Now that the competition season is starting again, I was wondering what everybody's pre- and post-competition rituals were. One small skater of my acquaintance was bouncing up and down with glee on Sunday, as she knew that next day, as a post-competition treat, she'd get chips ("French Fries" in the USA, of course), as that was part of her family's post-competition ritual.

We always play "Maybe this time" from "Cabaret" in the car going to a competition:

"All the odds are in my favour
Something's bound to begin
It's got to happen, happen sometime
Maybe this time I'll win"

And on the way home, we play "We are the champions!" even if we were nowhere near being champion! But we were out there, and we did it, and that's what matters.

Oh, and I always have a hip-flask of whisky (no, I don't drink all of it, Stephen!) and some dark fruit and nut chocolate (if possible; if not, ordinary dark chocolate) to eat after competition and to stave off adrenaline crash.

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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!

I love your music selections, Mrs. Redboots! My daughter and I always used to get McDonald's chocolate milkshakes on the way home from a competition. Actually, we ate at McDonald's a lot during competitions - maybe not the healthiest thing ever, but cheap, and pretty much guaranteed not to upset her stomach. The shakes were always saved for a going-home treat, though.

Right before I would go out to skate (and I still do this for test sessions...which my coach was a little weirded out by), I eat a Twix bar...it gives me just enough of a sugar rush to help me fight off my mega-nerves....

Ooh, thanks for reminding me what I was missing this week as part of my competition checklist!

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Doubt whom you will, but never yourself.
"Do what you love, and you'll never have to work a day in your life."
-Haha, I've *arrived*! I am listed as a reference on Wikipedia.

Pre competition I am totally focused on "head space" and being ready. The day or two before competition I want LOTS of sleep and very quite. On competition day I am in a "leave me alone" mood and live under my MP3 player away from people and preferably out in the fresh air and sunshine. I drink lots of water and only snack lightly.

After my event, I hit the skater's lounge and eat them out of house and home and then look for a place to PARTY!

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

I've only competed twice, but so far my pre ritual has been: freak out and wonder how I can get out of it, obsessively re-tie skates, breathe deeply and eat power bar - Post: totally pig out somewhere...

for this next one I am so busy with work that my pre will likely be the same but my post will be: leave rink, totally pig out at home, do the work I had to take home

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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)

Don't laugh or anything-double quarter pounder with cheese, large fries, large coke, before and after the competition the day of my events. McDonald's is SOOO comforting.

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deannathegeek
"It's like trying to do a toe loop in hockey skates-you have to have the right tools for the job."

Pre-competition - Follow a detailed schedule that tells me when to be where and even what time I need to put my skates on (because I am so crazed and scattered that my mind goes blank!). If available, eat rice balls (like sushi, but without the raw fish) as my pre-competition meal, since they are light but provide good energy.

Post competition - Whine. . .and then, WINE!!

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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

Pre Competition: Play Nintendo DS & listen to music & sing along

Post competition: DQ & Get a Strawberry Cheescake blizzard

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Be happy and friends will follow -- Winnie the Pooh

It seems that my post-competition ritual has been leaving the rink WITHOUT my music!!!!

Luckily, my coach always checks and picks them all up for us (she has more than one student competing).

Before? I'm pretty set....eat no earlier than 3 hours (lite meal at that); no drinks within 2 hours only sips; warmup; must stay near coach; listen to music; be in my "zone";....must have mirror and check lipstick/gloss 50 times, etc.

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Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

Pre:
Eat something light about 2.5 hours before the event and THEN get my dress and tights on, then hair and makeup done then...

Note: Unfortunately, I didn't do that at my last comp b/c primary coach had to BARGE into the ladies locker room EARLY to get my hair done and I was CHANGING into my tights and dress!!! GRRRR!!!! (No, I'm not as concerned about him seeing me half nekkid... after all, he's one of us gals. But still... ) I think next time I will change in the ladies room stall and just be extra careful not to dunk the dress into the toilet...

Post:
Go home, eat, then take an hour to take all ALL THE BOBBY PINS primary coach puts on my hair, shower to get rid of all that hairspray he puts on me and then off to bed!!! I'm usually exhausted by then. (Of course, I wouldn't turn down an oppty. to go out and eat with a bunch of friends afterward either...but *sigh* it hasn't happened yet. )

Deanna: OOOOOH, the double quarter pounder with cheese is my dietitian's nightmare , but given all the training and stuff that I did, I would DEFINITELY add that onto my list of "to do" ritual when I get back. (Or at least a good hamburger with mushies, grilled onions, steak sauce... ) I've EARNED IT!!!

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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!!!

Man, one time I was at a competition and the snack bar never opened...and on the way home there were no places to eat!!! It was a Sunday evening so we had that to contend with...we didn't pass by a place to eat for about 2 hours!

If it hadn't been for a kindly skate-mom I would have passed out for sure! She gave me a snack to tide me over (and I learned my lesson).

Mapquest tells you what food places are nearby....and i USE that feature now!

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Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

Jazz - if you are going to AN we can go out to eat/drink after if you'd like? I will have my family with me but I can dump them. They don't mind, I've done it before! I am doing the Artistic Silver ladies III on Friday. Sooo...if you are still there, I'm up for it and anyone else who wants to join!!

Ok- Pre- Get to rink as late as possible ( I hate waiting around) warm up off ice, put on skates.. left one first or the world will end pace anxiously and try to calm down. Eat a zone bar or something light about 2 hours before and plenty of fluids. Go to the bathroom 100 times.

Post- Celebrate that it's over even if it sucked. Hey, it's over why not. Take skates off and try to stretch out again. Wait for results and make husband go look because I'm tired of seeing my name at the bottom and everyone all happy they placed. But, he usually gets it wrong so I have to go over there anyway! Don't get me wrong I'm glad for the people who place, I've been there too and it's wonderful but...I'd rather that someone else look for me. Or I'll wait till everyone's gone from the list. Then... I go out for a burger, fries, coke or even better some wine!!!

I try and get there early an hour at the least. Buy a program, check to see if they are running on time. Then I start stretching, some good old yoga posses. Then I get on my dress and tights. Touch up make-up and hair. Then I have motivational stuff on my i-pod. I then get my skates on and continue to warm up. Check the skating order, talk to my coach for final advice, and go kick butt.

Afterwards, hmmmmm. Review video and go over what was strong and make up a plan for the up coming weeks.

Nothing special, I guess, but hey it works for me.

Sounds good - here, sushi is the rice; you can get vegetarian sushi, which I absolutely adore!

One of the best pre-competition meals I've ever had was at a Creperie in Villard-de-Lans, and it was a pancake with goats' cheese, walnuts and salad - it was somehow just the perfect combination of nutrients. We will not discuss the 1/2-pint of beer I had at the same meal (Beccapoo, who was with me at the time, sensibly refrained), because, after all, I wasn't skating until 4:00 pm, so plenty of time to get rid of it.

That's one reason I usually have chocolate with me, to keep me going! And the amount of times we've stopped at a motorway service area to eat a ghastly sandwich, just to give us the energy to get home..... There is one competition I do that I know you can't get food there, and the competition organisers remind us of this when they send you the schedule, so I always take a substantial picnic. And last year we walked into the town to get ice-cream at a place that the regular skaters always rave about, and that was good, too. But for that competition, we know we won't be able to eat until we get home, and plan accordingly!

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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!