What I Learned From PCAS

As promised -- some reflections on what I learned from my first competition...

First, practice ice the day of was, I think, really helpful. It was only a half hour, but it was plenty for me to feel reasonably confident about my performance. It wasn't nearly the zoo I expected, but having skated on plenty of crowded freestyles I think I'd have been okay regardless.

I thought I would be more confused about what to do and where to go, etc. I don't know why I thought this, but the fact is that I've volunteered at plenty of competitions, and I've done score running, registration and ice monitor so I know pretty much how things go and what the flow is. So I recommend to any first time competitors -- volunteer at a competition first so you know how it goes.

As for the warmup -- as I said, I didn't really feel particularly nervous until the warmup itself, and then it really hit me. My legs felt really, really stiff and I felt like I was on the ice, not in it. Grrr. Having practiced the warmup helped a lot, and I did get calmed down a lot.

For the skate itself -- it's mostly a blur now. I don't remember feeling really nervous during the skate itself but the things that I worried about all along were still what I worried about then. I guess your problem elements are your problem elements! I'm still surprised I fell on the waltz jump since I hadn't fallen on a waltz jump in a long time, and don't think I'd ever fallen there during practice of the program. I'll have to see the video to see if I can see what was going on with me before. I probably was rushing too much. After I fell, I remember having a hard time trying to decide how much time I had and what I should try to do with the time I had. Oh well!

I was really disappointed in my performance afterward, and for the next day or two. After a while of reflecting on it I realized that everybody falls (as I've said myself), that I did get to do the harder jump okay, and that I did the first minute or more of my program just fine (more or less), so that part wasn't so bad. So I'm pretty okay with it now.

I really am grateful for all the support I had. It really was uplifting to have people cheering for me, and even though I knew it would be that way, for some reason I didn't expect it. Both the people at the rink and the folks at TFSC were great. It was sad that Sonya couldn't be there (I know it really bothered her not to be there) but honestly I don't think it would have made much difference in the outcome, though I would have been perhaps more at ease.

After almost 5 years of skating this is actually the first real milestone I've accomplished, since I've not tested yet. From that perspective it's both about time and really good to have done this.

As for my performance... I needed more runthroughs of the program. Sonya told me this I don't know how many times, and while it's not that I disregarded her (I didn't), I did not, in retrospect, practice the whole program enough. That wouldn't have helped with the nerves but it would have helped with the transitions and, especially, it would have helped with dealing with speed into some of the elements. I needed to be more disciplined than I was about getting more repetitions of the whole program.

As for the future directions of my skating -- Tracy gave me some good, honest feedback (something I can always count on from her). I was, as she said, the slowest one of my group. I really, really need to work on speed -- not just generating more power so much as handling it effectively and confidently. When I look back at my skating I think I used to have more speed than I do now; I don't know if it's a result of equipment changes (new blades, new boots) or (more likely)a side effect of some of the life changes and crap I've been through in the last couple of years manifesting itself in fear. Grr.

Tracy also said I should do some dance, and she's right. I should probably at least work on the dances I know a little bit -- not because I want to be a dancer (I really don't at this point) but because it will help my edges and posture and many other things. I've known this for some time but haven't taken the time to actually pursue this. I'll have to have a long talk with Sonya about all this, either at my next lesson or perhaps when we watch the video.

Thanks to everyone for your support, encouragement and feedback! It means a lot.