I started in September 2006, 3 1/2 months before my 25th birthday. I'd only ever been on the ice twice before, once on artificial ice, and the other time at a birthday party where I didn't actually do much moving. I recently described to a coach at my rink the reason I took up was a "moment of madness"!

I started with group lessons, but they were not great and I was falling behind a bit, so I took up private lessons in the December to alongside them to get me back on track. However, I got addicted to them and in March, due to personal circumstances mainly, I ditched group lessons and took on two private lessons a week.

I am now on the brink of passing the first skate uk course (damn mohawks!) and we are aiming to start passport in the new year. We have already started on it a bit, as I was getting demotivated, but it will be good to be on it officially after my hard work, and it has been hard at times too! But I love it, am well and truly addicted and would happily skate every day. Unfortunately I have had a few health problems the last couple of months and spinning and jumping have been off limits for a bit, but I am hoping that I will be able to get back to them very soon.

I started skating at the ripe old age of 39.5ish, in May 2003, never having been on the ice before and never having been particularly athletic. It's been a long road. I have been prepping adult pre-bronze for about forever, I still am struggling with my 1-foot spin and darn inside 3s. But I have a wonderful, supportive coach and I love skating.

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Gordon Zaft
http://sk8rboi.blogspot.com
School figures are skating's equivalent of the Latin Mass.

I don't think I ever properly introduced myself here, so will grab this opportunity. I skated a bit growing up--maybe once a year or so--but I think my only accomplishment (and I realize now it's not a small one) was that I could skate forward unassisted. Didn't skate for about 30 years. Was a huge fan of skating on TV and it started to seem odd to love watching so much and not do it myself. So I started skating in Dec. 1999 and spent about a year and a half just skating on my own, getting my legs under me and reading about what to do on the Internet. Started group lessons at age 46 in June 2001. Switched to privates about 10 months after that and haven't looked back.

I've passed Silver moves, Pre-bronze free, and through Willow Waltz in dance. When I started, my goals were to feel confident and graceful (check, check, some of the time, at least). I've gone so much farther than I ever considered that sometimes I scare myself when I think about what I'm working on.

Johanna