“Faster As A Master” Book Intro Part 2

Good Luck to all the Olympians in Sochi!

“Faster As A Master” Book Intro Part 2

We all want to be great.  As I get older I want to be great again.  Happy, loved, healthy, that is what I aspire to.  To be whole in body, mind, and spirit, is the reward.  We are more capable than we give ourselves credit.

Competing as a youngster from age 12 till 19, I achieved a great deal in the 1960s and 1970s.  After winning a few competitions as a long track ice speed skater, I was on the US national team from 1974 through 1976.  My younger brother Bart made 3 Olympic teams, 1976, 1980, and 1984. Bart is a 2 time Olympic Gymnastics Champion.  My youngest brother Mike won the first national medal in our family in short track speed skating when he was age 13. I am very proud of my brothers and their accomplishments as they are of mine.

When I did not making the Olympic team in 1976, I was devastated.  I worked harder than anyone, I deserved to be on that team that went to Innsbruck, Austria.  Years later I can now look back and see that I trained myself into the ground.  Athletes call it over-training.

Discouraged by the failure, I amputated that part of my life for 22 plus years.  As a much older and hopefully wiser adult I returned to the sport that I loved.  Opening up old wounds from my past was inevitable.  Fear had held me back for decades.  Was I ready to deal with the memory of my past?  I had to find out, or those very deep wounds would never completely heal, and I would never be quite whole.  Cautious about the pitfalls of my past, treading lightly as I returned, I decided making the same mistakes was not an option.  Time heals wounds, but it also hardens scabs.  Fear of more suffering was very real.  Pulling off the bandage was going to hurt.  Healing from the inside, from down deep was the only answer.  The core of my being was screaming for help.

My mother had died from cancer the year before and I was still having a tough time accepting it and needing relief.    I went through the five stages of grieving for her death as well as many other hurts in my life.  Doing the work to heal from the inside was my task.  Drowning my pain was not possible anymore; I had to face it.  Going back to the old way of thinking was not an option.  Striving for answers, from my youth, from midlife, from a broken marriage. How could I move forward?

Not sure what was around the corner, but willing to address my humanness, I knew my very survival was at stake.  By returning to speed skating, this sport that has brought me much pleasure and anguish, I would ultimately be journeying toward wholeness.

My need to achieve was born in a very fertile environment, a combination of wanting approval by my parents and sibling rivalry. Was my struggle about the external achievement or self acceptance?  Survival for me depended on what I was about to discover.

Ready to tackle my past, the time was right to do this work and start healing.  The tangible evidence of my extraordinary achievement in speed skating is visible.  What is unseen, and more important, is the internal work of healing the wounds of my past.

US Olympic Trials 2013
photo by Jerry Search

“Faster As A Master” Book Intro Part 1

“Faster As A Master”  Book Intro Part 1

My book is coming along nicely in the editing process.  My editor Ruth Hull Chatlien is providing some great training for me to be a better writer.

Here is the first of three installments for the Introduction.  Enjoy.

Stay tuned, there is more to come.  I am hoping to wrap up and start publishing in the next couple months.

Introduction

Qualifying for the U.S. Olympic long track speed skating trials for the upcoming Torino 2006 Olympics, at the age of 49, was going to be one of the hardest and most challenging things I have ever done in my life.  This challenge would push me to be at my best physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.  It would also be one of the most rewarding things I have ever done.  I would have to skate significantly faster than I did when I was a teenager on the U. S. National team from 1974 through 1976.   I would have to go faster than any man has gone at my age ever.

The drive to qualify started when I was a teenager on the U.S. National team in 1974.  My parents whose philosophy about raising three boys was to keep us tired by channeling our energy through the outlet of sports.  As a result, my two brothers and I all achieved a great deal.  I am the oldest, Bart is next by two years, Mike is the youngest following Bart by three years.  When i was about 14, it was evident that Bart better at his sport, gymnastics, than Mike and I were as speed skaters.  Asked by my parents to support Bart in his quest, and being a natural leader, I accepted the role.  I continued to strive for my own goals but the focus shifted for the family.  We all accepted responsibility for our roles but during this time I lost my voice.  This created a disconnect in me and a wound that would not heal, just scab over.

