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How Many Laps?

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cstalwick
cstalwick Posts: 15 Member
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We are required to complete 25 laps in 5 mins, I am stuck at 24 laps!!
Hoping tonight to bring my A game and get that extra lap in!!

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  • rcharlee
    rcharlee Posts: 182 Member
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    My training league has 3 groups before we are draft ready, and in level 2 we have to complete 25 in 5 minutes. In level three, they want us to be able to do 30 in 6. You are so close, and can do it! Always remember to do big cross overs in the turn, skate the diamond the whole time, and breathe! You've got this!
  • cstalwick
    cstalwick Posts: 15 Member
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    I retried again last night and got 23, I think I really over tired my self this week, working out every day and then trying my laps 3.5 times on Tuesday1!!! GRRR Next Tuesday I will get this!!

    What do you mean skate in a Diamond?
  • BreakingBackSunday
    BreakingBackSunday Posts: 15 Member
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    You should be on the inside line in the middle of the turns and on the outside line in the middle of the straight-aways. If you drew your path on the track, it'd look like a diamond. Maybe someone else can explain it better.

    I always find that I do better in my 25 in 5 if I focus more on consistency than speed. I don't try to sprint the first few laps, I try to do them all at a speed I can maintain.
  • Qarol
    Qarol Posts: 6,171 Member
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    I'm pathetic. Last time I tried (before our league went on holiday break), I only got 19. Pathetic. And I can't quite skate the diamond doing continuous crossovers. I come out of the curve OK maintaining crossovers, but I can't quite keep the trajectory going. I have to skate a couple strokes before the next curve.

    I asked my fellow newbie who just passed hers how she did it. The first 10 laps, she goes full out. Then for the next 10, she pulls back a bit, trying to maintain good speed but not so fast as to wear herself out. Then for the last 5, she pushes hard. I may try that. Our league practice starts back up again on Sunday.
  • cstalwick
    cstalwick Posts: 15 Member
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    We have never been shown a dimond, Just the make the track a Circle, So you skate on the outsides for the stright aways and close to the inside on the turns!!!
  • rcharlee
    rcharlee Posts: 182 Member
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    Yeah skating the diamond is by far the easiest way to skate those laps. On your first straight away you have to get going and stay on the outside of the track. Then as you approach the curve, you start strong crossovers on the inside line. This will essentially throw your body in high gear, and as you come out you go to the outside line again on the second straight away. I get so much force usually, that on the second straight away I don't have to do anything but glide. After that deep crossovers again on the inside line.

    I oddly enough skated the diamond before the trainers even mentioned in. I'm a science gal, and my mind had already worked out that, that path was the fastest around the track. I don't watch Nascar (is that what it's called?) anyways those car races, but what I have seen looks like the drive a diamond. Either look on youtube for skating the diamond or check out the cars to actually see what it looks like.

    Now that it's known that you may not have been doing this, I think once you are those laps are yours! It will help shave a good amount of time off.
  • sarahfrancis
    sarahfrancis Posts: 2
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    I agree, i find it odd that newer skaters aren't told about skating the diamond. I can go a a moderate speed and skate the diamond and still get a comfortable 25-26. Its also worth asking someone to have a look at your crosses overs. Maybe skate a few laps and make sure you have cracked that under push, it might just be a little technique adjustment and you will be zooming!

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