Lesson time!

Today was my first lesson with Christopher since I injured myself back in September. Yay for guidance!

We started out by discussing the new skates. I told him that there is a lot of pressure from the boot on my right inside ankle so he suggested that I get it punched out. I then told him that I think the left blade needs to be adjusted slightly since I'm having a difficult time getting on my left outside edge. Since I have a temp mount, it shouldn't be a problem. He had me do some one foot glides for him and, sure enough, I veer to the inside on that foot. Overall, though, I told him that the skates were a good choice and they should start to feel better the more I skate in them.

Spinz - After discussing the blades, he wanted to see how I'm spinning in them. One-foot spins look okay (he actually said they look a lot smoother now!) so he wants me to start crossing my leg over for some scratch spins. We moved on to some back spins (ugh) and those are still wonky. It's not the skates, it's me. But! I had a bit of an "ah ha" moment today while we were working on them! He had me just do a backward glide in the backspin position and I discovered that my upper body is turning away from the direction of the spin! So, in other words, my bottom half is turning in one direction while my upper half is going the opposite way. No wonder my backspins are trash! So, he tasked me with just working on the backwards glides in the back spin position focusing on keeping my upper body in alignment. I really hope this fixes things.

Movez - Obviously, I'm not going to Sectionals in March because of being off the ice for so long and trying to learn how to skate all over again with new equipment so I told him that I would like to just focus on getting skills back for the next couple of months. Mostly, I just want to work on Moves for now and then when my skates are broken in and I'm feeling more confident, I would like to start a new program for competition next fall. He agrees with the plan so we started with cross strokes. I made some progress with these today! He wants me to stay away from crossing the free leg over and instead glide it across on the ice. This helps with that underpush as well. w00t! Next, we tackled some backward 3 turns (the outside ones). I'm pretty much coming to a stop once I make the turn so we worked on having me keep the free leg crossed after the turn and that seemed to help. I've been neglecting the BO 3 turns in favor of the insides because of compulsories but now since I don't have to worry about competing anytime soon, I can make more time to focus on these again. We briefly talked spirals before the lesson ended. Basically, he wants me to work on getting five lobes down the length of the rink.

I have quite a bit to work on for next week but I've got my fire back! I think the time I've spent off the ice forced me to just regroup and refocus. It's silly that it took an injury to get me to do this but I'm happy that I have a better mindset now!

Baby Steps

I got to the rink this morning for my 7:00am session but there was a hockey game on the Blue Rink and they didn't look as though they were finishing up anytime soon. The Red Rink was empty so it looked like they just got on the wrong rink. Regardless, there were about 7 of us waiting around for them to finish up so the zamboni could get the ice ready for us. Finally, at about 7:15, we were able to get on the ice. This really sucked for me because, even though the program director came out and offered to extend our time to give us all a full hour, I still needed to leave at my originally scheduled time so I could make it to work on time. So, I only got about 30 minutes of practice. Boo.

Movez - I felt more comfortable in my skates today so I was able to do more than I did on Wednesday. I focused almost entirely on Silver Moves. My RBI 3 turn is feeling like it used to in the old skates. It's pretty consistent. But, I completely lost my LBI 3 turn (not like it was awesome to begin with)! I spent a good amount of time working on these to get them to a point where they aren't entirely terrifying. I made some small progress. I also worked on the Cross Strokes some more trying to get a nice underpush going forward and a little bit better flow going backward.

Spinz - These happened. My one-foot spins are feeling better so I might venture out soon and work on some other types of spins. Getting used to actually having a rocker now is interesting.

Jumpz - I tried a loop jump today! The first one was small but I landed it and the second one was a bit of a flaily mess. I almost died. I moved on to salchows, toe loops, and....wait for it....flips! Nothing was beautiful but at least I tried.

So yeah, not a lot of time to really do much of anything but I packed as much as I could into those 30 minutes.

Officially Back!

I started the new winter contract this morning and it feels good to officially be back on the ice. I can't say I was awesome today but some progress was made.

