Click of Death

A few days ago, I was practicing back crossovers in the center when I had the dreaded 'click of death'. My back toepick had caught on the heel of my front foot.

I fell backwards and had to do some quick twisting to keep my head off the ice, then slid a bit before I came to a stop and ended up staring at the ceiling.

The next thing I know there's an 8 year old girl leaning over me with concern.

"Are you okay?"

My humiliation complete, I get up and start back crosses again.

Falling....while back stroking

How I feel, when I start to fall backwards while back stroking, catch myself, do a turn forwards during the fall....and stay upright.

(Sorry for the bad language, but I felt like this Monday)

So Much To Look Forward To....

I'm able to get back on ice! I know I should feel excited, but after a month off Ice I know what I have to look forward to.

Falls.

Sadly, getting up from the ice is a little pathetic. I have to roll on to my stomach, dig in a toepick, then push myself up from the ice by grabbing my knee.

All I need is an emergency button....sign.

I once had another skater tell me, "You're still getting up like a 5 year old in Snow Plow Sam. Let me teach you how to get up right."

I narrowed my eyes, "Sweetheart, I'm 40 years older and 40 pounds heavier than you are.  I got one way to get up. This is it."

But getting up from a fall is rewarding for me. After 20 seconds of struggle, I finally get back on my feet, there's a sense of triumph! How many of you younger skaters feel like that?

And when I get home after a freestyle I get to snuggle up in a nice warm blankey!

Ah, a snuggle and a nap...and Advil!

Looking forward to getting back to skating,  even with all the falls!

The "F" Word at the Rink

You're not supposed to swear at the  rink. Maybe it's because there are so many little monsters darlings around, that rinks have developed the 'no swearing' rule as a defense mechanism. Never mind that the some of the parents of children are slack jawed yokels who can't string together a sentence without dropping an f-bomb or two, coaches never swear, and adult students pick up on the rule pretty quickly.

I never ever swear on freestyle. Not once. But on public, I've been known to drop a bomb or two (it shocked my dance coach), 'cause on public with the music and the screaming.....

Meh, who can hear me two feet away?

Honestly, there's other F-words I'm more worried about hearing on the ice, and would rather never, ever hear....

Fall

Faceplant

Fail

After any of the above, I'm sure you'll hear a few F-bombs floating around.

If it's one of mine...pretend you didn't hear. Okay?

I Love It When a Plan Comes Together

This week was totally what my skating excursion two weeks ago had not been: This was my grand entrance! The president of the skating club gave me a hug, the rink manager who was working the register asked where I'd been, and the skating director told me they'd missed me. People came up and complimented my outfit. Then I got on the ice and I was solid, smooth, and graceful.

Okay, let me rephrase that.

I was solid smooth and graceful--as long as I was going forward. Going backwards: Meh.

Back crossovers. No enough curve, but crosses okay. Back stroking....sigh.... I fell.

This kind of fall.

 And what happened?
1. I rolled on my hip.
2. I hit my wrist guard.
3. I got my arm up to block my head from bouncing on the ice.
4. I got up immediately.

(Pandering to my U.K. readers)

I love it when a plan comes together.