Triple Axels...

...are really big. Really big.

I'm not sure if it is inspirational or just depressing. But Tim was back in Coralville, and working on them. I know he's landed a few, but I don't think I saw any landed tonight. But even to see one rotated, is just freaking amazing.

What's weird is today EVERYONE was in my way. It was a really frustrating lesson, I kept having to skate around people, scoot around people, or just plain stop what I was doing and start again. Tim was probably the only person who didn't get in my way. But I think it is only because he whizzes by so fast, by the time that I see him he isn't there anymore. However, anytime I was holding a spin, he would fly by- I would freak out and have the following conversation in my head "OMG! He's going to hit me. NO NO keep spinning. If you stop, then he'll hit you, but if you just keep spinning, he'll go around you." It was kind of funny.

At the end of the session he walked through a program, but did his footwork full out. I was off the ice at this point, but at least 4 people were in lesson, and two coaches were working on the hickory hoedown. By the time he finished, everyone was pressed against the wall, and applauded him.

Yes, as this blog post characterizes it, we are a "fun rink". Seeing someone skate at this level, and this fast- is impressive to all of us.

As for my own skating- I'm ready for the test, but I think this will be a practice test. The loop just isn't there and I SUCK when I'm nervous. We've been practicing with me nervous. I get on the ice with a 5 minute warm up and do the program right away. The warm up gets me shaking- the pressure of having ONE chance to do each element, and do them right. Then I enter the program from the boards (on a freeskate test, do you go talk to the judges like moves? Or straight to the opening?) and that gets me nervous. At least I have practice there.

I'm also pissed off at my scratch spins, but I swear it is the brace. It has to be, I am SO thrown off, and I can't pull in normally at all.


I slipped off my back outside left edge 3 times today- it was freaky. Thank goodness I'm getting a sharpening this weekend.