Mid-week Skate

The 'normal' Wednesday Night classic rock skate is suspended during the winter hockey season due to there being A Grade games on the big ice.  Last Wednesday I went to the Arena without my skates to watch the first game of the league's 50th season.  This week I instead took my skates and skated on the small ice.  Just the other side of the barrier the Falcons and Tigers battled it out.  It's a nice mix.

I was on the ice for an hour and a half, stopping occasionally to watch a couple minutes of the game from ice level, or have a breather and watch my fellow skaters.  Myself, didn't push it too hard at all.  That was not the 'purpose' of the session for me, nothing too stressful or straining.  The speed naturally built up over the time I was on ice as I became both more proficient at finding my 'ice legs' and as the ice cleared of most of the true beginner skaters.  I didn't go over at all (though came close a couple times in tight turns), which was just as well as the ice was harder and a bit rougher than usual.

I went through all the basic maneuvers at least a few times at moderate pace, including a few minutes' stopping drill (back and forth left and right three paces to speed, followed by stop and accelerate the other way for three steps, etc).  Also a few laps with T stops, followed by slow hockey stops where tried to disengage the leading leg and thus ride the outside edge on the inside foot.  Still haven't got it, but getting closer.  I'm almost at the point where it will become a 'confidence thing' (if I recall the process of learning two foot hockey stop correctly) and then this particular technique will be within sight.  Need to keep on working week by week on this one.

Watching a couple younger fellows who had started hockey when I did, noticed how far the best of them have advanced.  Much flasher skaters than me, quicker, etc.  I'll have to think carefully about how I make advantage of my own skills and abilities if I am to stay competitve with my cohort.  Of such things was I thinking as I left the ice for home.

Tigers beat Falcons 7-1