Returning to the ice on Wednesday evening was exciting and fun. Fun because I really wanted to skate; exciting because I had just had my skates sharpened before the Christmas break and couldn't stop.
After running into the boards a few times, I decided to ignore my inability to stop on a dime and just enjoy my lesson. I have odd bad habits, like riding my toe pick before jumping so that I slow down, or not being able to do the simplest move if I think about it too much. However, Amy worked her magic and all but 2 of my moves in the field are almost test ready. To fix the others, I am using those moves to go into jumps, thus learning to do them faster and while not thinking: I'm too busy thinking of the jump.
Wish that I could bottle Amy and take her with me wherever and whenever I skate.e
That brings me to Sunday's session where I ice monitor. Today I have 20 minutes on the ice, however, I seemed to be unable to do anything productive. It takes me a long time to warm up and when a parent insists on having a conversation with you while you're trying to warm up, it defeats the purpose. This caused me to make a decision.
I told my co-monitor that because I was getting so little time on the ice, using carfare and waking up 3 hours before the beginning of the session, that I would finish out the month of January and no longer be the ice monitor.
I thought she would faint.
To be fair, she drives in and it takes her an hour to get to Manhattan on Sunday morning. If she had to monitor the 10:00 session, she would have to leave at 9:00 and hopefully, not hit any traffic.
I said I would figure something out.
Maybe I could get to the rink early and jump rope for 5-10 minutes before stretching, working my feet (my sister/roommate's term) and putting on my skates before my ice monitoring duties. This way, I'd be warmed up before hand. It's a thought. I'm really at a loss because while the club appreciates what I'm doing, my skating (at least on Sundays) is not improving at all.
I suppose I could try to get up at 4:30 and get to the rink before work. But 4:30?? Even the birds are still asleep at that time.
My confidence level has sunk to a new all-time low. I only feel good about my skating when I'm in lesson. I feel fat and clumsy and all out-of-sorts.
It'll get better; I know it will... I hope.
Ha! I love that your told her. Those are some good solutions too. If you get up at 4:30, you'll only be a half hour up before I am. : ) And in the summer it will be brighter earlier and won't seem so bad. I hope. I'm trying out the early morning thing for a month to see if it works. Benefit is maybe, maybe two other people on the ice tops.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you know it will get better. It seems to me that lots of skaters go through cycles of good and bad skating.
Wouldn't it be easier if the day started 3 hours later? I am NOT a morning person. If they only had evening sessions, I'd be so much happier.
ReplyDeleteI'll do the early morning if you do. Now, if it'll only stop snowing.