Working at the ice rink ice rink ice rink....

So, it's week one of the new life schedule...and um...yeah my body does not like being awake at 4:30. However, there was some way positve stuff this morning. First, my commute took less than 45 minutes-- woo hoo. Second, i got to see the sun rise. Third...i got to skate on a completely empty rink by myself. It was so wonderful to just be able to close my eyes and skate...just skate. When i'm alone on the ice, i'm not old and fat and out of shape and "that damn lefty"...when i'm by myself? I'm just me...skating. It feels so good. I'm looking forward to tomorrow morning when i can be alone again. Apparently, the kids don't really start arriving until 7 or 8...so the first hour or so of the session is nearly empty. This makes me very happy. So, basically, yeah I'm going to get paid to skate. I'm not sad about this.




I'm also amused by the number of kids who really believe they are going to be the next Michelle Kwan or Tara Lapinski or Evan Lysacheck. Seriously folks....out of the literal THOUSANDS (170,000 members of USFSA) of people who skate, 2 women and 2 men make it to that level every year. While many of these kids might have decent skating careers there might be 2-3 from our rink that even qualify on a national level at any point. I think the parents need a serious reality check and the kids need to either really focus on their skating or they need to acknowledge that they are a non-national level competitor. Some of these kids have zero work ethic and then wonder why their coaches get frustrated. Ah...oh well. It brings in money for the rink...the rink pays me...life is good.



I've got my fancy new employee id card for the park district now, so that means i can use all the facilities....which is awesome...so in my downtime between ice- monitor shifts, i'm going to try to use the gym facilities. In addition to skating, if i add some weights/resistance training, i think my weight loss will be accellerated and my skating will probably improve more quickcly which would be really nice. I just don't have the brute strength necessary to haul my ass off the ice for my jumps, so added strength would help.



I'm also going to be getting this fancy thing called a regular pay check. I've kind of forgotten what that is, but i'm kinda excited to be reminded.

Giving it another shot ;)

So, with much trepidation, i decided to try Sychro for another season. This time however, it's an ALL ADULT team (no obnoxious teenagers) and required an audition to join. I made the team, and have been going to practice. And wow, things are different this season. Most of the changes are with me...




1. I'm more physically fit and nearly 40 pounds lighter than last season. I can make it through a whole practice... a WHOLE practice without stopping, without being out of breath, and without needing to puke from exertion.



2. I'm a better skater. Last year when i started, it had been 9 years since i had last been on the ice. This year, i've been skating regularly and have been working on my skills so the things we're doing in synchro aren't as much of a challenge to me. In fact, i'm able to do things the other skaters can't (like an Ina Bauer and realy pretty spirals and even chochtaws). I even had a teammate last night tell me "you're really good".



3. I'm more confident. I feel good on the ice. We practice at the rink where i work, so it's my "home ice" and i feel like i know what i'm doing and that i can learn what i don't know. people on the team are looking to me for information and for help...they think i know what's going on. suddenly i'm not the worst/slowest/fattest skater on the team and am instead one of the ones the coach looks to for an example or for assistance.



but some of the changes are in my relationship with coach Karen. We've been spending more time together off ice and working together and she's my regular coach and suddenly she's getting it. She knows how to "coach" me now without making me crazy upset. She's also more patient this season so far...and more tolerant of folks who are struggling.





Last night we did calesthenics for 45 minutes...45 minutes! Running, lunges, spirals, jumping jacks, off-ice run throughs of the program. 45 minutes! I didn't stop, I didn't puke, I didn't die.



Then we practiced full speed for an hour...a whole hour-- with no water breaks. ANd i made it! I didn't have to stop and "breathe" or rest. I made it through the whole practice, even the 5 solid minutes of intense conditioning drills at the end (backwards cross overs full speed to the beat of music).... at the end of practice...after 45 minutes of calesthenics and an hour of practice...and i made it! I did it!



and omg today i'm sore. but it's that good "omg i did it sore" and i'm not nearly as sore as i was from practice 2 weeks ago.



I'm getting fit.

I'm losing weight.

I'm having fun.





Oh...and i'm working full time at the rink now.



Yay!

My first ice show as a "coach"

So, we had 3 days of ice show this weekend at the Rink plus a day of dress rehearsal. Things have been a bit rocky what with schedules and people being places and things going well. I've had to deal with a few angry/annoyed parents, but overall, it was rather fun. My favorite part was getting to skate with the little synchro girls...

It was so much fun to skate with these little ones...all about 5 or 6 years old and all full of personality. They skated to "Baby Love" and did a great job in the show! So much fun!

From Twitterland...

16:20 Sitting in the shade reading between skating sessions. My lesson went great until time to do my program. Calories burned, muscles sore. #


19:20 I spent 2 hours ice skating. 921 calories burned. #LoseIt #

21:36 I spent 1 hour ice skating. 460 calories burned. #LoseIt #

22:16 Yes, I did skate 3 hours and 45 minutes today. Burned more calories than I consumed. Finishing the day at -126 calories. #loseit
 

Loving my tots!

The skating job is going well. Right now I'm working 2 days a week, which is better than "We might need you we might not". This session of classes is about to end though, so we'll see what I'm offered for the next session. I've been teaching "tots", which is a class of about 25 3-4 year olds who are learning the very basics of skating. They are beyond adorable and you have not lived until you've done the hokey pokey on ice with me! It's big fun! I'm trying to get some private students as well, as that's what really brings in the cashola. My coach is also starting a "Masters level" synchro team. This team would have corporate sponsorship, would have no teenagers, and would practice at the rink where I work. This might be more doable...I am considering it, but have yet to make a decision. The exercise is sooooo good for me, but the drama...not sure...

Another night teaching...

So I got to teach again tonight and it went really really well. Apparently the parents are so impressed with me that they have asked Janice to bring me on as a regular teacher, and she agreed! So I'll definitely be teaching every Monday at least and hopefully will add more classes as we progress along. I love teaching! It's so much fun to work with the little ones, learn fun games to play on the ice, and sing silly songs as we go along.

Yay for the Hokey Pokey!

Well...I once said I thought I'd have made a career out of skating...

And now I'm going to have the chance to start. I'm starting to teach in the Learn to Skate program at the rink. Now...I have been a skater, and I have been a teacher, but I have never been a skating teacher, so this should be interesting to stay the least.

Tonight was my first night and I had so much fun. I'm helping to teach "tots". These are little ones aged 3-5 and they are just learning to skate. I love getting to work with them on how to march and how to move and how to play on the ice.

I'm sure there will be a lot to learn, but I'm so excited!