For those who have read the Galaxy Saga, you may be aware that I am returning to skating after 20 years. I am fat, 46 and very out of practice. It has taken what feels like months to get my new skates right.

After an enforced 4 week break while the rink shut over Christmas, I finally got back on ice today with my blades screwed down. Over the past few weeks I have dreamed so much about skating that I hoped I could get back on ice and just skate like I did 20 years ago.

Unrealistic? Definitely. I was disappointed. My edges and turns are heaps better now I've got the blades right, I can hold the edges well, but I am still finding the balance point.

But as the title of the thread says - I jumped ! I found myself a quiet corner and tried a waltz jump from a push start. That worked, so I built up until I was out there doing the whole thing, from mohawk to the back edge, to the jump. All landings solid. I didn't feel they were big jumps, but my coach happened to be there and said they were fully extended and good height.

So then I tackled toe-loops. Same thing, no problems, solid landings. Again I felt that they weren't big jumps, but again my coach reassured me they were good. I know they weren't little hops like some of the skaters I see at my rink.

I am so happy and excited, I just had to tell all you guys who have been giving me good advice and support in getting back on ice, people who can understand my sense of achievement. I feel soooo happy to jump again. For someone of my age & size, jumping is the closest feeling I get to being able to fly. (Should've seen the look on my 8 y.o. daughter's face - I don't think she believed her mum used to be able to do that sort of thing.)

Still can't do a 1 foot spin, though my 2 foot was better today, and I did lift a foot once I got into it to make it into a 1 foot. But I was always better at jumping, spinning never came naturally, so I guess that's just going to take longer.

Thanks for the chance to express my excitement

Karen

If you aren't falling over, you aren't trying hard enough !

Way to go! Celliste. It is so good to take pride in our "Big Little Successes". Keep on the good work with those "baby steps"

Good for you! Welcome to the ranks of the flying

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Mark Twain

Well done

I love jumping, too I was always worse at spins, had to work on them MUCH more than jumps ... but didn't because I preferred to jump

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The best whisper is a click

I'm very happy for you. What a great feeling that is.

Jon

I've been skating for a year and I can't do a toe loop! You must be great! Congrats!

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I was so worried about winning, it was as if I was caught up in my own web.
Michelle Kwan

Well done, Celliste! Axels next week, do you suppose?

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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!

Congratulations! Soon you will be 46+, well practiced, and losing weight!

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That's fantastic Celliste!

I'm also in the middle of the coming back to skating after twenty years thing, but I've only managed to get as far as relearning a tentative bunny hop (more a bunny step actually). I'm quite some time away from trying a waltz jump or toe loop, which was as far as I'd got when I had to give up as a teen. And I seem to have completely lost the ability to do a three turn.

On the up side, I can now spin (veeery slowly) for one and a half revolutions instead of less than one...

So well done to you! Keep up the good work.

Congrats, Celliste! Because you're coming back, I bet you'll find that your muscle memory (however faint it feels to you right now) will help you progress faster than someone just starting out.

Off topic (sorta)--do you play the cello? If so, how neat! That's always been my favorite of the stringed instruments.

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In my dreams they are so easy. Give me a month or two

Mikawendy, you are absolutely right about muscle memory. My body knows exactly what to do, I don't have to think about it. I just have to go through the same approach as I did 20 years ago, and my body just does what it's supposed to - more or less, anyway. It isn't working for spins unfortunately, but definitely with jumps. I do wonder how hard it will be when I have remembered all my singles and have to learn something new.

And yes, I used to play cello. After 6 years, I suddenly stopped wanting to play - around the same time that I started skating again funnily enough. Perhaps there is only room in my life for one time-consuming, expensive passion at a time. Although I have bought a small harp ....

I used the moniker celliste because I used that in a cello chat forum. Yesterday I decided to change my ID, but I couldn't find a way to do it.
Anyone know if it is possible to change once you've registered?

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Karen

I skate - therefore I am

Wonderful!
At this rate, you'll have all your single jumps in no time, and be so addicted to skating that the pounds will peel off while you aren't even paying attention!

Hmm, I could do with the pounds dropping off. I went skating today, and met another lady who is in a similar situation to myself, and is a similar size.

Watching her skate was a shock, I realised I probably look like that. Not a problem with technique, hers seemed pretty good and my old coach made sure mine was correct. I just mean the sight of someone my size doing this stuff, it isn't quite what I expected. Rather a shock.

Never mind, I love it, and as everyone says, the weight will drop off as a natural by-product.

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Karen

I skate - therefore I am

I think you can send a PM to one of the moderators (e.g., I think flippet is a moderator) or Adrian (his ID here is adrianchew) to make the request. I know Casey changed his ID after he registered, and I think a few others have, too. You might not get a response for a while if any of them are off at nationals for the moment. (Given that there's not an overwhelming number of posts about nationals in the USA or other forum areas, I think some regular posters--and probably some of the mods--are away at Nats and don't have frequent computer access.)

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Ask me about becoming a bone marrow donor.
http://www.marrow.org
http://www.nmdp.org

Celliste -
It gets a little harder the closer you get to the top of what you once had. I've been back about 6 years now and this is the first year I can honestly say I look better than I did when I was 16 when I skate AND I am working on things I never had as a kid (double flip and lutz, interesting spin combinations, footwork and MIF (never passed higher than the 1st figure test. Darn back inside step downs onto the circle!)). You can't get frustrated with yourself that you don't have it all back right away (or even within the first month or year). Just keep plugging away and enjoy the experience

I have seen some pretty large skaters doing some really good stuff! Much better than I've ever been able to. However, I have found that losing weight has improved my skating, which is good.

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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!

Send a PM to Canadian Chick with your request, she's the best!

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Casey Allen Shobe | http://casey.shobe.info
"What matters is not experience per se but 'effortful study'."
"At first, dreams seem impossible, then improbable, and eventually inevitable" ~ Christopher Reeve

I was wondering how you were making out with the new skates! That's great news and yes, muscle memory is a tremendous gift. Make sure you keep track of your practices and your goals! Hope all goes well and you start nailing spins soon! Congrats.

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Congrats, that is soooooooo awesome.
Rach

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To Reach The Impossible Dream