No heat-wave here - and we froze in the rink at Villard-de-Lans on Saturday, although it was a bit better on Sunday. Monday in Dijon was wonderful, though, but today in London it's grey and cloudy, although warmer than it was when we went away.

Cool ice: Felt that I skated really well in my lesson and practice afterwards.

Burning heat: My thumb still hurts a lot, and it hurt to drive home (Husband drives down), largely because it hurts to turn the handbrake off! But I managed. Am not looking forward to partnered work, though.

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

Oh how I hate falls like that... and now that I have several herniated disks (including a couple in my neck) and being 5'10", falling straight down scares me. I now always wear skatingsafe tailbone pad - have you tried it? Thankfully it's very rare now that I slip straight off the backs of the blades, but couple times that I did, the pad made a huuuge difference. Granted, I always end up with a sweaty bum and I usually need to adjust the pad quite a few times during the session, but I rather put up with that than risk more injury.

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--renatele

No, right now I don't use any sort of pad, mostly because I don't fall much.(Like this fall was just a standing up doing nothing fall). I'm not training doubles or anything like that- so I'm not sure about the amount of money they cost. (Though the cost of the injury is certainly much higher.)

I think I'll do some forum searchs and see if I can find some information about the different brands. Rainbo sports has a few kinds that seem less expensive- but I'm wondering if it's because they are a lot thicker- and noticable. I'm already quite pear shaped- I don't really think my figure needs to look any more padded than it already does! (Though my bones would probably appreciate it.)

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

I second the SkatingSafe Tailbone pad. I actually have tried it... literally tried it. Yup! Took a whomping fall on the tailbone and it was my FIRST DAY with the tailbone pad. After the initial 5 minute sting, I was fine and finished the rest of the session (including the God awful lesson with... Mistress Coach I believe at the time) with pretty much no pain.

Skittl1321: If I were you... I would go to a doctor and rule out the possibility that you did NOT fracture your tailbone... for your peace of mind and all. If you are having trouble sitting down on your tailbone... that is a warning flag for me. (I had a similar thing too MANY YEARS back and it DID turn out to be a hairline fracture that I had...)

Burning Heat:

Secondary coach started me on 3's in the field for the Silver Moves test!!! AI YI YI... Needless to say, it was a disaster with the BI3's since I barely got that one.

Cool Ice:

I did get ONE stinkin' BI3's on the pattern towards the end though...

Burning Heat:

Of course, I'm too chicken to try to do the BI3's at speed right now... and unfortunately I NEED speed to get thru that pattern!

Cool Ice:
Did my very first session with my new choreographer and I already LOVE the choreography he did for me.

Burning Heat:
Unfortunately, the music has to be cut now... and he does NOT cut music! (I know! I know! What kind of choreographer is he if he doesn't have software and CD player to cut music with!?!?!? ) Secondary coach will be cutting the music.

And depending on whose perspective... it's cool ice or burning heat. (It's burning heat for me since I have too much on my plate as is... one of my goals is to get started on Silver Moves this year.) I'm doing the ISI World things in San Francisco. My debut for the new interp program will not be at Skate San Francisco but at the ISI World thing instead... ONE MONTHS earlier!!! Our esteemed skating director kinda "nudged" me into doing it and this time I told him to talk to my secondary coach about it. She said "Why not? You're working on a new program. Just do artistic and debut the new interp there!!!" Ooooohkay... Looks like primary coach will be doing more coaching and hair for me....

Meh... I started the choreography now and it should be done by August... and frankly I need something fun to do this summer to keep me out of trouble!!!

__________________
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!!!

[Cool Ice]
Wasn't supposed to have a lesson with coach last night, but someone didn't show up, so I got my 45 minutes which is good because coach won't be there on Thursday.

We worked on moves and while it was painful, it was good because some things started to click...let's just hope that they still click on Thursday...

[Burning Heat]
Axels and double sals...I get the height, but my legs don't cross and pull in and my arms are a mess...

I agreed to go to the 6:00am session on Friday...why? why? why? Coach is picking me up at 5:35am... why? why? why? well....I figured that I will need to skate that early come fall, so I might was well start to get used to it now... why? why? why? ugh.... coffee is going to be necessary....

