Updating

Wow. It has been a really really long time since I have updated.

If anyone is still reading, here is what is going on.

Skating: I’ve skated twice this year. Skating after a long break is very very hard. The good news is I can still spin fairly well, the bad news is I suck at everything else.  I’m still good enough that the kids on public skate say they try to copy my stroking to learn to skate, so I look like I know what I’m doing if I’m just skating circles- but otherwise, I’ve got nothing else.  My boots are way too stiff now.  I had been getting fairly serious and moved up to Premiers. Even without doing the top hook, they still make my Achilles tendon hurt a bit.  My back crossovers are still good in one direction and okay in the other, front crossovers are okay in one direction and dreadful in the other. I am having to pick my foot up and clomp it down again, no more nice progressives L  The inability to do crossovers basically means dances are out of the question, which isn’t all that surprising since my confidence on outside edges also sucks now. I can still do them, but I don’t have great lean into them with lots of power.  Jumps are totally gone- I’ve tried a few waltz jumps and they are teeny tiny. I’ve done toe loop take-offs but haven’t worked up the nerve to actually jump.  Like I said, my scratch and sit spins are still there, my backspin is okay. I haven’t had the nerve to try camel.  My 3-turns are all just okay, though the good news is they are all the same, no sideness which I think is positive.  I haven’t tried back insides though.  My inside mohawks are okay if I’m just doing them, I can’t do them “in the field”- no nerve to try outside mohawks.   So basically, by taking a year off- I wasted many thousands of dollars of lessons over the past 10 years.  Oops.  I hope to go back, but it might be awhile. Kevin and I are going to take Spanish classes on Tuesday which is the best day to go.  Until I can get better parking, I can’t make it to the rink after work.  Someday I’ll skate, and get to Nationals!

Scuba: Kevin and I went on a fabulous trip to Cozumel in December. We did 11 dives, and I’ll post the dive logs in my next post.  It went SO well- nothing like the dives I’ve done here.  Just a little freaking out before we did our first dive and before we did our first “advanced” dive, but mostly that was just me wanting to run away from the pier, no real freaking out on the boat, and definitely none in the water.  Unfortunately, I don’t think I want to do anymore cold water diving, and a tropical dive vacation isn’t in the cards this year, so who knows when I’ll go again.

Rowing:  I volunteered at an indoor rowing challenge and am excited about getting back onto the river to row because of it.  Except the river is frozen.  I did a 500 meter on the erg and it took me 2:35 (which is weak) and hurt my back.  I have no stamina for this either, but want to work up to being able to do 2,000 meters. Right now I have to stop after 1,000 if I’m going slow; or that 500, which I was trying to pull fast times, it would have been really hard to keep going… I’d like to get good enough times that I can participate in the indoor races next year. And possibly get back into rowing enough that I can race for real this summer.

Gym:  Kevin and I still go 5 times a week; arms on Monday, usually step on Tuesday, I now do Combat on Wednesday instead of the dance class (it’s too late at night), and spin on Thursday and Saturday.  If I’m in pain from something I’ll skip the class and walk.  I’m trying to start running and my ankles are kind of off/on with agreeing to let me do it.  My stamina absolutely stinks though.  I usually alternate a run/walk lap for a mile. I’m up to being able to run 1/3 of a mile without needing to stop, but am panting when I do it…