Since Oberstdorf is this week and the Mountain Cup next....

Gold Medal: Coaches are back; we had our final lesson with Coach2 today. Husband worked on his free programme, and then together we worked on our free dance. After our lesson we worked on starts and finishes.

Also-skated: Rink its usual Sunday self - ice a bit hard with condensation bumps, and by the time we left, rather a lot of ankle-biters!

Husband fell on his catch-foot spiral and missed his flip completely. Coach2 not pleased with the start of our step sequence, which is still a bit messy. Found out the hard way that I can only curtsey on one foot....

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

Also-Skated:
Coach gave me a really hard time today . About everything really. Still, I suppose if she's picking up on this stuff, the stuff that used to be wrong must be fixed...


Gold-Medal:
Urm...the ice felt good

InTheMiddle

No lesson next week - coach is heading off to Germany for an adult skating competition thing. That's all I know

Ooh, Mrs. R., I like the thread title!

Gold Medal
In spite of the crowded session--and three skaters getting in my way during my program--I somehow managed to complete every element in my program today. My only goal this summer is to skate a clean program in competition, and I have one next weekend, so this is good.

Also Skated
I'm sure I could find some negatives if I thought about it, but I'll be nice to myself instead!

P.S. Tim Goebel was hanging out during our FS session. I almost tripped over myself when I finally realized who that guy with the *mohawk* was (hair, not skating move, LOL)!

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"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

Gold Medal: I had to travel to Columbus for other reasons today, so I took my skates and enjoyed a public session at the Dispatch Ice Haus in the downtown area. Cost for 2 hours of skating - $4. The experience, priceless.

First, I LOVE the ice there. It's PERFECT. Also the crowds are typically very small. In the first half hour there were only 4 old geezers (including me) on the ice. There were never more than 12 people on it.

Second, it was actually a very surreal skate. From having two of the four guys in full-bore hockey gear and not being very skilled skaters, to one fellow in bluejeans and a baseball cap, who juggling white plastic balls the entire time he skated, I felt that this skate was some sort of existential movie scene in which I was living.

Late in the session I skated up to the man who had juggled the entire time and asked him a few questions (who wouldn't!). Jerry claimed that he did it for a little more exercise while skating. We talked a bit more about the old days when we both skated on frozen ponds, and other topics.

Gentle reader, I knew you wouldn't believe me, so I asked Jerry if I could take his picture. Here he is:



I TOLD you the session was surreal!

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Bill Schneider

Yep, he's got a mohawk now. Was it still blue? I believe he dyed it about two weeks ago...still not crazy about it.

This looks like my kind of guy.

Gold Medal: Skated in Wisconsin for the first time ever today. The ice was in excellent shape. I wish they would kidnap whoever it is that takes care of the ice and send them to California. In return we could stop airing those "happy cows come from California" commercials. I managed to run through most of my tricks successfully

Also Skated: I got fried in the sun here. It's decpetively cool while the sun is cooking you. The ice felt good, but afterwards, zowie

I was in such shock that I didn't really take note of the color, LOL! But I did notice a hint of some color in it. . . could definitely have been blue. . . faded, though.

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"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

Post competition, now starting to get used to my new Jackson Proflex and Matrix system Freestyle blades.

It is taking a while, but am finally managing to jump and spin in them.

Gold Medal
Being able to do dips so low that my butt is definitely lower than my knees.
The feeling of freedom that these boots bring.
Slight adjustment to R blade position meant I feel like I have some control.

Also Skated
one of the skating improvements commonly associated with Proflex boots is being able to get lower sit spins. Seems that I used pressure on the front of my old boots as a measure of where I was, and the new boots leave me all at sea on forward and back sits.

Still struggling with the take off on salchows and loops, but at least they are taking off now.

Silver medal
at least I am feeling more positive, that I will be able to learn to skate on these blades, which I didn't feel one skate earlier.

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Katz

Saved by Synchro!
I was over it, now I'm into it again !

Gold Medal: Biellman spin!!!!!

Also skated: I had a dream that I did one. I woke up thinking, oh man, so I can't really do one? LOL, well, it was really good in the dream. Almost as good as my triple axel dream.