In my adult life I woke up to a 25 year marriage where I also lost my voice.  I poured all I had into building my career and a family life.  Athletic passion was diverted to my passion for flying and building a family life.  The energy I spent towards my marriage was wasted.  The death of my marriage and the subsequent struggle of my identity was frightening.  Who was I?  Who had I become?  Where did I want to go, do, and be?  All these essential questions were needing answers.  In due time I would be able to address them all, and be whole like never before.  Front and center, my skating was something tangible to work on, and distinct way out of my predicament.  Could speeding around a track become the metaphor for my life?  I had a vehicle for my path forward.   

AP Photo, US Olympic Trials, December 2005, Salt Lake City, UT

Post Olympic Trials, Thoughts, and Future Goals

Post Olympic trials, thoughts, and future goals.

Happy New Year, everyone!  Thanks for all the encouragement and support, especially from my wife, Maripat.  I wish good luck to all the Olympians.  For all those athletes that did not make the team, good luck next time.  To the skaters that ended their careers, my best wishes for a smooth transition to the next challenge, I have been down that road many years ago.  There is no substitute for time that leads to perspective and ultimately wisdom.  Patience will reveal the answers you are looking for.

I am a climber.  When I see mountains, I climb.  Approaching the top, I start looking for the next climb.

This is the perfect time to reflect on what I have done, celebrate the achievement, then set the next course of action.

After my last race in the Olympic trials in Salt Lake my coach asked why I was cooling down on the stationary bike.  Traditionally after the last race you just walk away.  As an experienced  masters athlete I want to be able to get out of bed the next morning.  I need to do a proper cool down to facilitate recovery, like I do after any hard effort or race.  Yes, I do not plan on training at this level for the forseeable future, but that does not preclude that I will forget how to train hard and do all the recovery work necessary to keep as healthy as possible.  I will shift now to a less intense and less volume training, for a better balanced life.

I reached my goals for this season, which was to have the best showing possible in the trials.  I am very happy with my results.  I choose now to slow down, rebalance, and shift priorities.

Celebrating the achievement and the journey is very important.  Self esteem is enhanced everyday by small victories.  Milestones are important to recognize as the tangible evidence of what we are all capable of doing.  A certain peace has settled in my bones about what I have done.

The next goal is to pass on what I have learned.  I have been working on my book “Faster As A Master” for almost 5 years.  Final editing is being done now with a goal of completion and publishing in a couple of months.  I will keep you updated as the publishing gets closer.

Professionally, will be going back to the 747 next month and changing my base back to Chicago.

Maripat and I plan on traveling to see family more this year, and picking up our golf clubs and tennis racquets that have been idle for the last couple of years.

Here are three articles about my journey published last week.  Enjoy.

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/bruce-conner-demonstrates-that-speed-knows-no-age-limit-b99174244z1-238195371.html

http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1070143

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20140102/NEWS07/131229902/a-fourth-appearance-at-olympic-trials-this-time-at-57

Meanwhile, our dog Lilly, wants to play.

Lilly my smiling off ice training partner.

Olympic Trials TV and Race Schedule

Happy Holidays Everyone!  Grateful for all who are in my life.  You are all truly amazing. Thank you for all the support. I could not have come this far without you.  Good luck to all my fellow competitors!

Here are the racing and TV schedules for the upcoming Olympic trials, enjoy.

I am racing Saturday 12/28  and Sunday 12/29.

