It’s Warmer In The Rink

Yep.  26º outside.   35º in the rink.   

While I am looking forward to getting back to Arizona where the rink is colder the outside air temperature… it was fun skating today at my home rink for Adult Drop In Coffee Club in Spokane at Eagles Ice Arena.   I was hoping to work off some of the Thanksgiving pie consumed this weekend.

I brought my freestyle boots and blades with me in case I had a chance to skate with my pairs partner of yesteryear Hank … but alas he didn’t make it today.  Maybe we can get together later this week.

Skating on my FS blades - are scary after being on my dance blades for months and months.  I was happy to execute nearly all my jumps sans Lutz … toyed with some choreography and tried some spins too.

My Holiday Program 2022

Counters - Chocktaws - Twizzles before Thanksgiving!

 Leaving tomorrow for parts much colder than Arizona.  Got my last lesson in today with beautiful and talented Naomi Lang.  My lessons are so low key with her vs with Vitali when my heart rate goes skyrocketing!  But that’s ok.   She helps me with so many fundamentals and now I am trying to increase my skating vocabulary from 

Three turns and Mohawks to 

Brackets, Rockers, Counters and Choctaws.   This may take some time.  I’ve been working on some of these off and on for a few years.

Now .. considering my coach is actually a Karuk descendant …  AND the first Native American to participate in the Olympic Winter Games (2002) perhaps I should stop calling them Choctaws and Mohawks and start calling them S Steps and C Steps.   Such a hard habit to break. I will try.

One Step Closer

 I had another great lesson with Vitali today. We spent extra time working on the Foxtrot exercises and spent a long time working on the position of my RFO edge/lilt and the timing of my end pattern RFO edge and closed C step .. what else is new?     I do feel I am making a little progress on it.

1 Step Forward 2 Steps Back

 Had a great lesson on Monday with Vitali.  Tuesday I received a Covid19 booster and a Flu shot at the same time in different arms.  I skated right after and felt ok.  I didn’t skate too hard on the session.

That night - WOW - arm aches, body aches, chills, headache … don’t get me wrong.  I am not complaining about getting vaccinated. But these two together really got me.

I tried skating on Thursday because I had my first lesson with Naomi after coming back to Arizona and I didn’t want to miss it.  I was so dizzy and fatigued I had to get off the ice - rest in the warmer lobby and return during my lesson time.

Needless to say .. we didn’t make much progress, but I have some really great exercises for learning my counters and chocktaws.

Arizona Ice Time Begins NOW!

What a great summer it was.  It flew by ~ I had no idea I was going to skate so often and spend most of the working toward a partnered dance test.  It was so much fun working with a partner again.

My modus operandi is to hang up my skates for a bit right after I complete a test or competition.  I get so mentally exhausted and worked up over the performance day .. I just need time off.  So I haven’t seen the ice since October 21.

Today I got back on the ice in Arizona and had a dance lesson with Vitali Vakunov.  After not skating for two weeks and playing 9 holes of golf in the morning .. I was wondering how my legs were going to hold up.  

Much to my surprise I never got really fatigued during the 45 minute lesson.  We went from dance to dance doing warm up exercises before each dance then running them back to back.  I was pretty impressed with my stamina.  Of course I think Vitali is doing all the work .. I’m just along for the ride!

Adult Pre Bronze Free Dance Test and Adult Solo Juvenille Free Dance Test

 They say it ain’t over till the fat lady sings… an opera reference and probably not a politically correct one at that.  Well the fat lady has sung and she skated too!

Honestly I am really proud of our partnered free dance.  Mike and I started this journey early this summer and with only 1-2 max practice sessions per week and a weekly lesson with Kendall LeClaire who has the patience of a saint.   

After testing and skating competitively for 11 years as an adult skater .. I have learned that I NEVER FEEL READY for anything.  Not a test nor a competition.  It seems to get worse and worse as I get older.

Nevertheless we did our best this morning.  We both got a pass by all three judges.  We each had plenty of notes on things to improve on.

Following that skate I had to wait for 2 other moves in the field tests.   I skated ok during my solo FD test but not my best for sure.  Darn it.   But I did pass that too and now I have some new goals for Arizona.

Goals for the winter.

Test my PRE-SILVER dances with a partner (my coach most likely) and work on the skills within those dances and hopefully pass the tests and start to learn the Silver Dances.

Dedication … and Desparation!

 I haven’t skated this many sessions in a week in YEARS.  I’m trying not to overdue it.  Getting in some runs each day but otherwise taking it easy.  Working on Twizzles and other fundamentals not shown in my videos.  Yawn 🥱 

Solo dance is ready.  It’s not perfect but barring any falls or big errors ~ I think I will pass it.  Testing as Adult 50+ (duh) 👵 

Something new I attempted today was a FI Twizzle with an open leg position and also tried grabbing my blade .. without success I might add.  That put some fear into me.  I don’t want to get hurt the week prior to a test by falling hard on that.

Final Week of Practice - 2 Tests Next Friday

 I booked 6 sessions of ice time this week.  Skating 4 days with double sessions on Monday and Wednesday when I have my lesson.  I need some time alone to work on my Solo Free Dance too.

Mike and I are working hard and trying to clean up the little things.  Our spin is getting better - we just need to work on keeping our eyes off the ice and our legs more in sync!

Catching up on some vids….. practice, practice, practice

I just realized I haven’t posted in a while.  Catching up on some vids from the past couple of weeks.

Working backwards from the top.  I’ve had limited ice time and lots going on off ice -

Still working on the free dance with Mike and coach Kendall LeClair.  Test date is set Oct 21!