August 2008
Week of August 10, 2008
Vacation Workout
One of the many things I like about vacations is access to a gym. I no longer have a membership at home for various reasons. We stayed at a resort with an absolutely beautiful health club. In fact, it is probably the biggest, nicest gym I have ever visited. Windows overlook a gorgeous turquoise swimming pool and tropical landscaping. Plentiful equipment is thoughtfully organized and not packed together too tightly. Nobody likes to step over someone else to get to an available machine. The place was softly illuminated with recessed lighting, which gave it a soothing atmosphere.
I only worked out there twice, but each time was for over two hours. I rarely spend that much time exercising on my own at home. Usually I will do aerobics, take a walk or jog, or do a resistance workout; rarely a combination of the possibilities. However, when I am in a gym with unlimited time (as on vacation), the availability of equipment intrigues me. I am also motivated by the activity of other people.
Though I have not skated much this summer, skating movements and skills are always on my mind when I exercise. Although I think the machine is called “chin/dip/leg raise tower”, and is basically a stand that can be gripped with the arms and hands for leg lifts, triceps dips, and chin-ups; I call it the “gut buster”. While suspended in the gut buster, I pick up my legs in a pike or Russian split position. It is an amazing abdominal workout, for those who can do it at all. And I struggle with it. I cannot maintain a Russian split long enough for my husband to capture the position with our antiquated digital camera. I would like to have one of these at home, though it might become a laundry rack like some of my other exercise equipment.
The next day my abs hurt from the effort involved in those splits. Now if I could just get a little more air time to hit that position in a skating jump…
Week of August 17, 2008
The Meeting
My first coaching job was at Oak Ridge Arena. I started there in 2004. Since then, the place has undergone major changes including: ownership, management and staffing, programming, utilization of non-skating space, etc. I planned to return to work there following recovery from my ankle injury but was not healthy when the season started. Another position did not open later. Last season, I subbed there twice. On both occasions, I received a telephone call from the skating school offering me a job teaching classes. Both times, I reported to work only to find I was only there as a sub for that one day.
With another new skating season about to start this fall, a woman from the main office left me a voice mail message. Oak Ridge had hired a new skating director and the director had called a meeting to become acquainted with the staff and discuss scheduling issues. Did I have a job there? I got a little excited. Oak Ridge is near my home and pays more than other rinks in the area. I went to the meeting.
Some rinks are very wishy-washy with skating pro staffing issues. Since most pros work as independent contractors, we are not employees of the rink itself. Therefore, the rink is not especially concerned about wasting our time. At least this has been my recent experience with Oak Ridge. They did not have to pay me to be at that meeting or even offer me classes to teach. However, I wanted to meet the new director and make a good impression on her. After introducing myself and briefly describing my background, I exhausted my usefulness at this get-together. This was definitely a staff meeting and I was obviously not staff. The office lady told everyone I had substituted in the past and was waiting in the wings for an opening. Could it get any clearer than that? Once I tried to contribute an opinion to the discussion. Another pro who disagreed with me promptly jumped down my throat.
Imagine my situation. I was invited to a meeting where my input basically was not wanted. I was invited a meeting at a rink where I do not work. Why was I there? Wouldn’t it make more sense for the new director to simply call me for an interview and discuss technical minutia with the people already on her staff? I wanted to contribute, but decided to just keep my mouth shut. It was very awkward and uncomfortable. Upon conclusion of the meeting, which wasted over an hour of my unpaid time, I told the director I would be happy to work at Oak Ridge and she could call me any time. Maybe she will; maybe she won’t. I just hope this place doesn’t make a habit of jerking me around.
Last Two Weeks of August
Horse Farm Road
This summer I have increased my usual walking route to a five-mile circuit. I walk this route once per week and would like to eventually be able to jog it. I still jog my basic course to the highway and down the street, but I have gradually lengthened my trip down the street to add mileage, build stamina and, hopefully, burn a few grams of fat. I also have not abandoned my neighborhood walks, which follow a hilly path and do not require the time investment of a five-mile trek.
I live in a fairly rural area, not that plenty of traffic does not whiz by our house, especially on sunny Sundays when motorcycle folk from suburbia want to ride their extremely noisy straight-pipe bikes in “the country”. There is plenty of horse property in our town. Within a mile of our house (the first leg of the five-mile circuit), there is a very large horse farm complete with barn, show ring, outdoor space for show jumping, and plenty of paddocks for leisurely grazing. I like to walk down to see the horses. Sometimes they will even wander over to me. In the summer, some of them wear canvas bags over their heads. At first, I thought this might be because they are nervous and should not look around too much. One of the bagged animals came to check me out. I realized the supposed blindfold was made of mesh so he could still see but insects could not bother his eyes. I rubbed his face and talked to him soothingly. Horses are very sweet animals. He lost interest and soon went back to his business of nibbling at the grass with an equine friend.
The second leg of the journey, I call “Horse Farm Road”. The grand entrance to the big horse farm is on this road and I often see riders coming down the street and turning into the farm. There are other horse properties on this road too, justifying the name. Horse Farm Road is extremely hilly, and mostly uphill from the direction I travel. Scaling those hills is better exercise than any stair-climber and a lot less boring. I can observe other livestock such as chickens, guinea hens, and goats.
Horse Farm Road makes a “T” with Reservoir Road, so called for obvious reasons. By this time, I am sweaty and exhausted. Reservoir road slopes very slightly downhill for about two miles or more, which allows plenty of active rest. In addition to the reservoir, I enjoy a beautiful waterfall and stream. There is also an interesting, but not accessible, historic site that used to be an iron forge. Signs warn the curious not to trespass.
Finally, Reservoir Road joins the highway. I take the left just before to embark on the final leg of my five-mile walk: the main road where I live. This road crosses another stream where I have seen enormous carp. I usually stop at the gravel fishermen’s parking area to stretch. On hot days, snakes slide out of the weeds and into the water. I have not identified the species yet, but I avoid their sunbathing area. From there, it’s all uphill back to my house.
The whole walk takes about an hour and fifteen minutes. I have always enjoyed walking. It is a light-impact exercise that I can do almost any time. It allows me time to relax and think and keeps my legs in great shape (for skating, of course).
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