EVENT SCHEDULE

DATE AND TIME	EVENT
27 Dec 2013 – 3:30pm	Ladies 3000m / Men 5000m
28 Dec 2013 – 9:30am	Ladies 500m / Men 500m
29 Dec 2013 – 11:30am	Ladies 1000m / Men 1000m
31 Dec 2013 – 3:00pm	Ladies 1500m / Men 1500m
1 Jan 2014 – 1:30pm	Ladies 5000m / Men 10000m
	* times are subject to change

BROADCAST SCHEDULE:

 

Date	Coverage	Network	Time (ET)
Fri., December 27	Men’s 5000m and Women’s 3000m	NBCSN	8 p.m.
Sat., December 28	Men’s & Women’s 500m	NBC	3 p.m.
Sun., December 29	Men’s & Women’s 1000m	NBC	3 p.m.
Tue., December 31	Men’s & Women’s 1500m	NBCSN	6 p.m.
Wed., January 1	Men’s 10,000m & Women’s 5000m	NBCSN	5 p.m.

 

My Skating Family.
L to R, Jeffrey Swider-Peltz, Nancy Swider- Peltz, Jr, Brian Hansen, Maripat Conner (wife), Bruce Conner, Nancy Swider-Peltz, Sr (Coach)

Great Article in Airline Pilot Magazine!

Great article in Airline Pilot Magazine!  This is a magazine for the Professional Airline Pilot.  Here is a link to an artcle written by a staff writer John Perkinson told from the perspective of my profession.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  I am truly grateful for all the wonderful family and friends in my life.

Click on the following link or cut and paste to your browser.  When the magazine opens go to page 30-31, enjoy!

http://www.alpa.org/Publications/Air_Line_Pilot_December_2013/#?page=30

Captain Conner landing in January at O’hare Airport Chicago, IL after flight from Hong Kong, China

Building A Network For Support

Congratulations to my fellow American skaters competing at the World Cup Level this weekend on the short and long track.  Great work!  All of you!

Also, Happy Veterans Day!  All gave some, some gave all.

When standing on the podium, we rise on the shoulders of our support system.  None of us can accomplish what we do without support.

Parents

Parental support is desired but not absolutely necessary.  My brothers and I had the gift of compassionate, loving, and giving parents.

I thought  that what my brothers and I had, was normal.  As an adult, I realize it was exceptional.

As a masters athlete I need support.  Support comes in many forms.  When growing up, the most important support was from my parents.  My father is still supporting me today, not only emotionally through encouragement but financially.  Because he wants to, and I let him.  My mother passed away in 2000, she is still with me always. I still try to make my parents proud, even though I know they are.

Spouse

My wife is the most essential person in my line of my support.  Without her support most of what I do would not be possible. She holds me up when I need it.  I hold her up when she needs it too.  It goes both ways.  Since we share everything, then she must share in the victories too.  We try to share the journey as well.  Training very hard, for a very long time, for a few minutes of racing each year.  I spend a lot of time everyday preparing to train.  Clean workout clothes, shopping and food preparation, driving 75 miles each way to the rink in Milwaukee three times a week.  The list goes on.  Health maintenance, maintaining a home, keeping focus on what is important, God, family, work ,recreation.  Maripat helps me keep balanced with all these. She does so much of the behind the scenes work, so I can concentrate on training and competing.  Shared goals, balancing of priorities and time, are essential to having support from your spouse.

Coach

My coach helps me keep balanced as well between the intense training, recovery and rest.  She is also a great friend that I can talk to about anything. She has the technical knowledge and wisdom to apply it to my situation.

Children

I am reminded of the movie “The Rookie”.  This movie was on television the other day and I had to sit down to watch it.  It has so many important messages.  One of the most important part for me was when the Dad, a middle-aged rookie pro-baseball player, was going to call it quits and come home.  His wife reminded him of what would his young son think and what would he take away from his action.  The Dad then re-thought his decision and decided to stay with the farm team and see where he could go.  He wanted to show his son what was important to him.  Perseverance, dedication, courage, discipline, goal setting and follow through were some of the qualities that he demonstrated to his son.  My kids learn way more from what I do than what I say. This is how my kids can provide me with the motivation I need for my own support.