__________________
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

You didn't time it wonderfully, weather-wise...Sunday, Monday and yesterday were beautifully warm and sunny

Cool ice: Coach was making claims of a breakthrough on my very inconsistent back crossovers this morning. I was desperate not to jinx it by agreeing too much with him but they were strong and smooth again this evening. I am starting tentatively to hope that this actually is the progress I've been waiting for on these.

Burning heat: I was so happy about the back crossovers that I remember nothing bad at all!

Cool Ice:

Finally worked with Primary Coach on jumps. She figured out how to make my waltz jumps and salchow higher.
Squeaked out a small, but there loop/toeloop combo.

Burning Heat:

I was under the wild impression that the rink would be empty because of it being the last week of school. Boy was I wrong on that one- the rink was mobbed. We also did not get a ice cut today for whatever reason.
Jumps need work still, period.

__________________
Adult Nationals, 2009 "The Time of My Life"

First day back on the ice after just over 3 weeks...

Cool ice: Jumps were ok. Didn't work on axels but everything else was decent. Not quite as good as before my hiatus, but not horrible. Also did a few pretty good laybacks, camels, and the best camel-catch foot I've ever done.

Burning heat: The rest of my spins. And my program. It sucks and I have approx 17 days to get it back together for GRO (on limited ice time). Didn't have time for my MIF other than the choctaw pattern, didn't have time for dance (only an hour session). And they have a learn-to-skate class going at the end of the rink for the first half of this session...what the heck is up with that!?

__________________
2010-2011 goals:
Pass Junior MIF test
Don't break anything

Was that my rink? A friend told me HelenC, a few others she knows, and someone fitting your description were on one of our morning freestyles. Any chance you'll be coming round on a Sunday? Sat & Sun publics have been relatively empty.

Thank you

Good luck on Monday.

Cool Ice:
I did get to the rink yesterday and today. RBO threes are feeling really good and I'm starting to do them with more confidence. BO eights are becoming easier as I adjust to the position after rotation. Although I knew there was no way I could do double three figures, I attempted both R & L FI doubles, and at least was able to do all turns and in approximately the right places.

Burning Heat:
Younger DD went with me yesterday, so not only did I not skate for 2 hours, but I also spent too much time watching her (which is a rare treat these days). Today I spent too much time with one of our teenaged helpers, who was interested in figures, and other stuff. It's fun to compare notes, etc, but I really practice better with no distractions.

Today's LBO threes felt forced and slightly off balance and I couldn't do them except by doing a LFI 3 first.

All of a sudden, I'm having a problem with the RFO circle on FO eights. Just before the halfway point, I feel my foot press on the arch and have to struggle to hold the edge. Part of it, I'm sure, is my free hip and shoulder, but I'm worried that some of it is also the boot. I have an appt with Klingbeil tomorrow morning for heel issues, and will have him look at this too.

__________________

Cool Ice: Not too much to brag about this week so far. Got my toe loop back after missing it for 2 sessions. The loop seems to be making progress. Did 1 or 2 decent axels. My waltz jumps have been getting pretty good distance (> 7feet) lately.

Burning Heat: Jumps and spins haven't been very good this week. I fell on a salchow and re-ripped open a scab on my forearm (that I originally got from an axel). Now I have a nice 3 inch gash on my arm

What's this ISI thing in SF?

spirals much better today, free leg is high enough and they were faster. coach says the crossovers along the short side of the rink are still not fast enough.

BXO's to outside edge was better, we scrapped the 3turn entrance though, and will just do 2 backward pushes.

outside curves were okay, coach is being quite picky about them as all her skaters have got compliments from the judges about their edges and she wants me to get the same! i think they are passing standard atm but she wants them even better.

inisde curves - same story. need to make sure that i use the full 1/2 width of the rink, and get really good pushes.

crossovers in a figure of 8 - the actual crossovers were good, and the 1st circle was faster today than monday so coach was pleased with that. BUT still need to somehow slowdown after the forward fig of 8 before doing the 3turn into the backwards ones! i have wayyy too much speed, so the 3 turn is kinda jerky. need to work on making BXO's silent.

i think its mostly presentation things and nitty gritty, putting the finishing touches to it.

slowly getting used to the sharpness of my blades......

not doing any freestyle till after the test - too scared about getting injured right before the test. Plus i have exams at college so i really dont need an injury right now.

6 skates and 2 lessons till test day eeek!

