Epic length job and skating update - PASSED ADULT GOLD MITF
Starting with last Tuesday, I am working full time. For now, it as an internship, with high possibility of permanent position. My hours are 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, with about 35 min. commute time each way. Weekday morning/afternoon skating is not possible. I do like the job though, and for the time being, am ok with having to sacrifice cheap and relatively uncrowded daytime ice.
Anticipating having to seriously cut down on skating, I have sent the test papers for the May 18th test session, intending to test Adult Gold Moves. I have worked on them (relatively) very little - starting only at the end of January. Ended up not testing on 18th however, as my coach had to be out of state due to some very serious circumstances, and the test chair has kindly allowed me to test on the next test session, which was today. In the end, it worked out well, as I had both strep and quite severe sinus pain that weekend and on 18th, and would not have been able to skate.
I was very nervous before the test today. Since mid-May, haven't skated very much, was sick and lost any stamina that I had before, and still had major confidence issues with BI-double-3s and brackets. Brackets scared me, as I have fallen on BO ones as recently as last Monday (my last practice before today). My nervousness showed itself in me being very very bitchy through the weekend (poor dh!), and then really shaky knees once I started the test.
Right before I started the test - I was already on the ice - my mother has unexpectedly showed up at the rink. I (rather loudly) just said "Out!" and coach immediately went over to her and asked her to not watch. Now I wonder if the judges heard that exchange (they probably did!), but I would have been a total nutcase if she stayed to watch.
Forward power circles: CCW one went quite well, I was pleased. CW one started a tad shaky, but was ok - not as strong at the end, but acceptable.
Marks and comments:
3.1 - pace and foot speed above average
3.0 - very nice acceleration
3.0 - cc good, continuous flow & strength, cw ok, this side not as strong
Backward power circles: boy my knees were really really shaky! I felt as if it was not me who was skating, as if I was out of my body.
3.1 - nice control! Deep knees & buildup of power / same cadence this side
3.1 - flow + strength
3.0 - good flow + strength
Forward double-3s: started out fairly good. Right at the end of the first side, after I did a LFO-3 and went into LBI-3, right after that last turn, I somehow had a very major bobble, and I think I tapped down with free toepick! Got quite shaken up, as I really needed to skate clean on these elements, with a chance of screw up on BI-double-3s and brackets. Well, game face on, go into FI-double-3s, and just try to hang on and act like nothing happened.
3.1 - turns + placement, control in and out & to center stepdowns
3.1 - good placement
3.1 - good edges & placement of turns
Obviously, they didn't see it!!
Backward double-3s: I quite like BO ones, and they went well. Still am scared of BI ones, they were scratchy right before the BI-3s, but I was just trying to hang on, and place the turns correctly
3.1 - placement & timing of turns correct & controlled
3.0 - O good control, I very scratchy
3.0 - O good edges & placement, I not as strong but ok
Inside slide chasse: fairly easy element for me, definitely less scary than some other ones :)
3.0 - true chasses & coverage
3.1 - smooth
3.0 - good continuous flow
Brackets: first side fairly ok. Second side (starting with LFI) - the very first turn didn't turn! So I just took a stroke right back to the edge of hockey circle, and re-started the side without any pause in between. Since I didn't know whether the judges have seen my bobble on doube-3s, I figured that I don't really have anything to lose - either they didn't and I'd get a reskate on brackets, or they did and I fail - and if I fail, I might as well try to skate this side of brackets clean and maybe somehow they wouldn't fail me. I did feel my toepick dig on on RFI edge going into the bracket, and am sure on the old blades I would have gone down, but managed to correct the posture on these blades
3.0 - upper control & placement & turn B acceptable; reskate acceptable
3.0 - LFO very scratchy - but - reskate - LFI
3.1 - FO-BI good, LFI-reskate, good
Totals: 18.4, 18.3, 18.2 with comments of "good test!" and "excellent job!" (18.0 passing total)
When I skated over to the judges, they said that when I restarted the brackets, it was my reskate. I looked at them and said: "so are you saying I passed?" at which one judge said "well, I think it was a very good test!". And then they joked about my coach a little :)
When I got off the ice, I could barely stand up - was shaking like a leaf!
