By LUELLA DOW
Contributor
McKindsay Dow, daughter of Wayne Dow, learned to ice skate at age 2. As a 5-year-old, she changed to inline skating. When McKindsay was 7, she entered inline speed skating competitions.
In the primary division, she would compete in 200 and 400 meter races. She learned to discipline herself, to push past goals and work toward the next one.
Now, 12 years old, she commits to three to four practices a week.
“Practices are two hours long in the advanced group. Thursday night is endurance night,” she said. “We do four nine-minute routines equivalent to 50 laps each around a 100 meter track. Four of these are the equivalent of 200 laps around a 100 meter track. We have a six-minute break between each nine-minute routine.”
“During competitions,” McKindsay said, “we have to get up at 4 a.m. and be ready to race at 6 a.m. There are usually heat races and finals. We are usually done by noon, but can go until 5 p.m. There are anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours between races. I don't eat much for breakfast because then I can't skate too well. Usually, I just eat a muffin.”
McKindsay said, “I skate two different divisions: Novice and Standard. Races range from 300 to 500 and 700 meters as well as 2,000-meter relays. At a competition I can race as many as 10 or 12 times.”
McKindsay commented on the Tiny Tots races for 3-5 year olds: “It's a one lap race. The referee and the coaches say, ‘You're done. You can quit now.' But they just keep going, their little arms pumping like crazy. The Tiny Tots are so cute.”
“In practice we sometimes do ‘lap the pack.' We line up with the fastest person in the front, the slower ones in the back. The first person takes off around the rink to catch the end of the pack. The fastest lap I've done is 100 meters in 10.16 seconds.”
McKindsay competed in state meets in Bremerton, Burlington, Auburn, Spokane and Federal Way, Wash.
On May 9 and 10, she competed at regionals in Portland, Ore. There, she took first in the Novice Elementary Division, first in a two-girl relay with teammate Ericka Rickards, third in Elementary Standard and third in a four-girl relay with, Rickards, Harmonee Miller, and Saylor Chimenti, all from Pattisons Inline Racing.
For the first place awards, McKindsay's home rink receives a plaque with her name engraved on it as well as all previous winners. The rink keeps it for one year and then it is passed on to the winner of next year's competitions.
McKindsay said, “During the competition, starting is intense. We're all a little nervous at the starting line, but the race goes by fast. It's a lot of fun. I want to thank my dad for always encouraging me and taking me to all the practices and competitions.”
McKindsay qualified for National Competitions which will take place in Peoria, Ill., from July 19-25. She is excited and looking forward to competing.
Luella Dow can be reached at [email protected]
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