Post Turkey Trot

I am thankful that Thanksgiving is over.  I must say, I love the holiday.  I love every morsel of the feast, the libations, the leftover dinners, the turkey sandwiches, the turkey soup, etc.  However, a summer of a lack of skating, going to the gym and NOT SAYING NO to fattening foods and extra helpings caught up with me.

So today I am back, hopefully on track.  A few weeks of rigorous calorie reduction, increased exercise and willpower should do the trick.

Oh yes, back to the basis of my blog ... skating.  Technically I think this has become a v-log.  I post mostly videos and not too many photos.

Today I skated twice at two different rinks a few hours apart.  Lesson learned today: My joints and muscles didn't appreciate an explosion of exercise in a cold rink, followed by a ride in a hot car, followed by another cold rink.  Simple rules in sports... WARM UP-EXERCISE-COOL DOWN-REST ..... or else you will get injured!

This is a raw clip from my first practice.   This is a pretty typical practice session for me when I am not working on elements for a test or getting ready for a competition (my one and only thus far).  Skaters generally just wander aimlessly on the ice until some little voice in their head says ... "do this" or "try this" .. sometimes it's a conscious plan.  Other times it's really random.  Today it was random.

Slow Motion Anayization

I skated at Frontier Ice Arena today.  My friend who lives closer to this rink met me there for the "adult" morning session.  With about 10 skaters it felt so CROWDED!  I know I am spoiled having a rink to skate public sessions at that is really quiet.

Skating with a friend means not getting much practice in.  We end up going round and round while chatting and freezing.  At the end of the session I did a little jump and spin practice and decided to slow-motion all of it so I could try and analyze what's good, what's bad, what's wrong.

Attempted A Back Camel Spin !!

I dragged myself to the rink today.  I can only equate this feeling to going to the gym.  If you go often, you enjoy it.  If you haven't been for a long time, you dread going.  I know once I get on the ice I will enjoy it.  Even if it's a bad practice day.  Even if it means taking several steps backward before I can progress forward again.  Being on the ice has only two drawbacks:  #1 it's cold (I really hate being cold) and #2 it's hard when you fall wrong.  Actually at my age it's hard when you fall right!

On a positive note; I did skate today AND I attempted something new.  A Back Camel Spin.  This came out of nowhere.  It wasn't in my head to try it.  I think I was going into a Back Scratch Spin but I wound up trying the Back Camel.  There is plenty of room for criticism, but I thought it was a good start.

At the end of the clip my skating friend Hank came by to say "nice attempt".

Dusting Off The Halloween Cob Webs

After another WHO KNOWS HOW MANY DAYS off ...... I snuck into the rink today for 30 minutes of practice.  Seriously, I don't even know where to start.  I have been away from the gym about as long as I have been off the ice.  UNKNOWN.  It feels like I was abducted by aliens and they have now returned me to earth to pick up where I left off.

Worked on basics today.  Not much else to say.  Did I mention I gained 8 lbs?


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