5th Skativersary!

So.. in honor of my 5th Skativersary, I skated the 8:15 FS this morning. There were only two of us on the session the whole time, and I had a pretty good skate. I did an APB Moves runthrough and I was thoroughly whupped afterward! Eeep. Actually I skipped CW stroking and I think I only did one circle each side of FXOs, but other than that it was complete. My LFI3-RFO3 side of the 3-turn pattern was really, really bad. Much work required.

My summary from last year is here. I'll try to do a year-summary and then I'll try to blog a 5-year retrospective later today, looking back and also looking forward.

Accomplishments & high points for the year:

• PCAS '08. My first competition. Though I came in dead last, I did learn a program and skate it, and it's the only one of my 'big' goals from last year that I accomplished so that's something.
  
• New blades -- MK Pro Parabolics. I think these have helped me a lot, especially on spinning.
• Figures -- I started working with Kelli on school figures about a month or so ago and even in the short time we've been at it I see signs of improvement. I think it's going to help a lot. It's kind of Zen, it puts me in a good place in my head.

Challenges:

• Ice time -- still my biggest challenge. I've been doing a bit better the last month or two, but I really need to keep pounding on getting more ice time. It's the key to everything.
• Spins -- just like last year, I am still struggling with these. They have improved a lot though, in that I can reliably do a pretty good windup/step forward into a 1-rev spin. I don't know why I am having the issues I have trying to hold the position though.
• Salchow -- this jump is still eluding me, but I have hopes that working the off-ice jump (I did it this morning!) consistently will help me get the timing.
• Mental/psychological -- really, this is the key challenge I've been facing. Lack of nerve, lack of commitment, lack of confidence. I don't know what the answer to this is, really, other than to skate more (so that I'll be more comfortable and relaxed) and maybe to fix some other things in my life too.

Goals:

• Test -- the current plan is APB Moves on 7/27. I am at the point where I will probably go ahead and test even if I think I won't pass, just because I'm tired of postponing it. As for Freestyle -- I'll have to get my 1-foot spin and hopefully at least one full-rev jump (Salchow or toe loop).
• Salchow -- 'nuff said.
• Toe loop -- ditto.
• Spin -- this is doable I think.
  
• Figures -- I want a solid FO8, FI8 and at least one serpentine.
• Attitude -- more confidence, more speed, more strength.

The Goals list looks a lot like last year, unfortunately, but perhaps that's to be expected.