll update the membership fees once I find out what the City will be charging for our ice time.

The start of next season delayed to January 2008

Last week the City announced a wide range of service cuts. The outdoor artificial ice rinks are not opening until January. I read in the papers about how kids are spending too much time in front of computers, XBoxes and TV, and yet the City delays opening the rinks until after Christmas holidays.

I think the cuts were chosen to annoy the citizens so that we'd complain to the people running for provincial legislature this fall. I'll get off my soap box now.

I'll update the membership fees once I find out what the City will be charging for our (reduced amount of) ice time.

I hope you're all having a good summer. It seems strange to be updating a speed skating blog at this time of year!

See you next season!

Well, that's it for another season of speed skating. I hope everyone enjoyed themselves, and look forward to seeing you all in December.

I forgot to mention in my previous post that last Tuesday night, we gave Eric a card to express our gratitude for his patient and fun coaching all season. Thanks Eric, we hope you can join us again next season!

Jay

P.S. If you'd like to skate faster, further and better than you ever thought you could, check out the Toronto Inline Skating Club. It's where I'll be spending several nights a week, once the weather warms up.

Last skate of the season tonight

The weather may make a challenge for you to join me, but I hope to see you out tonight for our last skate of the season.

We had more cooperative weather on Tuesday, with great ice (thanks Vince!). Eric had us do a few drills, then we did several games - train races and asteroids.

Jay

The Ice at Grenadier Pond

I skated twice at Grenadier Pond yesterday, because it is so good! Well, to be honest, I returned in the afternoon because I spent most of my time shovelling in the morning, and wanted to enjoy the fruits of my labour.

I cleared an oval that's probably about 150 or 175 meters. The corners are not as well laid out as at Martin Grove, but it's skateable at a reasonable speed. The only challenge is when you get many other skaters, because it's narrow for passing.

I parked off Ellis Avenue just north of the Queensway. There's a place where you can walk onto the Pond near that corner. The oval I cleared is about half-way up the pond. I walked up and put my skates on a friendly couple's dock near a big hockey rink that they cleared. The hockey rink is just north of the oval. If you don't want to walk that far, there's a smaller "oval" right at the south end of the pond by Ellis, that goes around a smaller shinny rink. Only problem with that one is a really tight corner at one end.

Bring along a snow shovel and check the Pond out. The ice is great!

See you Tuesday,

Jay

Grenadier Pond

It's been sooo cold lately, that I was wondering if Grenadier Pond would be open.

Well, I'm a little behind the times... Last week, there was an article in the National Post about skating on the Pond. In it, David Michael Lamb of CBC Radio is quoted as saying:

"I'm an avid speed skater and I love long track speed skating on big open tracts of ice," he says.

"Normally you'd have to go to Ottawa or Lake Placid or Calgary or Quebec City. When Grenadier Pond freezes and the conditions are perfect, then we come out here and skate. The ice is flat and thick and fast."

See you at Martin Grove Rink tonight, and out on the Pond this weekend!

Jay

What a week!

Winter has caught up with us here in Toronto; I'm glad we're not skating tonight. It would be as cold as it was a week ago Thursday, when only Annemieke, Tineke and I braved the elements. Both evenings this week were much more comfortable to be out on our skates.

Tuesday, Eric ran a brisk practice that allowed us to stay warm and work on our technical skills. On Thursday, we had a free skate which gave us a chance to chat and to practice the drills we did on Tuesday.

And our numbers continue to grow, we're at 29 members! Dennis and Andy joined us this week. I know that you'll make them and our other new members feel a welcome part of our club.

See you on the ice next week,

Jay

Report on last night's skate

We had our biggest group yet on the ice last night. The weather was the best it's been all season, not as cold as last week, but more winter-like than it was in December.

Eric split us into two groups. The groups took turns on the track and on a small circle he set up in the middle of the ice. On the track, we practiced one-legged glides and doing push and glides on the corners. We worked on the push and glides on the circle. He challenged us by having us do each of the activities going the opposite direction. I'm glad he did; it gave my left leg a rest!

Tomorrow night is our first Thursday evening skating. We have the ice from 7:15 p.m. to 8:15 p.m., so please show up by 7:00 p.m. so that we can all get out on the ice for the full hour.

See you there!

Jay

Thursday skating starts on January 25th

Well, it's official. I've booked the Martingrove rink for Thursdays from 7:15 p.m. and 8:15 p.m., starting on January 25th. Please show up by 7:00 p.m. so that we can all get out on the ice for the full hour.

Eric isn't available to coach on Thursdays, so it will be primarily free skating. This will give us a chance to practice the skills that we're learning on Tuesdays.

This will give those of us who'd like to skate twice a week an extra six times on the ice. For those members who want to skate on Thursdays, there will be a one-time cost of $20.

Winter has finally arrived!

Quite a group of hearty skaters came out last night, in spite of the cold weather. Eric quickly gave us some drills to skate, so that we didn't have to stand around in the cold. These drills kept us warm and having fun.

Our membership continues to grow; I'm delighted to report that the Club has 26 members. Ken and Eva, do you remember the last time we had this many members? My records go back 6 years, and this is the highest it's been in that time.

This increased membership will allow us to add an extra hour of skating per week, on Thursday nights. More about that in my next posting.

Jay

Do you want to skate Thursday nights too?

I have some exciting news. Martingrove rink has an available timeslot on Thursdays from 7:15 p.m. and 8:15 p.m., starting on January 25th.

This would give those of us who'd like to skate twice a week an extra six times on the ice. For those who want to come out on Thursdays, there will be a one-time cost of $20.

Please let me know tonight if you'd be interested in skating on a second evening for the balance of the season. Oh, and winter has finally arrived - make sure to wear some extra layers!

Jay

Some photos from 2006