Anticipating having to seriously cut down on skating, I have sent the test papers for the May 18th test session, intending to test Adult Gold Moves. I have worked on them (relatively) very little - starting only at the end of January. Ended up not testing on 18th however, as my coach had to be out of state due to some very serious circumstances, and the test chair has kindly allowed me to test on the next test session, which was today. In the end, it worked out well, as I had both strep and quite severe sinus pain that weekend and on 18th, and would not have been able to skate.
I was very nervous before the test today. Since mid-May, haven't skated very much, was sick and lost any stamina that I had before, and still had major confidence issues with BI-double-3s and brackets. Brackets scared me, as I have fallen on BO ones as recently as last Monday (my last practice before today). My nervousness showed itself in me being very very bitchy through the weekend (poor dh!), and then really shaky knees once I started the test.
Right before I started the test - I was already on the ice - my mother has unexpectedly showed up at the rink. I (rather loudly) just said "Out!" and coach immediately went over to her and asked her to not watch. Now I wonder if the judges heard that exchange (they probably did!), but I would have been a total nutcase if she stayed to watch.
Forward power circles: CCW one went quite well, I was pleased. CW one started a tad shaky, but was ok - not as strong at the end, but acceptable.
Marks and comments:
3.1 - pace and foot speed above average
3.0 - very nice acceleration
3.0 - cc good, continuous flow & strength, cw ok, this side not as strong
Backward power circles: boy my knees were really really shaky! I felt as if it was not me who was skating, as if I was out of my body.
3.1 - nice control! Deep knees & buildup of power / same cadence this side
3.1 - flow + strength
3.0 - good flow + strength
Forward double-3s: started out fairly good. Right at the end of the first side, after I did a LFO-3 and went into LBI-3, right after that last turn, I somehow had a very major bobble, and I think I tapped down with free toepick! Got quite shaken up, as I really needed to skate clean on these elements, with a chance of screw up on BI-double-3s and brackets. Well, game face on, go into FI-double-3s, and just try to hang on and act like nothing happened.
3.1 - turns + placement, control in and out & to center stepdowns
3.1 - good placement
3.1 - good edges & placement of turns
Obviously, they didn't see it!!
Backward double-3s: I quite like BO ones, and they went well. Still am scared of BI ones, they were scratchy right before the BI-3s, but I was just trying to hang on, and place the turns correctly
3.1 - placement & timing of turns correct & controlled
3.0 - O good control, I very scratchy
3.0 - O good edges & placement, I not as strong but ok
Inside slide chasse: fairly easy element for me, definitely less scary than some other ones :)
3.0 - true chasses & coverage
3.1 - smooth
3.0 - good continuous flow
Brackets: first side fairly ok. Second side (starting with LFI) - the very first turn didn't turn! So I just took a stroke right back to the edge of hockey circle, and re-started the side without any pause in between. Since I didn't know whether the judges have seen my bobble on doube-3s, I figured that I don't really have anything to lose - either they didn't and I'd get a reskate on brackets, or they did and I fail - and if I fail, I might as well try to skate this side of brackets clean and maybe somehow they wouldn't fail me. I did feel my toepick dig on on RFI edge going into the bracket, and am sure on the old blades I would have gone down, but managed to correct the posture on these blades
3.0 - upper control & placement & turn B acceptable; reskate acceptable
3.0 - LFO very scratchy - but - reskate - LFI
3.1 - FO-BI good, LFI-reskate, good
Totals: 18.4, 18.3, 18.2 with comments of "good test!" and "excellent job!" (18.0 passing total)
When I skated over to the judges, they said that when I restarted the brackets, it was my reskate. I looked at them and said: "so are you saying I passed?" at which one judge said "well, I think it was a very good test!". And then they joked about my coach a little :)
When I got off the ice, I could barely stand up - was shaking like a leaf!