I strained my groin doing spreadeagles . . .

You try explaining that to someone who doesn't know a thing about skating!!!

I skated at Lee Valley on Saturday morning and did lots of spreadeagles - the next couple of days? Oh good grief - I was hobbling around terribly!!! I must have pulled a muscle in my groin, but it took a couple of days to get better. Oh well, I was back on the ice last night, without too many ill effects, so the worst of it is over!

Main focus this week has been carrying on with mohawk work, doing them in isolation and in all the exercises that I know for inside mohawks. And it is definitely working now - my CCW mohawks are speeding up, and my CW are becoming more consistent, if not as fast. On the 5-step mohawk exercise, one side is getting there, and the other side is catching up. Once that side has caught up, I will start working on getting a bigger pattern and more speed.

Having a odd thing with spreadeagles - they are getting bigger and faster, but only when I do them curving towards the barrier. I don't have to touch it at the end, but I seem to be "setting" myself by it. When I do it away from the barrier, I lose confidence somewhat. Oh well, I will just have to edge it away bit by bit. Overall though, I am quite pleased with them.

I have been quietly working on my entrance into a one foot spin with the simple push off from the line and then curving on the FO edge, and bringing the leg round. My free leg doesn't feel quite so superglued behind me now as my hip is learning to drop just a little more (rather than being hitched too far up) so is coming round a little more now. I think this is just one of those perserverance things, till I learn how it feels and not to be offput by the slight whippy action.

I can't wait for my lesson this evening - I haven't had one for THREE WHOLE WEEKS!!!!