Ups and downs, that's how I can summarize this entry. I started out with a crummy night at gymnastics last week, and this really bothered me. I don't have huge expectations for gymnastics like I do for skating. I dont' test or compete gymnastics, I do it more for fun. But I also do it because it fills the void caused by a lack of skating. Learning a new skill in gymnastics makes me feel like I have accomplished something, which is something I haven't been able to do lately in skating. So when gymnastics went sour last week, that "failure" feeling started to come back. Not only was I not accomplishing anything in skating, but now I couldn't accomplish anything in gymnatics either. This sorta made me think about a few things though... first of all, I really don't have a lot of expectations for gymnastics. I hope to learn my backhandspring, and a few other skills, but in the end, I have no plans of ever competing or coaching, so I am more or less doing it to accomplish something for myself. Skating is different. My goals are to compete, test, and eventually start giving private lessons in addition to the group classes that I teach. That's the long term goal. At least I realized where my priorities are. So I decided that what I really need is regular skating lessons. Even 1-2 a month would at least give me something to work on. It's been probably 2 years since I had a "real" lesson. I am really at a plateau, and it is evident when I see how advanced many of the young girls I skated with 2 years ago are getting. I may be older than them, but in terms of skating abilities, I was learning jumps at the same rate, or a quicker rate than many of them were. So I know I am capable of learning more advanced skills, I just don't have the luxury of time and money to do it. If it takes me a little longer, so be it, but I have decided I need to start learning some new skills, as well as correct and perfect the skills I can already do.
So my new goal...with all that said...is to get back in the saddle and gear myself up for competing and testing. I found out, both to my dismay as well as relief, that the age requirement to test adult moves and freestyle is 25. I knew this was the requirement for competing, but wasn't aware it was the requiment for testing. Anyhow, that gives me almost 2 years to prepare, and I'd like to test up through bronze mif and freestyle. So there, that is my new goal, and I am gonna try to stick to it!
The only other skating note that's worthy of mentioning is that I felt brave and tried a flip-loop combo, because flips are my best jump. Now granted I cant' see what it looked like, but wow did it feel great. I had so much hang time in my flip, I felt like I was just waiting to hit the ground and add the loop jump. What a neat feeling! Too bad I can't even do a waltz-loop or loop-loop that well though!
Hope to update soon with some more news....will try to take a lunch break and sneak to the rink tomororw if I am not to busy!