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Revised Official 2010 Goals checklist
Skate __
New boots __
(lowering the bar for 2010 as I haven't skated in a year)

Gold Medal:
This is for yesterday, but I survived my first power skating class. I had tried one years ago, but thought it was too much for me. Now since I'm going to AN next year, I thought this would help me get more power on the ice and better basics. I saw where my weak points are and what I need to work on.

Also Skated:

I was pretty sore after class yesterday. When I woke up this morning with all intent to attend a morning freestyle at another rink- the thought came to me that I not only have to train hard, but train smart. Given that I had skated Saturday morning, did the power class yesterday and will skate tomorrow with a lesson with Secondary Coach, I decided to take today off.

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Adult Nationals, 2009 "The Time of My Life"

Gold Medal: Best practice in months! I worked hard, which I haven't done lately. Was determined to work both moves and FS since it was a fairly empty public session. Power pulls were better, 8 step is ok but not passable yet (too long on some beats, but it's fast), RBI 3 turn was better when I really bent my legs. Did a couple of waltz-loops (determined to get that axel), two forward change edge spins, some loop-toes. Made progress on my flip again because I have a new ritual meant to bust through mental block: do a toe loop, then a loop, then a flip.

Also skated: however STILL did not do a true flip, but at least I two-footed some. This is frustrating me to no end mainly because it's simply ridiculous since I used to have a good flip. There's just no excuse for this, and I am really mad at myself. I did one good sit spin today but it was too high, so still unable to do a low one. Realized I have to work on these two things every single time I skate. Didn't work on spirals or camels today because of public session.

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Revised Official 2010 Goals checklist
Skate __
New boots __
(lowering the bar for 2010 as I haven't skated in a year)

Learned the Dutch Waltz with Jessi on Saturday morning. Had much fun in dance lesson!

And Milo turned a corner -- he still protested getting into skates, but the minute I set him on the ice he was as happy as could be. At the end of class, we got off the ice, then he looked at me and said, "Just a few more minutes, please?" So we got back out and he marched across the rink to check out the hockey boxes. And marched all the way back, too.

Gold-medal Had a ton of fun skating this weekend. On Saturday in dance lesson I learned the Dutch Waltz. I kept messing up the end pattern, but now I've got it down. We haven't added music in yet (which is good, because man do I take my time) but I think I've got the pattern. Taking the lessons with quarkiki was probably one of our best ideas ever

Today I had a 45 minute moves lesson and it was fantastic. The coach I worked with was really great (though I'm not 100% sure she is entirely clear on what is required for each move, as she is a new coach, but we had the rulebook out together, and anything that seemed odd we worked through it together) but she really gave me some fantastic advice on how to get these moves up to par.

Also-skated Dutch waltz- whose idea was it to make this the first dance? Getting it perfect seems like it will be impossible! Which leads me to believe that dance is going to be pretty much impossible. I'm doing the snowplow sam kneebends on my swing rolls- the one where you bend at the waist instead of the knees, and the last few seconds of the edge I really start wobbling. Although my progressives are improving on the circle in context they don't exist.

Moves- oh my goodness- where to start. I might as well forget everything I have been doing, it seems. I think the power crossovers are going to be the first two I get down, but nothing like how I was doing them. On the forward ones I had been stepping onto a flat and just hoping it passed as an inside, now stepping onto an inside generates a lot of power and I'm scared to cross. The backward ones once we worked on them I got a compliment on edge quality- but I need to "relearn" them this way. Back crossover to backoutside edge actually was reasonably good. She told me she doesn't think it matters if I rotate my head or not- and once I took that out they were actually pretty good. (Does anyone know if that matters to a judge? Given my injury, having to turn my head, especially on the left extension, really screws my balance. My old coach said it was an absolute must- this one doesn't think it's worth sacrificing edge quality/extension for). Power 3s were good, but scratchy on CW side and powerless on CCW side. 5-step mohawk is bad, but really the critiques lead me to believe they weren't my worst.

