Tired girlie

I have been completely exhausted all day. I have been training a lot people over the last week and a half, which I find very tiring and it is all catching up with me.

Still, off I trotted to my lesson this evening and although I was worried that D would have to push me around on my skates while I snoozed, it actually was quite a good class. We covered a lot, so be warned - this could take a while!

Perimeter Stroking: Not bad - my extension is getting better. I just need to work out how to turn my top half towards the "judges" on the final presentation, without veering off onto an inside edge!
Russian Stroking: D has explained to me where each step should happen in the pattern so it is making a bit more sense nowl This pattern helps a lot as well - I am taking my guide as the FI edge starting on the centre line.
Backward Russian Stroking: Well, whaddya know. I did a whole length, with D very near, but on my own! It must have been quite funny to watch - the whole length, my gaze was absolutely fixated on D's Bagpuss badge on her NISA jacket! Weight transfer is going well on these.
Forward Cross-rolls: Getting the hang of sinking down in my knees when doing the cross, and I am feeling a smidgen more power coming now. I need to place the crossing over foot straight onto the outside edge, instead of cheating onto the inside edge.
Forward Crossovers: CCW feels pretty good, CW not so good. D was pleased though. Since working on pointing my crossover foot in the direction of travel (rather than turning it out slightly), they are feeling much smoother.
Backward Crossovers: Progress is onward and upward. Today I did a full circle, on both sides, with no hands! It feels like finally (along with doing the backward Russian stroking) that my awful, illogical, mental fear that I have had with these might finally be lifting! On my weaker side, I still need to work on a good weight transfer and crossing that foot right over.
FI and FO edges: I really noticed not having practiced these recently. Main focus on these is to make sure that the free leg is extended to the same height both at the back and front, and that the same distance is covered before and after the free leg passes through. I also need to make sure that full semi-circles are completed, with the curve finishing at 90 degrees to the direction of travel.
3-turns: FO3's happened on the third time on each leg. When they happened, they were not bad - they will happen more often when I keep that weight over the skating leg! FI3's as dreadful as ever. However, in the patch afterwards, I finally got what D was telling me about keeping the free hip down, and they started feeling a lot easier. Feeling a little more encouraged now!
Mohawks: These were on holiday this evening. Don't know where, but I hope they had a good time . . .

I started a skating notebook about three weeks ago which I find very useful for jotting everything down at the end of the session. D also gives me 3 or 4 things that I can specifically concentrate on in my practice, which is very useful! Of course, me being me, it took me 4 shops to find a notebook that I like, with perdy flowers on it and everything :)

Off to bed now, even though it's only about half eight. It feels like I could sleep for a week!

OOOOH! I nearly forgot! D said this evening, that one of my main goals is to work on equal front and back leg extension on my forward edges. When she is happy, she is going to teach me the Novice Foxtrot! YAAAAAAAYYYYY!!!!!

I'm hopefully off to watch the British Adult Championships on Sunday as well, at Lee Valley. It's solo dance on Sunday, so it might give me a better idea of what to expect when I start doing competitions!