New Skatez - This weekend, I replaced the laces that came with the skates because they were too wide. They were more like shoe laces than skate laces. I replaced them with proper skate laces and it makes all the difference. However, since the new laces are a bit shorter, I discovered that I can't use all the hooks on my boots at the same time. There will always need to be one set of hooks on each boot that goes unused. This is fine since the Premiere boot has like a gajillion damn hooks so it won't hurt to miss a set. So, now it's a just matter of choosing which ones to skip. I started out with all of the hooks laced except for the middle back hook but about 10 minutes into the session I realized I could not bend my knees. I got off the ice and relaced, this time using all of the hooks except the very top. That helped. I think I'll stick with this lacing pattern until things break down a bit more. Otherwise, the new boots/blades didn't feel as hurty as they did last time I got on the ice. It's still not entirely comfortable but it's getting there.

Movez - I started out with edges (forward and backward) before moving on to Bronze moves. I didn't want to just jump right in with Silver moves because I'm just not there yet so instead I worked on things that were more familiar. Once I felt comfortable enough, I dabbled in some Silver moves. I began with forward and backward cross strokes and then spent the rest of my time on FO-BI three turns. Let me just state that doing backward three turns was already a scary endeavor but now with new skates, the scary has intensified! I was able to get around on the LFO-RBI turns but not on the other side. I just need to get the feel for these blades.

Jumpz & Spinz - Seriously not a lot of time on these. It wasn't that I was scared to jump or spin, I just don't feel comfortable with these skates yet and I don't want to injure myself yet again. I did a few waltz jumps, one salchow that I fell on, a few half flips, and a couple of toe loops. They were all small and hesitant for reasons. Spins were okay. I just did a few basic one foot spins to get a feel for where my rocker is on these blades. When I hit the rocker, my spins are really nicely centered. Beautiful! I will venture out and do some sit spins, camels, and back spins on Friday when I go back.

Overall, it was an okay session. Not bad for my second practice since September. Once you factor in the new skates and the fact that I'm recovering from an injury, I think I did pretty well, actually. I'm back with Christopher on Saturday so I'm trying to get as much back as I can before then so I'm not a total disappointment.

Starting over yet again

The plan for today included me going down to the skate shop to pick up the replacement skates but I got a message from them early in the morning to tell me that the Jackson representative said that it was normal for the hooks to move a bit when you heat mold them. I was assured that the hooks are still stable and the skates are under warranty so if I have problems in the future, they will fix or replace. I wanted to get on a public session to start the process of getting used to new boots and blades but I also don't want to get hurt again so I double checked the stability of the hooks and they seem pretty solid.

I went to the Sport Stable for a one hour public session and had pretty low expectations for my first time out. I started with edges and then worked my way up to some crossovers and field moves. Once things started to feel okay, I did some small waltz jumps and a salchow or two. Here's what I've noticed: I HAVE A ROCKER NOW!!!! So, you know how my spins are super travel-y? They aren't anymore. I have a nice rocker now and I can easily get to it (and stay on it!). Every single one of my spins felt awesome! Another thing I noticed is that my edge jumps feel safe but I'm terrified of toe jumps. I did a toe loop by the boards and took a HUGE chunk out of the ice when I picked in. These cross-cut toe picks are super grabby and it doesn't seem like I need to pick in as hard as I did with my straight-cut picks. This will take some time to get used to. But damn, these skates are nice. I feel FANCY!

I ended up only skating for 45 minutes out of the hour because things started to hurt. Oddly, my injured calf didn't hurt at all but instead, my left leg where the plates and screws are was the area where I felt some pain. I think I need to play around with the lacing to see what's going to give me the support I need without putting too much pressure on that area. Once I get that figured out, I think I'll be in a good place with these skates. I was really expecting my most recent injury to give me grief but it actually felt good today. I've been keeping up with my PT so that's helped.

So, now I need to get signed up on the new contract and get back to my regular practice schedule and lessons. I've been doing a lot of thinking about Sectionals in March and I just don't think I'm going to do it. I think I'm out for the rest of the season (which sadly will result in a DNQ for the Adult Competition Series). This will give me some time to recover, work on getting back to basics, and work on improving skills to get ready for the next competition season. I don't want to push myself like I did over the summer. I was miserable and ended up with an injury. I need to rest my body, mind, and spirit so I can come back even stronger. I want to scrap the Star Wars program and start fresh next season with something new and different. I have a dress, I have music, and I have the desire to kick some ass!

New Skates, Who Dis?

