Cactus 2010 Freeskate

I skated my adult pre-bronze free skate "Apollo 13" program at Cactus Classic today.  Here's how it went.

About 45 minutes before my skate I went to the locker room and changed into my costume and put my skates on.  I also did a set of 20 jumping jacks just before to get warmed up a bit.  After that I had about 30 minutes to kill :-) so I talked with JJ.

About 15 minutes prior we went down to the ice entrance and checked in with the monitor.  There was an ice cut right before my event so we had to get out of the way for that.   I did some stretches and JJ and I talked more about.. nothing much, although he did quiz me on my warmup etc.  I also talked a little with the two pre-bronze ladies (skate buddy Melissa, and another lady named Jodie) who were skating after me (we had a shared warmup).  Finally the z-break was done and I took off my guards and handed my stuff to JJ and they called us out for the warmup.

Since I was skating first after the warmup, I'd practiced a 4 minute warmup.  I guess it's a sign that I am making progress, but I didn't really feel I quite needed all that time (after all my program is only 1 min 37s!).  I did a lap of slaloms to feel my edges and get used to the ice, then a waltz jump, footwork into the toe loop and spin.  Then I did the footwork into the salchow -- but I had to dodge one of the ladies and so I had to skate a little before doing the salchow (which I landed, woo!).  Then I went and practiced the opening (2-foot spin and RBI pivot).  I skated back to JJ briefly and got some water, then went and did a waltz jump with some speed and a little stroking and then skated back to JJ and they called the one-minute warning, so I was done warming up. I took off my club jacket and grabbed some water.

I have to note that although I'd practiced on the ice earlier that day, I was rather surprised by how hard and slick it was (it was freshly zammed).  It was FAST ice.

Anyway... so I talked with JJ and looked at my list of reminders:

• One thing at a time
• The music is there for me, not me for the music
• Chin up and smile!

Then they called my name, and JJ and I did our little fist-bump thing we do when we are done with a lesson, and I skated out to position.  There was a lot of cheering!  It was very encouraging :-).

The music started and as has happened a lot lately I didn't quite register the very first part so I missed my cue.  I wound up doing a sort of improvised one-foot spin instead of the two-foot I was supposed to do; then on to the RBI pivot and into the program proper.   From there it went pretty well as I'd practiced.  The waltz jump felt really good (people cheered!  how odd :-)) although maybe a smidge early.  I biffed the salchow (*sigh*) not sure exactly what happened there.  Everything else to the end went quite well and I was ending just slightly late... and I went into the closing lunge and with the aforementioned slick, fast, wet, fresh ice I was sliding... and sliding... I tried to dig in my toepick to brake myself as I have usually done but I was offbalance or something and I wound up sliding onto my back, or something (did I mention how slick it was?).  Anyway I managed to right myself and stop in some sort of pose.. and I was done!

I got up and did my bows, collected some toys from the ice (YAY!) and skated off feeling very happy.

After I got off I went with JJ to a spot near the lobby and a bunch of people came up to congratulate me.  I was really surprised how many people had been cheering for me -- it made me feel very loved :-).

I will post a post-mortem analysis of my skate and what I learned in a bit.