The worst of the day- I was a horrible chicken on my bad side 3 turns. Going into my moves it took me probably 10 false starts to get into it. I'm now doing a mohawk, which I actually dislike more, but could get into better to start all the crossover moves, but unfortunately I can't start power 3s like that. I don't know what happened, but I totally chickened out. I just could not turn. I'm sure the coach thought I was nuts.


My own practice- ran the Dutch waltz and the improvement from Saturday to Monday was noticable (and I remembered the end pattern). Worked on mohawks and 3 turns. Tried to do a few spins, but the force on my knee felt like someone was ripping it apart. Knees are really killing me today. Quarkiki- do you remember if I had a fall on Saturday? I don't know where this came from- I can barely bear weight on my left side if my knee is bent.

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-Jessi
What I need is a montage...
Visit my skating journal or my Youtube videos (updated with 2 new videos Sept 26, 2009)

I don't reall you falling. Maybe it was the full-rotation flip attempt??

ooh- I forgot about that. Should have added that to my post. I tried a flip for the first time Saturday

But no, I doubt that messed my knee up. Stupid knees.

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-Jessi
What I need is a montage...
Visit my skating journal or my Youtube videos (updated with 2 new videos Sept 26, 2009)

Gold Medal
Met up with doubletoe today I got my sorry butt out of bed to get to the 8:30 am freestyle to meet her. She is just as nice in person as on the board

I've definitely gotten better at fighting for my jumps. I had a few that I should have landed that I sat down on, but I had more that I should have fallen on that I managed to land.

Back sits were better today. I saw one on video that had a good 90 degree bend.

Landed a double flip. I thought I had totally lost that jump, but I did some decent ones today. I tried them from a 3-turn again, and that seemed to help

My back camels are pretty I was always worried that they were awkward looking, but I finally saw some on camera, and I'm pretty proud.

LFO Rockers--did some decent ones with doubletoe's help. It must be so funny to watch me do them though--trying to rotate my body through to hold that BO edge is such a struggle. I'm sure you can see it on my face.

RFO Rockers were good. I think they're easier because I'm used to holding the RBO edge for so many things, but especially the LFI swing choctaw--it's a similar feeling for me.

Also-skated
I didn't skate too well in general because I was super tired. I had prom on Saturday, and I am still recovering (not in the way most teenagers would be recovering after prom, just recovering from the lack of sleep). All of my jumps were a little off, but again, I still managed to pull out some landings.


Had a beauty of a fall on a 2loop. Apparently I was leaning too far back before the take-off, as I caught my heel/slipped off my edge. It was one of those falls where you are on the ice before you even realize what happened.

I was actually the queen of random falls today. I fell checking out of a back-scratch, coming out of a camel spin, that double loop fall...I guess I was tired...

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Youtube Videos

That's one of the scariest and hardest falls you can take. You set up for a loop and suddenly, wham! You literally pile drive yourself into the ice and it's totally unexpected and happens so fast you're in shock. It happens when you lean so far on your edge you catch part of the boot. I'm suprised it doesn't happen to ice dancers more often.

It was so much fun skating with ibreakhearts today!! (Thank you for the double toe tips. I will continue to ask for more, I'm sure!) I'm bummed that I missed your double flip, but I did see a gorgeous double loop! And I wish I'd realized you just had your prom! I want to hear all about it and of course see a picture of your dress.

Gold Medal
- Had a great time meeting ibreakhearts! And it was fun to take time to play a little on the ice rather than worry about getting a program run-through in.
- I actually got around to practicing some of the Novice MIF and made definite progress on them.
- I was thrilled with my back sitspins and back pancakes! I used to mess up on the back sitspin entry 80% of the time, but today I managed to get into every one of them! The best part is that I know how I'm doing it so it's repeatable.

Also Skated
Worked on double toes on the harness with my coach and only landed one of them. I completely spazzed out on all the others!

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"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

I guess that means we'll just have to skate together again.

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Youtube Videos

Gold Medal: I managed to do some decent 3-turns! First attempt at them today, so I was pleased as punch! I'm also improving on my backward stroking and front crossovers. I still need to watch myself when it comes to pushing off with my toe, but they are improving. I know these moves are nothing compared to what many of you are doing, but baby steps, right? :-)

as for the other...well back crossovers need improvement and I need to work on proper body alignment!

