Moving to Skating

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Permalink Reply by Jim White on January 31, 2010 at 1:45pm

Yes, many of your running talents can transfer to skating, particularly inline speed skating. Some of those talents include some of your physical skills, knowledge of how to train, and competitive attitudes.

I'd not be concerned about what you'll be good at. Try the events you can train for (perhaps in some sequence); find out for yourself, perhaps it will be something entirely different than in your past. You seem to have been involved in quite a variety of types of events, so have a broad experience base.

For example, a popular skate event is the marathon. That's much less physically demanding than running a marathon. A good skate marathoner spends most of the race virtually coasting, with a few sprints during the race, and at the end, so it's not much different than interval training for a sprinter.

Most important is for you to find local speedskaters to train with. If you want to be competitive internationally, you must do that, or travel to where you can train with international level skaters. As you train with them, ask them to explain competitve event alternatives.

Because you are British, and if you want to stay there, you'll probably want to train for marathons on the continent, in Europe. There's not a lot of skating in England, and very little in the rest of Britain, so you'll have to work a little to find connections. There are recreational skaters in London, so you could hang with them for a little, and ask who they know that's competitive, then work your way up form there. If you don't, post the question here, and we'll find some.

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Permalink Reply by Thomas Anderson on January 31, 2010 at 5:54pm

Great thanks Jim,
Do you or anyone know of any top level skaters that have made the transfer from running to skating?
Also could you recommend a good pair/model/type of skates that would be good for me?

Cheers

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Permalink Reply by Jim White on January 31, 2010 at 6:29pm

Sorry, don't know of any top-level skaters who have transitioned. Actually, I (as a skater) know of few top-level athletes who have transitioned anywhere. The exception would be from inline to ice speedskating, where those who have transitioned are almost dominant. A few top athletes have transitioned from skating to cycling, perhaps partly because cycling is a common cross-training for skaters, and some cyclists transitioned to skating when inlining first became a sport. I have some good high-school type friends who transition between running and skating, one very good friend has been USA age group national champion multiple times, but what typically happens with those kids is that they start skating at around age 10, when there aren't many school sports available (in USA), and some of them are dedicated enough, and good enough, that they become among the best their age in the country (which is serious competition). Then when school sports become available, they blow away the other kids who have no idea of the training and commitment needed to be really good. But that wouldn't be your case, you'll be competing (if you want to be among the best) with skaters who have as much experience as you doing what it takes to be really good, and they've been doing it in the sport you want to break into.

Regarding recommendation of skates, I don't do that. I do suggest that you find skaters you want to work with and ask them. There are several good varieties of skates, and none of the popular brands are bad (otherwise they'd not be popular). Most important is to find a vendor you can work with, and trust. Maybe in Britain, perhaps more likely not, so you'll maybe need to find a vendor that's comfortable working internationally. Also very important is to find boots that fit well, which you can only know by trying them. The only one who can know what skates are best for you is you, and only after you are skating rather well (because when you're skating well, you'll skate differently than before you are). So I suggest getting almost anything your good skater friends recommend to start with, and plan to change later. (But be sure to get real speed skates; they should not be much higher than the top of the malleolus.)

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Permalink Reply by Thomas Anderson on January 31, 2010 at 11:41pm

Great, thanks again Jim for all your advice!

Cheers

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