Fellow Athletes and Training Partners

I need to belong to a tribe of like-minded athletes who train like me.  Grateful that I have a great group of Olympians to train and skate with.  They help keep me young.  I can almost do the volume they do, just need a longer set rest.  I bring some of my wisdom to the group.  Not their coach, I can listen and help in ways that our coach cannot.   What I get out of this group is way more than what I bring,  We all share and benefit in the process.

I wish my fellow competitors and peers good luck.  I want them to do their best.  I try to do my best, and the outcome is, as it should be.  The outcome of a race was probably decided months before, based upon workload volume, training, techniques, talent, focus, and a host of other factors.  The execution of a race on the spot is important, but being faster than someone who is not at their best is no victory.  Competing more against myself than anyone else, the support of my peers can be very valuable in a number of ways.  It is hard to quantify what that support can mean.  More relaxed, perform more to my capabilities, when I am not conflicted.  With the support of the people around me including my peers then I do better.  If I want respect from my peers then I must give respect and earn what they give me.

Mental Support

When I consider that everything I do starts with a thought, then it is important to look at the health of my thought process. My inner thought life is inextricably connected to my outer life. With a number of resources that I have developed over the years to support my mental state, one the most important things I have learned is that I am not alone in my quest in this life.  I have a relationship with a higher power that I call GOD.  I believe in an underlying collective unconscious pattern to the universe.  In this way I have connected to some men that help me to discover the essence of this connection to all around me so that I do not feel alone.  This is very comforting to me as well as provides avenues for knowledge, wisdom, and growth.

Health Professionals

I have a whole slew of people who help keep me on track to my goals.  They all know my goals and are grateful to help in my endeavors.  Enlisting their support not just from their professional knowledge but their friendship through a shared vision for the goal of being as healthy as possible.  I appreciate all their input on my journey.

Volunteers

Speed skating requires a lot of volunteers to run the competitions.  I am very grateful to all the people who donate their time to help in running the sports that we participate in.  When I am running a race like a 5K, I thank the volunteers that hand out water, check me in, compile the race data, clean up, etc.  These are people who give their time so we can do what we love.  I need to recognize their contribution.  I also run a competition each year and this is my way of giving back to all those who have helped me.

Employers

I need to also enlist the support of my employer.  Time off for an important competition, sponsorship, etc.  As a masters athlete I am a better employee, more focused, goal oriented, productive, and a good example to others.  In my case I have been told I am a credit to my profession.  That goes a long way in the benefits section of the relationship with my company and public perception.

Network Building

What I have described is what we all have to a certain degree.  As part of my journey towards a goal is to develop and foster this network.  In turn, the network supports me.  It usually comes back to me in many ways better than I could have imagined.

My Skating Family.
L to R, Jeffrey Swider-Peltz, Nancy Swider- Peltz, Jr, Brian Hansen, Maripat Conner (wife), Bruce Conner, Nancy Swider-Peltz, Sr (Coach)

First major racing of the Olympic season

Productive on all levels.  Sunday evening now, as I write this, on an airplane going home at 35,000 feet, reviewing the work done during the competition and the important validation of training, etc.

I left Chicago Wednesday morning for Salt Lake.  Skating in the afternoon, getting in some speed work.  At the altitude of 4650 feet above sea level the air is different from my usual training ground of 800 feet at Milwaukee.  The ice was fast and the aerodynamic drag is less, this means we go faster with the same effort.  Accounting for the increase in speed, turn entries are earlier, the lean in the corners is steeper and more dramatic.  Mental and physical adjustments are made, sometimes equipment too.  Not too much volume of training here, just enough intensity to continue the taper but make the changes.

