I sorta feel like I've come to a plateau.  I don't think I've done anything new for months.  I keep working on the same old things...mohawk turn, backward gliding on one foot, one foot 3-turn, 2-foot spin....and although I can tell I'm just more comfortable on the ice overall, I haven't overcome any of these challenges yet.  Yes, I guess I can pick my foot up off the ice a fraction of a second longer than I used to, so I GUESS that's improvement.  ???  I know these things take time, and I'm not bored with anything, but I just wish I could have a huge breakthrough moment where I can suddenly DO one of these moves!

Don't get me wrong, I'm still in love with skating, I still love going to class, I still love the feeling of gliding on the ice.  But it's been 8 months since I started now, and I have a nagging feeling I should be a little further along.  I know everyone is different and progresses at different speeds...and I'm not a little kid who is very flexible or fearless on the ice.  I admit I'm still afraid of falling.  I do have a lot more confidence than I did right after that bad fall where I hit my head on the ice.  At least I've gotten over that now.  But I know I hold back sometimes because I fear falling.  Especially backward on one foot.  That is a huge challenge, and the mohawk and 1-foot 3-turn both involve skating backward on one leg. 

Each time I got to practice, I try to improve these particular moves.  And at the time, it's really fun just doing the same move over and over, figuring out which way feels right, which motion works better, where my blade should be on the ice, how my body should be torqued to get the right results.  There is SO much more to skating than I ever imagined.  So much more!  So at the time I'm practicing, I'm having fun.  But then off the ice I start thinking I'll never get over this one hurdle.  Then I have to talk myself into feeling that it's OK even if I don't get past this hurdle...maybe this is as far as I can take this sport!  I mean really, I'm going to be 51 next week, what the heck to I expect of myself?  I have to start reminding myself that I'm doing this for fun (which it is!) and exercise (which it is!) and the challenge (which oh my gosh it IS!).  I think I start taking it too seriously and comparing myself to others I see.  That's so wrong.  I have to relax, just do what I can, and so what if it takes me another year to do a mohawk turn?  There's no deadline here...I'm not competing, I'm not heading to the Olympics; I'm just out there having fun.

I used to think I was the type of person who didn't like a challenge.  That's changed over the years and now I see that I do like the challenge, I do have the spirit to keep trying something until I get it right.  That's part of what I love about skating, besides the sheer joy of gliding free across the ice.  Other aspects of my life are pretty laid back and easy...skating gives me something to work on, a challenge, a goal. 

I also have to remember that I only go to class for 1/2 hour a week.  That's not much.  And I only practice maybe another hour or two a week outside of class...and that's not every week either.  So I'm really not getting in much practice or ice time...not like the people who have this as their sport of choice and are trying to compete, who come to the rink daily for 3 hours at a time.  I guess, when I break it down, over the 8 months I've been skating, I've had approximately 30 lessons....again, that isn't much.

Just have to keep practicing!