As of last week I’m back to my skating after being away for a successful surgery. I wasn’t tuned into the school district schedule so on my first day back I was surprised by a forest of kids on second winter break, a.k.a. ski week. There were many tykes pushing walkers and blue plastic seals, with young skaters sprinkled among the crowd and skating coaches hanging over the boards, instructing. I felt a bit out of sorts with the ice so busy, and lonely without any skater I knew out there.
Eventually one of the coaches noticed I was back and fussed over me, which made me feel welcome. My skating was iffy that first day, as always after a long break. But by a few days later I was running my program. Rather ambitiously, I’d signed up to skate at Pacific Coast Sectionals, which are March 8-10th in Oakland. I have a 6-week post-op visit on the 7th, so it works out perfectly, right?
Even more ambitiously I’m going to Denver right after Sectionals for the Monument Ice Academy adult skating camp. If it turns out to be too much I don’t have to skate the whole day. I got a really good deal on the signup, Ben Agosto will be guest coaching, and I couldn’t resist.
For Sectionals I’m only skating in the artistic category, not the technical one, and I’m recycling my Christmas program. It shouldn’t be too demanding if I can keep the right attitude. I cut my Christmas program a bit shorter so it could work as a ‘dramatic’ category program. Yesterday I tried my program for the first time with the shortened music. With about ten seconds chopped, I managed to get through an abbreviated version of my ending spin. That made me happy and ought to be good enough. It’s my first time as a ‘IV,’ the 56-65 age group.
There will be eight skaters in my group and they’ve combined men and women. I don’t like when they combine genders and I haven’t been able to understand the judging of the dramatic programs. So I need to focus, as I’d intended, on the fun of performing for an audience of my skating friends. I’m looking forward to being in Oakland and enjoying the experience.
With a week and a bit to prepare I’m going to bling up the program a little by adding bigger, better arm movements. As my coach said to me yesterday in her inimitable British accent, “You are skating dramatic? Well, let’s make it more dramatic then, shall we?” I hope so!
Related Posts:
Pacific Coast Sectionals 2019 Skating at Pacific Coast Sectionals 2019.
A New Program for Sectionals A new freestyle program for Sectionals with music by Lemon Jelly.
Rose Program Reworked A reworked version of my rose program, skated for exhibition.
Going to Sectionals A last-minute decision to go to Pacific Coast Adult Sectionals and the attitude I'm trying to cultivate.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Mary, I am so happy your surgery was successful! Life really does have a way of throwing us loops (and not the kind in skating). I will be excited to hear how sectionals goes, and even more so to get an update on everyone’s BFF but mine, Ben Agosto. Be still, my heart–but be ready, my glutes!
No kidding! But we get up, right? I will definitely keep you posted on my upcoming events!
Welcome back to the ice, Mary! I can’t wait to see your refreshed dramatic program – good luck next week! And please post a recap of the camp in Colorado. I’d love to go one year.
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Thanks for the good luck wishes. I would definitely love to skate with you at the Colorado camp. Let me know if you start thinking about it for next year.