Everybody in the US skating world is here.  My skating family.  Great to see old friends, coaches, officials.  This an open competition so I have some fellow masters here but mostly they are Olympic hopefuls.

Thursday is a day just to touch the ice for about 40 minutes and cement yesterdays changes, building confidence.

This is the US Single Distance Championships, Fall World Cup Qualifier, and American Cup I.  US Champions will be crowned in each distance from 500 to 5000 meters.  The top spots will also be on the Fall World Cup circuit competing in Calgary, Salt Lake and Europe.  The fall world cup events will determine how many spots are awarded to each country for the upcoming Olympic games in Sochi, Russia starting February 7th 2014.  This an Olympic year, everything gets ramped up.  In this country, our sport gets a nice bump in attention each Olympic cycle.  Important to take advantage when the attention is here.

Friday is the 500 #1, also is the ladies 3000 and the men 5000.  Saturday is the 500 #2, total time for both determines the champion, and the 1000.  Sunday is the 1500.

I am racing all but the 5000.  Friday is just the 500 #1, for me.  First race of the season.  Little bit slow to start, 11.31 for first 100 meters.  I am a little bit tentative due to a low back issue that is aggravated by starts.  Not great tempo.  First outer turn building speed well, connected to the ice.  Crossover to the inner, my pair was ahead and not a conflict.  A little hesitant coming into the last inner turn, building confidence half way through, exiting strong.  Great lap time of 28.85, fastest lap all year finishing with good technique at 40.16.  Pretty good start considering changing airplanes in May and flying a full schedule to Europe and training.  Rest is what I lack now, sleep will have to be later.  I was not sure what to expect but this is a good start and something to work on.

Saturday is the 500 #2 and 1000.  Inner lane this time to start, better opener at 11.23, but not really connecting on many strokes.  Higher turnover but less good contact.  29.05 lap, 40.28 finish.  Very consistent from friday, so I am pleased.  Outer lane start on the 1000, pretty good opener at 19.13.  Great next lap, smooth, powerful, in control, efficient.  Settled down, this is where I excel.  29.61, then the lactate builds in my legs, heart rate at max, breathing to match.  Last lap at 31.07, Nancy, my coach, shows me my spilt times on the backstretch and shouts reminders and encouragement.  Right on schedule, only dropped 1.46 on the last lap, very proud of that.  Good take aways from today, confident moving forward into Sunday.

Sunday is the race of truth.  The 1500 taxes every facet of my being.  The physical limit exertion of strength for speed and endurance to maintain self-propelled inertia.  Mental toughness, emotional fortitude, and the spiritual conclusion knowing I have nothing left at the finish line.  Based on the weekend so far, a 2:05 was realistic.  Starting on the outer, getting good pushes into the first turn, smooth around the corner with nice pop in my cadence.  Opening in 27.17, nice, better than planned but comfortable.  Next fast lap at 30.53 right on target.  Now the lactate starts to build.  Maintaining good rhythm and technique to keep the speed two laps to go.  32.28 next lap, then a 34.16.  Any drop less than 2 seconds per lap is a sign of good conditioning and validation of training.  This is what I train for, skating with lactate heavy legs.  The ability to rise up to glide after that last 100 meter strain for the finish line and know “That was all I had”, is satisfaction.  A quick look at the score board shows a 2:04.14.  Fifth fastest 1500 ever for me.  Nice start to the seasons first racing for me.

Champions crowned.  Fall World Cup Team announced.  Many new personal bests and seasons bests.  My hat is off to all those who made it possible, and to my valiant competitors that I get to share this hallowed ice.  This Olympic season will be great fun!  Eight weeks to the US Olympic Trials back here in Salt Lake.  Stay tuned for a great ride!