I went to pick up the new boots and blades I ordered before I got injured. They are BEAUTIFUL! I got to the pro shop and my boots were thrown into the oven and, once they were properly toasty, they were put on my feet. However, when they were being laced up, the hooks on the inside of the right boot came loose! The hooks basically popped right out of the holes! Just my luck to get a pair of defective boots! Sad Panda. They were still heat molded and the blades were mounted but a new pair has been ordered. In the meantime, I'll skate around with these (carefully) to get used to the feel of them but I'll be going back on November 15th to do this whole process over again with another pair of boots that aren't falling apart.

So, he mounted the blades and then asked me to get on the ice to see how they feel. Oh boy, was that a terrifying experience! I have not been on the ice in about 6 weeks and I'm still not technically allowed to be skating yet so I was hesitant but I know it's necessary to see how the blades are aligned. I stepped on the ice and, like a beginner on their first public session, I was clutching the wall! Embarrassing! My ankles were so unsteady and my legs were shaking. I'm not sure if it was the fear, the injury, or the new equipment but you would think I've never stepped foot on ice before. Eventually, I was able to do some edges down the blue line and then brave a 3-turn and a mohawk. Man, this is going to be a process!

I stopped half-way through to re-tie. Because I'm going from Reidells to Jacksons, I expected things to feel a bit alien but I did not expect it to feel this....foreign. I know my ankles are supported but the ankle area has a lot more give than my old Reidells so it's a pretty scary feeling. So, I puttered around for about 20 minutes before determining that the blades are mounted well. I'm just going to have to go through an incredible adjustment period.

I don't remember it being so drastic last time but, to be fair, the last time I got new boots and blades was in 2005 in Houston and I was very much a beginner so it's not like I had any skills to lose. Last time, I pretty much went from rentals to real skates so it felt incredible and I was able to do so much more. But now, I'm recovering from an injury and on top of that I'm slapping completely different equipment on my feet. It's a lot to deal with all at once.

So, here are some pictures. I'm sad that these will be replaced with another pair of boots (I'll keep the blades) but I'm happy that I won't be starting out with a defective pair. OH! And he talked me into getting some insoles and holy cow those feel good! I never knew I needed them until he put them in the boots and I slipped my foot in. Like a dream! These are the ones I got. Highly recommend!

Free at Last!

I visited to the Orthopedist today and he has given me his blessing to take off the boot and start wearing regular shoes. In all honesty, I've been walking around without the boot for the past few days. It doesn't hurt much when I'm wearing shoes because those typically have a bit of a heel but walking barefoot still smarts. He said he wants me to start some PT for 2-6 weeks depending on how well I progress and then, toward the middle or end of November, I can get back on the ice.

My plan is to add walking back into my daily routine (I was doing 6,000 steps a day before the injury but I might now have to start slow and build back up to that), pick up my new boots and blades, and start back on the ice unofficially in mid to late November. Nothing fancy. Just edges mostly until I start feeling more capable. The last thing I want to do is re-injure myself and have to start from scratch. Then, I will make an official return to the ice in January (with a contract) and start back at lessons again. I figure two months will be enough to get comfortable again on the ice and get used to new skates.

I'm still planning on doing Sectionals in March and since I've been away from the ice I'll be keeping my Star Wars program because I won't have time to learn something new. However...I have ideas swimming around in my head for something fun for my next freeskate program. I already bought the dress and I'm thinking outside of the box on this one. Something....dark.

Update!

I had a follow-up appointment at the orthopedist's office today! He pretty much asked me if it still hurts and then felt my calf for a bit before making the declaration that I need to remain in the boot for another 3 weeks. At that time, he'll look at me again and consider removing one of the heel wedges in the boot to gradually get me walking normally again. This tells me he'll have me stay in the boot for some time after he removes the wedge. Sigh.

I'm getting around better, though, and he gave me his blessing to walk in the boot without having to use crutches. But he ordered me to rest when I can and avoid moving as much as possible. Basically, I should only walk when necessary.

I'm bored out of my mind, though. I haven't sat around this much in a long time. But, I'm getting a lot of reading done on the weekends since I really have nothing else to do on my days off.

So yeah, I'm still in the boot and then I'll be in the boot for some time after that. I am a prisoner of the boot...