So, I went skating today for the first time in over a year. Last time I skated, I was 5 months pregnant, so it's been nearly two years since I was skating at my 'peak'.

Yes, I did have fun.

Yes, I sucked.

Even though it felt great to get back out on the ice, realizing just how far my skills have fallen is pretty depressing. I seem to have kept a large portion of my spinning skills though, which is good, since I fought so hard to be able to spin at all. But I may as well start my jumps from ground zero again, and edges too. It was a public session, so finding any room to do anything was challenging, and traffic was going clockwise, and that's my lazy crossover side anyway...needless to say, no real forward crossovers were done, my knees were too weak/shaky. The couple of times I had room to do more than a couple of back crossovers, they felt better. But I tried a couple of waltz jumps.....and I'll be astonished if they got more than 1/4 inch off the ground. I was in absolutely no shape to do a sal, but I'm sure I would have been even more disappointed, since that's my favorite jump, and my best jump.

Only fell once, trying to squeeze in a spiral...and really, I knew better, but couldn't resist. In my defense, the ice was getting pretty snowy, and the snow covered up the hole I hit. But hey, if there's anything I've learned in skating, it's how to take a fall.

I don't know when I'll be able to take lessons again--between finances and parenting obligations and the local rink only being a seasonal rink...it could be quite a while.

Bit of a bummer. Especially since I saw ads for a power skating class, which is just now ending, as the season ends in a few weeks.

Aw, (((((Flippet)))). But, as you said, you do still have spins

Do you have roller blades? If you can get some time in on them, at least you will keep physically fit for your eventual return to the ice. I'm sure you will be able to return when your present problems have been sorted out. I hope it will be sooner rather than later.

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Returning after a long break is kind of bittersweet isn't it? On one hand,it's a great feeling to be back. On the other hand, you wonder where all of your skills went. When I returned to the ice after I had my baby, I remember feeling very unstable and not being able to do the simpilest things. Like you, I knew better than to go out and try all of the things I could do before I became pregnant (for risk of disappointing myself even more), but a lot of it still felt foreign. I remember looking down at my skates and thinking...."I don't remember those toepicks seeming so big a few months ago".

It does get better. A little bit at a time. The next time you go out, it will be little better than the last time and so on. It seems like I rembember the fourth or fifth time out, I felt like I had me feet under me again and I was confident to start trying jumps. Take babysteps (pardon the pun). I'm not going to tell you it will be easy. It will take a while to get back to your peak. It took me over a year. But once you reach it....it will be worth it! It is a great sense of accomplishment to get back to a place that you've been to after a long while. I think it is even a better feeling than when you master a new jump or spin for the first time.

Hang in there!

Flippet, I'm in the same boat you are in . . . need an arm to hang on to while working on the lazy crossover side? I just started up lessons again after an eighteen month hiatus and it has been tough. The first time out was quite frustrating as I couldn't even do the simplest things well anymore. Jumps weren't even considered!

Hang in there -- it will get better. I had my second lesson this week and crossovers, even the lazy side, were a little better. Edges and crossrolls are still a bit wonky, but at least I'm out there trying to do them. What keeps me going when I get frustrated about how much my skills have deteriorated is just to focus on what I can still do and take pride in that. Compared to some of the others that were out there in public session, you probably still rocked it! Just keep in mind what you wrote first --- that you had fun!

I do have rollerblades. I haven't used them in eons either, because A) if I have time to skate, I'd rather it be on ice, and B) the balance point is so different that I nearly killed myself on wheels the last time, probably 4 or 5 years ago.

But it's such a nice day here today...warming up a bit and the packed ice is beginning to melt, that I was thinking that this spring and summer, I should haul the baby and jogging stroller out to the university track and just do some laps on rollerblades. I've still got about 10 pounds that I didn't have before baby, and I could stand to get rid of another 10 from there. I've got to do something, that's for sure! And I'll bet that my munchkin would adore flying around the track.

That sounds like a great idea, flippet. I really didn't mean to try to hone your skills on the rollerblades, but just to keep fit until you can afford more ice time. When I was out with a broken wrist, the Nordic Track saved me from going completely to flab.

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I tell you what, Flippet, your "munchkin", as you call him, is probably about the right age to be introduced to parent-and-baby swimming sessions - mine adored it. Perhaps you could persuade Mr Flippet to take him while you get some serious keep-fit type swimming done?

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Mrs Redboots
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I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

Hmm, Mrs. R, I hadn't thought about that! I'll have to see if my uni pool has parent/tot lessons. They do, in fact, have lap swim times, and a few years ago, I used to go. I've been meaning to go even now (I love to swim), but the time committment is making me balk...all told, that's at least another hour and a half away from my baby (travel time, swim time, shower/change/hairdry time), and for a nursing mom, away time is limited as it stands! (Unless I want to pump, and I really hate to be attached to that thing for another 20 minutes, especially for the ridiculously small amount I get. ) But now that baby is eating more solid foods (and I can go a little bit longer between feeds!) I might consider it!