What is your routine as a competitor at the Rink?

[FSWer]

Ok...I am not a competitor myself. LOL,though I've dreamed of doing it. But what I'd like to ask all our competitors here today is what their routine is at the Rink as a competitor?

[Mrs Redboots]

I expect you will compete one day, although probably not this year!

In the car, on the way to the rink, we play "Maybe this time!" from Cabaret. When we get to the rink, we register at the check-in desk, and give in our music. Then it depends how long there is before our particular class. If there's a long time, we go and look round to find our friends, and see who is there, and try to sit and watch what is going on (I find this difficult, as I get very restless). I expect we've seen the timetable a few days earlier, so we know when we need to go and get changed and warmed up.

When it is time, we go and change and warm up and put make-up on (I do - Husband doesn't, although if I am feeling mischievous, I put glitter on his bald patch!), and then continue to warm up until it is time to put our skates on.

Then we come out and check in with the gate steward, so they know we are ready, and then sit and chat or generally distract ourselves until it's time to get on the ice. In the UK, you only get one minute longer than the length of your programme to warm up on the ice, so very often only 2'30" which is very short, so you have to be well warmed up and loose before you get on.

After the competition, I usually eat some chocolate, and if it is in the late afternoon or early evening, I have a dram of whisky from my hip-flask to help me calm down. In Scotland, the competition was in the morning and finished by lunch-time, so I didn't want whisky, but a friend gave me some sloe gin, which was perfect for that time of day!

If we have made the podium, or if it is an all-skater podium (participation medals for all), we wait around until it is time for that; if not, we probably go and get changed back into street clothes.

And in the car on the way home we play Queen's We are the Champions!

[Rusty Blades]

I haven't competed in the past 2 years but I will be going back to Nationals next year - I don't do local competitions - don't like closed marking!

I travel to the host city a few days early to get settled in, to check out the venue so I know my way around, to find the quiet out-of-the-way places I can use during the competition, to meet the rink staff (the backroom folks who keep the place running), to see where the judges bench will be, the kiss & cry, the dressing rooms, etc. It takes me a night or two to really settle in to a hotel room, get used to the bed, and to feel at home. Pretty extravagant I know but it is what I like to do.

On the day of my event(s) I like to get away to my quiet spot, listen to my music on my MP3 player, and go over and over and over my program in my head, to visualize skating it in the actual venue. Depending on the amount of time between practice ice and the event, that might be before or after practice. I try to stay away from the noise and the crowds for at least a couple of hours before I skate, to get myself settled down and get into "my calm space".

About 40 minutes before my event, coach will come and find me and we head to the dressing room. Coach watches the clock, checks with the ice captain, and keeps me on schedule.

About 20 minutes before the group warm-up, I get dressed and boot up.

That's about it. At that point the ice captain calls us out and it's SHOW TIME!

After the event it is time to hit the skaters lounge, chow down, and then go root for my friends! :) If I made the podium, getting changed has to come later.

[GoSveta]

Wow. I didn't know there was so much you guys did. Now I know what to (hopefully) look forward to!