February 02, 2007

No Snow, Some Ice, Fun Video

Finally it's been cold, but still no snow. An inch is predicted for overnight. I did get some good skating in last weekend. I grew up skating on ponds in hand-me-down figure skates (those things were old). So I'm new to hockey skates. I've roller bladed so I've got the idea, but have none of the direction-changing ability of someone who's grown up playing hockey. And it's silly, I have some very expensive hockey skates—this time hand-me-downs from my nephew who was a serious hockey player for a time. These ones are not so old, and I got them in trade for some dog-sitting.... I can't really live up to such good skates, but maybe they'll help me in the end.

Here was the best skiing like activity I've done since skiing last year: I pulled a sled behind me while I skated the perimeter of a big pond. A plastic sled with a longish rope and a 42-pound kid in it. Not exactly the same as skiing, but the same butt muscles were burning shortly into it. Unfortunately, I only discovered this drill at the end of our outing. Maybe this weekend there'll be a chance for more.

So, I mostly stick to my usual rounds of basketball, running, and lifting. And spectating. This is the best sporting thing I've seen in a long time:

Enjoy. A bientot.