Morning skate

Tut, tut - I have been rather lax in updating my blog this week. In fact, I have skated four times this week, but . . . sob . . . I have no lessons until the week after next - various circumstances this week, and D at the Mountain Cup next week.

This morning, I took the bull by the horns and skated my first morning patch ever. It was a struggle to get up for it (took me about half an hour to drag myself out of bed), but it was so worth it. Just three others on the ice, quiet, lovely ice (by Ally Pally standards anyway) and the sunlight streaming in, which I don't EVER see up there! I was frozen when I got on the ice (about 7.15), but after a couple of minutes, I was warmed up and much to my surprise, able to skate at that time in the morning!

This week I have been focussing on the same things in practice. Loads of mohawks - with about four different mohawk exercises, including what I presume is the five step mohawk exercise. Getting to quite like that one, and the speed is gradually picking up a little now, even though I don't always hold the exit edge as long as I should. But the faster ones are happening more than they aren't now, which is a reversal at least.

Crossovers have had attention as well this week, in all directions. Backward ones getting faster I think after we focussed on them in my lesson - getting more of a push off the outside foot, and more over the outside edge on the inside foot. I would like to get a wider step though. Forward crossovers and runs are going okay, but my CW ones do need some work. CCW are getting what feels like a much better underpush now, but I can't lean into the CW ones with the same level of confidence.

Other stuff? Hmmm - spirals going well, spreadeagles and Ina Bauers not bad (now I know how to get out of them safely, I am more confident going into them), usual stroking exercises and all my Level 1 Field Moves.

Spinning I am trying to get the free leg to the whole wind up thing - it is a little better, but I am hitching the free hip up terribly and my leg tends to get stuck. With one finger on the barrier, I can do it with my hip nice and loose, but somewhere my weight is off. But like I said, getting a little better and I have been assured by other adult skaters that spinning is one of those things where repetition really is key!

I ran through all of my dances today as well - it was wonderful to have room to be able to do the pattern twice and cover the whole rink on all of them! Canasta Tango is feeling better - last night I did it to music when it was on, and even managed to get the cross swingroll on the short axis in time, although in rather edited pattern. Dutch Waltz always feels lovely to do - my main grip is the CW run at the end of the long axis which feels rubbish compared to the ones in my stronger direction - but I do love this dance. Rhythm Blues feeling quite good, and I even did a Novice Foxtrot for the first time in ages, and the pattern if I do say it myself, was pretty good!!

So it's not been a bad week overall, and I think a few more morning patches will be in order. At this rate, I can see it going up to five, even six days a week! Time to start thinking about getting monthly passes every month now!