First time on ice after 3 months

Yesterday was my first time on ice. I reserved ice at a rink 45 minutes away from me, when they first announced they'll open. I thought I'll allow one hour for the drive and half hour for warming up (outdoors) and doing the paperwork (waiver and receipts) and putting on the skates. Guess what, I barely made in on time. The traffic got worst as I was driving and I saw some exists barricaded (protests related I would think). But I've made it...

Once there and I entered with the mask on, one person took care of the paperwork by the entrance, took my temperature and escorted me to the bench near the rink. I put my skates on and got on ice. I've literally haven't touch anything, so they did a really great job on keeping the environment safe! They also asked us to keep the masks on while skating.

On ice there was a young skater with a coach and a teenager that laced up at the same time with me.

As I stepped on ice I got stuck? Like the blades wouldn't glide... and I almost tripped on my toe picks. I didn't panic as I remembered the advice to check the blades for rust after not using them for a long time. I made it to the hockey box and looked at the blades they seemed fine. I also remembered that I asked if the rink was cold, and they said no, that means the ice was soft. And it felt soft. Probably it was a combination of the blades needing few strokes to clean themselves and me needing to adjust to softer ice then I usually skate on, and after stroking easily twice around the rink I felt fine.

I've checked my "what exercises to do list" and did some swizzles forward - good, and backward - I was way too forward on my blade, hitting the toe picks... The kid was spinning and jumping between a blue line and the central line, and the other skater was doing twizzles on the other blue line. They were somehow in my way to go straight on the length of the rink, and  the short lines were all taken, so I didn't do the swizzles with breathing and the simple edges that were on my list.  I took a hockey circles and started forward circles 8.  They felt fine, but as payed attention to feeling the ice and my alignment, and I haven't payed attention to follow my tracing I realized I've made too many tracings so I couldn't really do "figures" style work. I was anyhow eager to try all my skills... So back circle 8. I had a mental hesitation about how to start it... the back push... I couldn't really remember, luckily my body did. First circle went around and as I started the second circle. Uups, I fell. Totally surprising! Luckily I've put my hip pad in, after I've initially forgotten... I did the back circle eight again twice, successfully, but I've realized that my balance going backward is not "muscle memory", I had to pay attention. I did the waltz 3-turns circles and they were fine but not very uniform. The exit edge for the 3-turns (going backward) felt short. I did some forward inside 3-turns and the exit edge (going backward) was short for sure. Half rink was empty and I did some crossovers on a circle, I found myself holding back on the forward ones as I didn't want to put too much extension or catch speed. On the backward ones I was on my toe pick scratching, a lot. Urggg. Everything going backwards needed adjustment...

Checking again my to do list I've started the next section with a little more "power" exercises. The slalom forward felt so satisfying, I've got the growl of approval from the ice. Backward I had to correct my posture, I was leaning forward, push my heels back, under me for better balance, but mostly I've realized I had to bend into my ankles more. Next on my list were the edge presses, I soo love these, I feel I get to work on posture, alignment, bending the knee and ankle, pressure into ice... I've already done the crossovers, I wasn't in the mood to do the power pulls, I went ahead to do the MITF exercise of crossovers on lobes holding the inside edge. I've felt I've got a quite good body lean and confidence in holding edge and I've caught some comfortable speed going forward, the kid cut my way, so I've slowed down at the end, and backward I was a little cautious, but not so scratchy as 5 minutes before. It didn't feel it was the right moment to go on the length of the rink again (isn't it funny how somehow when there are very few people on the rink, they don't move?). So I did some spins. The first one was way up on the toe pick, second one better but not great. I did a waltz jump, kind of perfect for the moment, so I've moved one keeping the good feeling on that.

Next on my list were the 3-turns (forward and backward, big, holding the edges, but not put on the big patter as for the MITF test). Yeiiii, they were there, waiting for me!!!  The dance dropped 3-turns felt off, I've realized the timing is off.

30 miutes have passed, my list was done up to "if there is more time" and the kid and the coach left. I had the length of the rink available so I went for the good old stroking with a little extension. Damn that left hip felt like a foreign body part, tensing immediately. I did chasses forward, backward, progressives, chasses again to get more flow. The mask was keeping my from breathing fully for these kind of "running" exercises. I slowed down and did few spins, better then before, and one very good back spin!

As I caught my breath I've realized I'm giddy! and relieved that all my skating work was not gone forever. Nobody's put any music, so I've went and ask permission, they said to use Bluetooth. But surprise.. the only music on my cell phone was ice dancing music. Oh well, I took it as a sign and went for it. Chasses again with (some) power and extension, went crazy with the swing rolls (damn the back extension to the left), dropped 3-turns hello, nice to see you again... and the Ten fox. I forgot to think about the existence of the outside mohawk, so I just did it. I took it afterward a little apart, it was fine.

The time was almost up, I wanted some speed so I thought I'll be safe and in control with the MITF crossovers pattern holding the inside edge. Then, I thought if I feel comfortable enough to do that with power, I should be able to do the power pulls, so I've done those too!

Looking back, I'm so happy I've had the plan to take it easy... and I figured out safely what I had to adjust. The first 30 minutes were spend almost "standing" no flow out of edges, just exercises for finding the balance and alignment. If I would have gone for my regular skating, I'm sure I would have gotten lots of off balance situations and erode my confidence.

I'll go back tomorrow! I cannot wait. I'll keep the same plan, start easy and build on it as I grow more comfortable.