May 13, 2006

9:46a

I never wrote about my last skating lesson. The main thing is I passed both Basic 3 and 4 and got a little certificate to "prove" it. I also got a usfsa tracking book, patch and year patch. They didn't give us level patches though- I kind of wanted one of those. We also didn't get the usfsa membership cards, which bummed me out because if I had that I didn't have to pay the $5 registration fee in Troy on Monday to register for summer classes. On sharpened skates the class went well. Three turns and 2 footed spins still need work but they happen more frequently than they used to. The 30 minutes made my ankle hurt and tendonitis flare up. And while attempting to do backwards crossovers I managed to both click my blades (eek! didn't fall though, almost did) and swipe my blade over the toe removing a chunk of boot. Those crossovers are going to be tough to learn. Especially in just 4 1 hour lessons I get in Basic 5. I guess that means I won't be passing through the level. The skills listed are hard! Backward edges on a circle- my back glides don't last very long (although it's because I'm usually on an edge, so maybe that will work to my advantage) and I think there's a hop in Basic 5- I like my blades firmly planted on the ice... Anyhow now I'm going to go get fitted for skates. Strangely enough the ones I want are on Amazon.com- but only if I wear a size 5 or larger, and since 5 is my normal shoe size I bet I wear smaller. Anyway I don't think the $50 or so (w/o shipping) discount is worth not having a store who can heat mold them. I'm so nervous about not getting a pair that are good for me (I've heard Reidell's run narrow, and my little fat feet are hoping the Jackson Freestyle's will fit) that I had bad dreams about it last night. The storewas recommended by a few people at the rink, but someone on skatingforums said to NOT go there. I figured at my level if I got a boot too soft it would just break down too quickly- I wouldn't break an ankle or something since I'm not jumping, so the only danger is getting one way to hard- and then break an ankle just skating. But it's soo much money I want to get a good pair. (Comment on this)

5:17p

Skate story So Kathleen and I drove to Cinncinnati to get Ice Skates. I called ahead of time to make sure they carried Jackson Freestyles in stock- they do. I get sized and am told I will fit in a 4 for Reidell or a 3.5 for Jacksons. Then we look for skates. There were no Jackson Freestyles in my size, and they didn't carry Reidell Bronze Medallions, so we go about trying to find either a Jackson Competitior or a Reidell Silver Medallion- I am a bit worried the boot will be too stiff for me, not to mention out of my price range since I have to buy them seperately. The Reidells were too big as a 4 and they didn't have anything smaller. The Competitor felt good as a 3.5 and a little tight as a 3. The guy got a protege blade that he was going to throw in with the boot for $250 (the boots are marked $209... i don't know the seperate price for the blade). I didn't really want to get a blade lower than the coronation ace if I was buying it sepearatly, but at that price (like $40) it was WAY better than what came on the Freestyle- and I was getting a nicer boot. So the figure skate fitter has to leave to go to a wedding and tells the hockey guys to throw the boots into the oven. When they do that the 3.5s fit like tennis shoes- very comfy, nice and roomy. For never being skated in- that was too big. The hockey fitter told me "you want your skates to be comfortable, I can't get my thumb behind your heel" Luckily the first guy knew better than that, and I knew better than that so I ask them to throw the 3s in the oven. Heated, those fit great- still snug so they can break in, but good in the length and the width. I'm ready to buy them (Jackson Competitiors and the Protege blade for $250) so he starts telling me about how the mounting works, a provisional mount for my coach to look at and then come back to have them mounted permanently. As we are doing this he notices the blade was an 8 3/4 sized to fit the 3.5. So he goes in the back and there isn't a smaller blade. Stupid hockey guy says "we'll make it fit" when anyone looking at it can see the blade is almost longer than the boot, and will not work. So I didn't get anything. I didn't order a new blade either, because if they couldn't take it from stock, they couldn't discount it. I didn't order the Freestyle because they have a "if we order it, it's yours" policy and I want to get my foot in them before paying. I'm very disappointed. But at the same time, I think it might have been God's way of telling me that while $250 was a great deal for what I was getting, I can't spend that much on skates. So now I need to decide if I should order the Freestyles online from someone who allows returns, or if I should wait until we move and take a 7 hour (round trip) road trip to the nearest fitter. I want the skates so I'm leaning towards the first option, but fit is soooo important so maybe I should do the second. My foot is SO small, but you'd think since skating is a "little girls" sport they would have things that fit me in stock. (Then again the pro-shop at my rink doesn't keep anything in stock- they measure and order. But at least they don't make you buy it if it doesn't fit.)