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skating mom to 3 angels on earth and 1 in heaven

I had that type of all back in Sept 2005 when I first started getting the loop. I had a pretty bruised up hip and totally lost the loop b/c I was too afraid to lean back on that BO edge to try for the take off again. A year and a few months after that I finally got my loop back for KEEPS!!!

I skated this morning at YB knowing that my primary coach won't be there tonight on the Monday night skate. I opted to keep this session pretty relax and just to do "goof off" skating. (Meaning I did some crossovers work but not a lot...)

Also, there is an "incentive" for me to go in and skate this morning... keep reading...

Gold Medal:

• I signed up for the email newsletter for my home rink... a week before I got an email saying that if I print out and show this coupon between 10-11am on Monday's public session, I can get in the rink for FREE!!! It's only like $5.50 per session if I pay for it, but hey, $5.50 saved is $5.50 saved!!! (BTW: very FEW people actually knew of the deal and went in on it. Too bad!!!)
• Well, the mentioned loop was pretty steady...
• I am starting to get some pretty low sit spins now...
• I am starting to get some FO brackets now. They're wimpy, but they're legit ones and yes, there are eyewitness of this happy event too!!!

Also Skated:

• Loop-loop wasn't happening...
• Pretty much the flip and lutz had its quota. After about the first two, both left to go partying...
• Now that I got this nice low sit spin comes an interesting problem: HOW DO I GET UP FROM THIS THING!?!?!?! It's proven to be quite difficult to do so on one leg. I mean I barely get up enough where I can bend my free leg to push myself back up again!!!
• Camel non-existent...

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Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

Also Skated: Husband's free programme wasn't the best run-through ever. In our free dance, we messed up the spin, and the coach didn't like the steps after it (which he choregraphed), but we're not changing them at this stage! There was time to do some exercises in waltz hold, which did not go well.

Gold medal: Everything else went relatively well, we ran through all our dances. After Husband had gone I actually did a bit of work for a change, and just before I got off, I did a solo British Waltz and actually got some flow into it. It wasn't nearly fast enough, but it moved, and it wasn't just on the spot, and I was able to do it a lot faster than I thought I could! With a partner, I don't have a problem - but maybe, just maybe, after all these years, I'm finally beginning to be able to turn solo while moving!

Whereupon I decided to let well enough alone, and got off!

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

Did I miss something (which is completely possible!!)? Did you pass your Intermediate??????

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Skating Dreams

"All your life you are told the things you cannot do. All your life they will say you're not good enough or strong enough or talented enough; they will say you're the wrong height or the wrong weight or the wrong type to play this or be this or achieve this. THEY WILL TELL YOU NO, a thousand times no, until all the no's become meaningless. All your life they will tell you no, quite firmly and very quickly. AND YOU WILL TELL THEM YES." --Nike

Also skated: My last post for awhile.....

Edges, deep edges, and nothing but the edges, so help me gawd! Well, ok, a few spins, some footwork, and a couple of Waltz jumps thrown in with some alternating FOXs but mainly edges and mostly backward.



It has been a tough four months! With repeated sinus infections, disappearing energy (high blood sugar from repeated illness) I lost so MUCH of what I had in mid-January and Adult Nationals was pretty much the low point (physically). Most of the last four months have been a constant struggle to get it all back, which I haven't - Sit Spin and Toe Loop are still missing The only improvement is back edges which are leaps and bounds better than last winter. Not much to show for all the effort and 4 a.m. mornings.....

After the long struggle my "zip" has zapped, my "drive" has driven, and my get-up-and-go done got up and went so it is time to take some time away from the ice. Being the busy time of year at work (construction season) and with June ice-times seeming uncertain, it is time to take some time off and try to find the rest of my life (which I left behind 2 years ago). Hopefully, by summer school in July, I can regain my direction and find the lost zip, drive, and go. I HAVE to have something better to take to Nationals next year!

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Dianne
(A.O.S.S.? Got it BAD! )