I Can't Tell If I'm Getting Slower or Faster

Since the 2013-14 speedskating season has been over for a week, I guess it's time to do a season recap.

The problem is, I can't figure out what conclusions to draw from my results this season.

On the one hand, I feel like my technique took a huge leap forward this season.  There  was the cornering epiphany in Milwaukee in August, and then Sprinter Boy's invaluable advice in early January.  I feel (and people have commented that I look) like a completely different skater this year--in a good way, for a change.  So that's got me feeling pretty positive about my progress this season.

On the other hand, cold hard data says that I didn't skate very fast this year.  In fact, for the first time since 2005, I had absolutely zero Personal Bests this year.  None.  Last year I only had one PB...but this year none.  That can't be a good thing, right?

On the other hand, my last two indoor races of the year, a 500 and a 3000, were the second fastest races ever at those distances for me, and the fastest in two years.  Last year's races, except for the unexpected PB in the 500, were pretty much uniformly horrifically slow.  This year most races were in the "average" range for me, and then there were those two final "pretty fast" races.  That's got to be a good thing, right?

On the other hand (yes, I do realize I've exceeded the usual number of hands here), I didn't go to a high altitude (Salt Lake City or Calgary) oval this year--for the first time since 2006.  And I didn't really miss it.  That can't be good, right?

On the other hand (I promise, this is my last hand), I started CrossFit this summer and ended up increasing my number of workouts by 45% over last year from July-January--without getting injured.  Although CrossFit is not skating specific, I'm finally doing something for my core and upper body...that's eventually got to have a positive effect on my skating, right?

So, adding up all the hands, I really don't know what to think.  I'd like to think that I have not yet hit that "I'm old enough that I'll never set PB's again" stage...but I remember overhearing a conversation a skating friend was having with an ex-Olympian a few years ago, and the Olympian was saying that for she and Eric (that's Heiden, folks), the big hit to their speed came at age 50.

I'm 50.

However, I'm also not Eric Heiden, or any other skater who had mastered technique long before they hit their physical peak. So I'm hopeful that my improved technique (once I actually acquire the ability to use it at race speed) will  compensate for any "slow" my advancing age is creating, and will allow me at least one more year of setting PB's.  Or maybe two.  A girl can dream, right?

In the meantime, I'll just have to start planning the 2014-15 season.  Master's World Allrounds are supposed to be in Calgary in February of 2015, so that's a great event to focus my training on.   With any luck (and a lot of hard work), I'll be able to execute some of my new technique at race speed by then, and maybe I'll be able to make a few of my personal records fall.

At any rate, it will be fun trying!