It's the "ISI Adult Championships." It's back in San Francisco this year!!! And I can't wait to watch our ISI 10 FS guy do his thing. (BTW: for those who don't know... he's our esteemed skating school director too!!! )

The thing is... I wasn't even planning to do this event!!! I mean, I thought about doing it but thought I had too much on my platter to consider entering this event too. But the compromise is for me to do my one "artistic" number and that's it. I will likely go in as an ISI FS 3, just so I don't get too freaked about it.

Burning Heat:
I don't *get* my primary coach!!! The entire lesson he goes and have me do something, then comes back and makes snide comments... but doesn't have me go back to try to fix it!!! Instead, he has me doing something else!!! I DO NOT GET THIS ENTIRE LESSON!!!

Other that that, we did more speed drills today. Forward crossovers, FI mohawk, back crossovers. At one point he got sneaky and yelled "Loop jump" on my back crossovers!!! (I was doing the prelim moves back crossover exercise.) Of course, I wasn't expecting this and went "WHA!?!?!" And then when it registered, he said "You're CHICKEN!!! All I said was to do a loop from the back crossovers!!! What's the matter? Too much speed??? Afraid of falling???"

He IS NUTS!!!

Cool ice:

Welll, I'm skating on it??? And he did admit my crossovers are MUCH MUCH better now!!!

__________________
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!!!

Oh man I am dying to go! Dying to go back to SF period and I heard ISI adult championships are really fun. Would love to see your ISI 10 guy too.

You should compete in ISI FS4! You have your flip and loop. You can't skate up in ISI so no worries about people doing more than that - there will be no lutz or axel in ISI FS4. The worst part about FS4 is that dance step sequence w/two back inside 3s and you'll have that too (people compete with small lobes...I did, anyway...though they are all supposed to be even)

You'll see a look of joy and relief on every ISI FS4 competitor's face once they finish that RBI 3 in the dance step sequence, lol.

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

Well, we'll see if he's doing ISI FS 10 this year. Right now he has a slew of women emailing him to ask if they would do a pairs skating with him!

The flip and loop and skating up is NOT what I'm worried about. The #$*&% ISI FS 4 dance step sequence is what I AM worried about -- I barely have those BI3's now. Never mind that I don't have a half loop either...LOL!!!

__________________
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!!!

Cool Ice

I survived 4 days of Skate Camp...every day 20 minute warm up, 25 minute off ice jumps, 1/2 hour power or moves and 1 1/2 free style. Okay I never managed to skate the entire hour and a half after class but I did pretty good.

Yesterday last day (we have another week in two weeks) and I manged to do the Swing dance to music, mohawks and all and all, no slowing down on time

AND I manged a couple of spins with my leg in front!! First I tried it with my oith my old two foot entrance to get used to it. Then I managed to do it with a one foot edge entry. Now I have to coordinate pulling my arm in with my leg.

Cool ice: I finally got my figure blades mounted on my old boots. Tried to do some figures - yikes!!! Where is that darn toe-pick when you need it?

I finally found the balance and the toe-pick and the blades are very very nice. I wasn't able to do turns (yet) but did some 2-footed LBI3s and they are going to be very much cleaner turns than when I do them in the short dance blades, so that is great!

Burning heat: The old boots that I mounted them on are SO old and floppy and very tight on my feet. The leather has gotten completely stiff (especially the tongue) and all of the foam-rubber stuff has flaked off the tongue. I'm thinking I'd like to try to find another pair of old boots to put them on OR getting the tongue replaced or at least re-lined.

Does anyone know how I could get that done? Would just a regular cobbler be able to do it or would I have to go specifically to a boot-maker? They are SP-Teri's but I don't think Teri would do it because the boots are about 18-years old.

I may be going to NYC sometime this summer - do you guys have any skate shops where they have loads and loads of used but good skates for sale? I would love to try someone else's old floppy skates maybe more than trying to fix these...

Getting fixed up for figures is harder than I thought it would be. It makes me want to just put a pair of FS blades on my dance boots and forget the whole dance blade thing (which I've never really felt completely sure about except for the whole not-stepping-on-my-blade-thing) and just use the same pair of skates for Dance and figures - funny to think that to do that I would have to use a FS blade -- since I don't do any FS although I've also been thinking of trying to do some FS again...

Decisions, decisions.

