Prepared for Tragedy

So y'all remember that I failed my skills test, right? Well, tomorrow is my first skating practice since that day, two weeks ago.

I didn't drop out. It was a condition of circumstance that I didn't have a chance to get in a practice until now. The practice after my test was the clinic, which I came to watch but in which I could not skate. The following weekend we had a bout instead of practice. The next three practices I missed due to being out of town for the holidays.

I knew this was going to happen. I knew I would be missing some practices. I was prepared to use the time off to build myself up.

After my test, I spoke with one of the girls and she outlined a bunch of on and off skates exercises I could do to improve the areas that are lacking. I did these exercises every day. I returned to hitting the treadmill every other day. I was getting up every morning to skate up and down the street before the kids woke, and in the evenings was skating suicides in my driveway. My days were spent wearing my skates, dropping to my knees periodically, practicing standing on one foot, then the other. My husband let me practice hip and shoulder checks on him. By the time I returned to practice, I was stronger and had more endurance than before I left, and was much closer to passing my skills test.

This is how I THOUGHT it would go.

In reality, it goes more like this. I set my alarm every morning, but hit snooze until the kids wake up. I don't get on the treadmill even once. I spend some time wearing skates in my house, but it's not every day and it's not all day. I do the lunges and squats I planned, but again, not every day and without any real discipline. I do hit an outdoor skating track a couple of times on vacation, but the track is rough and I fall more than not. I cry uncle after only a few minutes.

It's amazing how motivating it is to have regular practice. When I think of skipping the treadmill or planks, I realize I have practice in a couple of days and I get up and do it. Left to my own devices for a couple of weeks I apparently turn into a slug.

The short of it is that tomorrow's practice is going to be tragic. Also, ive probably set myself pretty far back on the skills test. Sigh.

Tragedy or not, I'm super excited to finally be back at practice again. I miss my skates and my girls.