Ups and Downs

I saw a quote recently that said "If there are no ups and downs in our lives, we are dead" with a picture of an EKG. In that instance, you really want those ups and downs.

In skating, well, not so much. Have you ever worked so hard that five hours later, your body is still angry with you? That was me, last week. Maybe it was because my main coach had been to the Governing Council. Or maybe it was because my former coach was on the session (after years of telling me she couldn't get there at that time...) and I felt I had to prove something. Or maybe if was just because. No, the real reason was a quote from a motivation video I watched: Train insane or expect the same I love that feeling when I've worked hard and things start working. It doesn't matter if it's skating, working out or dropping a pound. It's that wonderful feeling of accomplishing something after weeks, months and years of disappointment and frustration. And it feels good. Sometimes a little painful, but good.

There are so many things I'd like to accomplish this season, beginning with, of course, training, practicing, testing and competing. Having missed so many Adult Nationals, I just want to compete in 2023. I even found out what the dances are for Bronze Solo Dance. Right now, I can do one of them. The other doesn't look too difficult; I just need to pass the last two Pre-Bronze dances (curse you Swing Dance!!). Yes, things were looking up. Then the down occurred. The following week, although I had skated a session where I did nothing but three turns, come time for my lesson and those turns went to visit someone else.

I was told to work so hard that I should be sweating after each and every session. Since it's getting warmer, that's actually easier than I thought. However, while my Moves coach has surgery, she expects me to have these sloppy three turns corrected upon her return... in two weeks. My jumps were working, until my lesson, where my jumps and spins decided to go have coffee together. And they didn't bring any back for me. Either there was height and no rotation or rotation and no height. I did a toe loop that neither I nor my coach were quite sure it left the ice. My sit spin sat and spun but didn't get back up. I had eased up on my off-ice training, which I now see was a mistake. You know how you're told not to compare yourself with others? It's easier when everyone you know ISN'T featured on Adults Skate Too or the USFS Instagram page. Seriously. Six people in the last eighteen months. How is that even possible? No, I don't want to be featured, but three of those people started skating eighteen months ago and have left me in the dust! Okay they're younger and thinner, but still... Yep, life has it many little ups and downs. Let's hope there are more ups in the future than there are downs. Unless it's a sit spin. If that's the case, get down as far as you can and still be able to get up.