__________________
Is Portland the only city with it's own ice-dance website? http://www.pdxicedance.net/

I once used molefoam to reline a skate boot tongue. It lasted several years and is something you could do while waiting for a better solution.

__________________

Wednesday skating with the synchro team we did some power work. Gosh I need help! It just really highlighted how bad my skating is. I just left with a discouraged feeling. The worst is back cross rolls. I can't even set my foot down.

Today there was no ice- the rink lost power last night and melted. They expect to have ice tomorrow morning. My dance lesson tomorrow has been canceled as my coach is helping a friend evacuate her home. Supposedly we are having LTS- and I've offered to substitute (I don't usually teach Saturday) because my home shouldn't flood, and so many of the roads and bridges around here are closed, so I don't know other coaches will get in. I do not at all understand why LTS hasn't been canceled, and don't see anyone showing up- but getting to the rink isn't an effort for me, so I'm going to be there.

So far, I'm relatively unaffected (work has shut down), but the flooding here is just unimaginable. Flood waters have roads closed less than a mile from here- but our elevation is a good amount higher, so I'm not too worried yet.

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

Thanks for the tip - I figured someone out there had done something about this... the skates look pretty sorry, but I think I could squeeze a little more life out of them.

And hey - maybe a NYC meetup sometime this summer?
Lisa

__________________
Is Portland the only city with it's own ice-dance website? http://www.pdxicedance.net/

You could always order a tongue from SP Teri to replace them. Take them to a shoe repair place to have them removed and replaced

I would love to! I'm going to be away from 7/19 thru 8/9 though. Just decided tonight to take 3 weeks vacation. I really can't afford it, but business will be so slow (and no classes) the first week of August, that I may as well just stay on camping. Do you know yet when you might be coming?

Cool Ice:
RBO threes felt so good that I started doing LFI3/RBO3 on the line - just in case I ever pass Prelim MIF. Have been having trouble holding the RFO on the FO eights, and somehow, just a word from my coach put it right. I also got all the way around both circles on the BO eight in my lesson. We spent almost the entire rest of the lesson on FO threes, which are so immensely better, but still not perfect.

Burning Heat:
Coach took a quick look at spins, and I commented that I thought my blade had a glitch in it up by the spin spot. She checked my blades out, and yes, the genius sharpener simply stopped, leaving about 1/2 inch unsharpened right in front of the toepick, and there is a bit of a bump there too. I'm hoping I can fix it with the ProFiler. Coach thinks he was afraid of getting the toepick.

__________________

For Thursday and Friday:

[Cool Ice]
Had a 15 minute lesson with Coach on Friday morning. We worked on axels and double sals. Axels were much better...Coach let out a little yip when I actually crossed my legs on one of my axels...she says that I am getting tons of height on both jumps, it's just my legs and rotation speed that is screwing me up...I think we finally got my arms sorted out on the double sal, which is good.

Moves are feeling better...still not where I would like them, but I keep working on them

[Burning Heat]
Skated yesterday at 6am...first time I've done that in a long time...it was good though...a wonderful way to start my day...as long as I have my coffee...Coach and another coach were laughing because I had my coffee cup and my water bottle on the ice to dehydrate and then to hydrate

I am currently fighting with some of my spins...particularly the back camel...

__________________
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

Doesn't everybody do that? I always do!

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

Heat (I guess that's the bad one?)--failed my Kilian test today, due to a disastrous skate. I had a really long off-ice warm up in an effort to have my knees ready to bend once I got on the ice, and then found I maybe overdid it--my legs were so tired & sore! But on top of that I plain ol' freaked out & did not skate with any confidence at all. I barely got onto the edges (judges all remarked it was too shallow), and I totally stumbled over one of the choctaws. ONE pattern on the solo was actually good, but one out of six isn't going to get the job done.

I'm so discouraged with myself; I didn't used to be this much of a head case on tests. And I can't even tell until I'm actually on the ice, and it's like, "well, I guess I left my knees at home today." And I don't seem to be able to pull it together fast enough to make it work. I can skate this dance so well in practice.

I'm going to try some things--coach wants a true warmup off-ice every time I skate (I don't usually do that) so I'll get used to it. And for myself I think if I lose 10 pounds it might help. Therefore, since ice cream is off the list for awhile, I'm going to go console myself with.....rice cakes.