Skate Camp - PPT

Today was the first day of the Adult skating camp in NJ. Well, the first real day is actually tomorrow, but today was our opportunity to take private lessons with the coaches if we wanted them.

This is my first year attending, and I was so excited that I was pretty much useless at work today. As the time got closer, I was literally bouncing in my chair. Boing...

And sure enough, when I got to the rink, there was Peter Tchernyshev giving lessons to someone. I sat and watched for a few minutes until my own lesson with another coach came up. I just love PT's style of skating. He really has great flow and power. It's something to watch.

But I had a hard time focusing on my lesson at first. After all, PT kept skating by me. It was very distracting. :grins: That's actually the reason why I didn't choose PT for my private lesson - I knew I'd get nothing done. I'd be way too star-struck. And anyway, I get him all day tomorrow. ALL DAY! And I did see him hanging about outside afterwards. I was too shy and stupid to go up to him and...what the hell would I say? Hi, you're PT? Duh...

On my ice time was also Aaron Parchem and Marcy Hinzman. They were working with a pair team, and they seemed to be having a blast. I did not see Vahktang Murvanitze, although I'd been hoping to. I like his skating.

Of course, I was too shy to introduce myself to PT, but I did introduce myself to several other of the adult skaters. Most are like me - new to the program, so we were all a bit nervous. I'd also been afraid that I'd be the worst skater there, but there really are people at ALL levels at this camp. (Shh...In other words, there are others there who skate WAY worse than I do. Thank God.)

Of course, my coach basically told me, without TELLING me, that my skating sucks. And it does. Well, what he actually said is that I have "adult crossovers", which I do, but that's BAD BAD BAD. My goal in skating is to skate like I belong out there, not like I'm freekin' Frankenstein.

Realised while I was there that I need much chic-er clothing. Off to shop now, hoping to find workout wear that 1) is chic and 2) doesn't make me look fatter. Good luck to me!

Skate Camp - Pre Camp Jitters

"Skate Camp" starts in...two and a half hours! I can't wait. You have NO IDEA how excited I am to attend this thing. I've wanted to go for the past couple of years, but couldn't fit it into my schedule. Now I get to go! Not only that, but I was just asked to blog this thing officially by the reporter covering the event for United States Figure Skating. So I'll be posting on the official USFS website and whatever else they want. I'll know more about that tomorrow, and will post a link. I can't possibly work. I'm too distracted. I do two minutes of work, then spend the next ten thinking about Peter Tchernyshev. I am such a skate geek. And I have to leave work in a half hour in order to get to Hackensack, NJ on time for my first lesson, so I'm completely useless at this point. I am positively bouncing in my chair.

Skate Camp

Weekend after next, I'll be attending a skating weekend - I call it "skate camp". I'll get to be coached by several very famous (and very, very hot) ice skaters. I've wanted to attend this thing for three years, ever since I first heard of it. And this year, I actually get to go!

I'm excited. I'm also a bit nervous. My back is kind of shot (I'm under a doctor's care and in physical therapy, pain free at current) and the problem causes my right leg to be weaker than my left. I actually had quite a lovely limp going there, about a month ago. I no longer limp, and I can skate, but I'm no where near as strong and powerful as I was two months ago. But I just could not turn down the opportunity to skate with...drumroll, please...Peter Tchernyshev, all day, for two days. If you've ever, ever seen Peter - skating or not - you'll understand, because the man is to die for. He's a powerful, beautiful skater, and quite lovely to look at. Heart goes pitter pat and all that.