Photo by Jerry Search

Coaching

Coaching ourselves does not work. Yes, we need to make decisions about ourselves. A mirror to see myself, make changes. That is the way it works Experimenting with the idea that I can be my own expert has backfired more than once. Someone that can help me along my path is essential. This relationship needs to be a good fit. Several coaches have helped along in my life. Trusting that each coach that comes at the right time for my learning process has helped. There needs to be a certain synchronicity in the relationship. Everyone puts out a certain vibration. I need to be sensitive to that so the relationship will grow, flourish, and be good for both me and my coach. Following my gut when I pick a coach is very important.

The first question I must ask myself is, “Am I coachable?” This may seem like a rudimentary question. We find ourselves at opposite ends of the spectrum in different times of our lives. As a youngster I went to a couple of summer camps to learn about skating and training. I met some expert coaches and started to write to them for training programs. They were Norwegian and Dutch and we wrote letters that took weeks to deliver.  Geographically not being close to any coaches, I learned as much as possible, and became my own expert.  Part of this result was that I developed some hard rules for my training. Unshakable in most of my ideas, I was not very coachable at the time.

An expert on many things, but still having some blockage about many ideas. Wanting to moving forward, I needed to have an attitude of acceptance and change. Accepting that I could not see myself as well as a coach could, was the ticket to progress. Open to new ideas was the key to the door.

Nancy Swider- Peltz, Sr. , my current coach, tells me that I am very coachable. Being willing to hear what she has to say, and try it to the best of my ability is my attitude. No longer having to justify my actions or thoughts, I just try to do things differently. This attitude has taken a long time to sink in. It probably ties in with my self esteem. The better I feel about myself the easier change is possible. Nancy recognizes that and helps me with that process. That is what being coachable is all about.

Nancy and I have a good fit, and we are very productive. What I bring to this relationship is good for both of us. I know and trust that.

Some of us do not have the resources for a coach. We may be held back due to finances, or geography, etc. My reccommendation is to attend as many summer camps and clinics as possible. Develop as many contacts as possible and foster those relationships. Being open to new ideas from all sources. Online capabilities are growing as well. Instant feedback may not be possible, but video, texting, email, etc, can all be tools to help your progress. We are only limited by our own imagination. Good Luck!

American Cup Salt lake, March, 2013, Nancy Swider-Peltz, Sr. giving race splits and encouragement!

My Skating Family

My Skating Family.

Back on the ice.  First time on blades since last March.

There is a cycle each year of training and racing, ending with the last race in March.  Beginning this season with time off and recovery, then easy training progressing to harder work with volume and intensity.

This is the stage when we skate again.  Based on my work schedule, skating 3 times per week is the optimum.  Weight training, stationary bike work for cardio and recovery, and yoga will fill in between the skating and work.

All athletes have support networks.  Part of my support network is my skating family.  We are a tribe of like-minded, dedicated people.  Since I train by myself most of the time, it is great to reconnect with my group.  This is the time we get to  catch up.  Having face time with my coach is great.  Connecting with Jeffrey, Brian and Nancy, Jr. and finding out how their summer has gone.  Facebook updates are great but looking into someones eyes is indispensable.

A great characteristic of my group is shared support.  We all have something to offer to the group and to help each other achieve our goals.  Support comes in many different forms, everybody brings something unique.  My wife Maripat provides the basic platform of support (essential) to me and our group, while taking photos, video, and adding encouragement, adjacent to the ice.

I am at home among my training group and coach.  Motivated to get better, faster, smoother, more efficient, always making progress.

Wobbly at first on my blades.  I relearn pretty quickly how to get that fine balance for skating.  Foreign and familiar at the same time, describe the first couple of times on the ice.  In the beginning it is only technical work.  Going fast and hard comes later.  Patience with the process and the stroke yields results.

Any day I can skate is a great day!

Any day I can be with my skating family is also a great day!

My Skating Family.
L to R, Jeffrey Swider-Peltz, Nancy Swider- Peltz, Jr, Brian Hansen, Maripat Conner (wife), Bruce Conner, Nancy Swider-Peltz, Sr (Coach)