Axel today?

Another practise session today... On the way to the rink, I decided that I have to try the Axel today. I got to the rink to find that there was a school group in lesson preparing for the Inter-School competition next month. Oh well, no big deal, I thought, since they were beginners and really didn't move fast (or much at all).

I warmed up around the group, then did forward double 3s. It so happened that the group was in a block along my axis, and I managed to work one lobes around them. Later, I was told to "wait a bit before I do my stuff" since they "could not do their pattern properly" while I was skating! Now, was it because the kids got distracted by my skating, or did someone complain??!! C'mon, I kept out of their way, and they weren't even moving anywhere when I skated my lobe around them! Of course I didn't think much of it then, but it must not have been kosher that that lobe happened to go between the group and their coach! (oops! and oh dear, I'm already complaining just 3 weeks back on the ice!)

Somehow I felt more tired today than the previous session. Rather, my legs felt weaker. My left blade still felt like it was slipping away under me, so Waltz jumps just didn't seem stable. I was reconsidering my Axel decision...

Double toes and double Sals weren't that great either. Decided instead to work a bit on layback. That seems to be the only element that's normal right now. I managed to grab my blade and pull it to my hair without getting on the pick nor falling back on my head!! Then I tried the side-lay to back-lay to haircutter. It wasn't too bad, just really slow...

OK. Axel time. I suppose I do have to try it sometime... To my surprise, I actually landed the first one! It was nowhere near pretty, but was fully rotated, on one foot - and I didn't fall! Attempted many more, some successful, some steppec out, some 2-footed, some landed on the butt cos my knee gave way. Well, I'm sure it will come back in due course. :-)