First Blog
Hello & Welcome to my blog . I am a long track speed skater training in Netherlands with Wim Nieuwenhuizen and aspire to win a medal in Winter Olympics. I have spent the last few years pushing myself to be the best I can be at Long Track Speed Skating and I have made some great progress but there is a long way to go.
Pursuing my dream has been a difficult journey and I hope to share some of my experiences here . I will be writing a regular column on my training, competition, successes and setbacks and will also try to answer any queries from the readers.
I had a really good season last year after a break of almost 12 months(June 2011- June 2012)
in India. I managed to break 13 National records for India and set 16 personal bests. Last season was great for my personal belief, proving to myself that the training program is working and that I am on the right track. However, there is a long way to go to achieve my goal. I am really pleased with my progress so far and having one of the best coaches in the world (who has produced many previous world champions) to give me the guidance I need makes me feel that this is really possible now.
After a short break in April, we are already well underway with our 2013-14 Ice Speed Skating preparation. Winter Olympics are coming up next year in Sochi, Russia and it may be too soon for me to make an impact this time around. I will be working with my coach to work out the best plan for me and I will be busting my gut in training to meet my goals.
We average around 5 to 6 hours of training per day. The training is varied and is not just focussed on the technical skills on Ice, although that is obviously important. It is also important to build, strength and stamina. To achieve this we encompass disciplines such as:
- Road Cycling
- Power training
- Field training
- Plyometrics (also known as “jump training” or “plyos”)
In December, we will then travel to a fast Ice Skating Track which is usually at a height in the mountains and try and qualify for the Olympics. In any case it is going to be a good season to build up for the Asian Winter Games. So far this season which started on the 3rd May we have been on 3 long cycling tours as a part of cross training, with many kilometres and hours on the bike.
We also have a trial race to assess our progress during the training sessions.
Some very painful long weeks are ahead of us, but I am up for the challenge. Look forward to your comments and questions on my career, training or my sport – Speed Skating.
Until next time,
Vishwaraj Jadeja
