I've been ice skating a lot the last few weeks. As you know, I am always looking to challenge myself with some new type of hobby or activity. Since I am in Alaska, and ice will be in great abundance here come late October/November, I decided it was high time I learned the great sport, Hockey. There are women's leagues here in Anchorage and they are pretty affordable. To get me started, I realized three things are going to have to happen: One, I need to learn how to ice skate; two, I might need to hit up a clinic or two to actually learn how to play, as it is one thing to watch hockey and understand what is going on, but to put it on ice and do it yourself, a bit different; and of course three, get a massage table to afford the "habit." So here is what I have done in preparation for the upcoming hockey season.
Step one:
I got myself a pair of used skates and other equipment. (Thank goodness for meeting people who know about and love hockey, much cheaper that way =) ). So, I bought a punch card, and now have an I.D. for UAA (that means free skating anytime I want at the UAA sports complex). Skating is now one of the cheapest activities for me to do in Anchorage! Haha! So, I have been skating three to four mornings a week, and usually on Saturday afternoons. I met a little old lady that gives lessons and she's now my "skating coach." In casual conversation, I mentioned I had just purchased a little massage table and she suggested we swap lessons for massage. How amazing is that??? As Scott would say "you must be livin' right." That's how I felt when it all started working out like that! So, I am learning to skate. Woo hoo! Thanks to my good friend, Megan, who offered to wake up early every weekday and drive me to the rink. I can ride to UAA, but she is bent on supporting me, so I let her. Besides, it's fun girl time driving around chatting in the mornings. She even lets me toss my bike in the back of her car for when I get off work. Good times!
Step two:
Cut a hole in the box...no wait, wrong step.
Where was I??? Oh yeah, next step! The league I want to play in is offering a three day clinic for only $50 for all three days! Not just one day, isn't that pretty sweet? Again, super cool! that's in a few weeks, so I need to increase the training regiment so I can learn as much as I can during that clinic. I don't want to waste my time, their time, or my dollars on clinics I will be so focused on sore muscles or lack of conditioning. The longest I have been on the ice is 2 hours at one time. I spent 3 hours on the ice one night, but that was including a half hour phone call while sitting on the benches and a potty break. It's one thing to do drills by yourself, but another when you are doing specific drills with someone hollerin' at ya! Believe me, when I have skated with my skating coach, I am so worked at the end of my half hour lesson! I can almost do crossovers now without breaking my face, though, I can do crossovers counter clockwise for days on my roller blades, and cheat a little by going clockwise at the roller rink when the workers are not looking to work on my crossovers going the other direction. I can definitely stop much better than I did two weeks ago. Before, stopping involved the wall, or using my face as a brake. I preferred the wall, but sometimes, it just wasn't fun.
Step three:
Yep, I got a massage table. I found a great deal on craigslist and I couldn't be happier. It's a small table, but I got it for a whopping good deal of only $25!!! It's not quite as nice as my table in California, but for a price like that I am perfectly happy with it! Now, I am in the process of getting clients together to make some cash flow. It actually works out that it is slightly smaller as it fits very well in my apartment. I am so pleased with how it worked out. My friend even happened to be available on the day I was to meet with the lady to look at it and she took me in her car! I love it!
It's been great to be out on the ice and to start from scratch. I have to eat a lot of humble pie too! I am used to sports being so easy for me. I mean, I am sure I will pick up the hockey stuff easily, but being able to do all the different things my coach asks of me has been crazy cool. I see little kids doing all these drills on one foot, and I am struggling on two feet to do the same drill but different. Sure, they've been doing it longer, but still, it gets into your head some mornings! I got this though! It's gonna be amaze balls! Here's to hockey and keeping all my teeth intact!
ej
Step one:
I got myself a pair of used skates and other equipment. (Thank goodness for meeting people who know about and love hockey, much cheaper that way =) ). So, I bought a punch card, and now have an I.D. for UAA (that means free skating anytime I want at the UAA sports complex). Skating is now one of the cheapest activities for me to do in Anchorage! Haha! So, I have been skating three to four mornings a week, and usually on Saturday afternoons. I met a little old lady that gives lessons and she's now my "skating coach." In casual conversation, I mentioned I had just purchased a little massage table and she suggested we swap lessons for massage. How amazing is that??? As Scott would say "you must be livin' right." That's how I felt when it all started working out like that! So, I am learning to skate. Woo hoo! Thanks to my good friend, Megan, who offered to wake up early every weekday and drive me to the rink. I can ride to UAA, but she is bent on supporting me, so I let her. Besides, it's fun girl time driving around chatting in the mornings. She even lets me toss my bike in the back of her car for when I get off work. Good times!
Step two:
Cut a hole in the box...no wait, wrong step.
Where was I??? Oh yeah, next step! The league I want to play in is offering a three day clinic for only $50 for all three days! Not just one day, isn't that pretty sweet? Again, super cool! that's in a few weeks, so I need to increase the training regiment so I can learn as much as I can during that clinic. I don't want to waste my time, their time, or my dollars on clinics I will be so focused on sore muscles or lack of conditioning. The longest I have been on the ice is 2 hours at one time. I spent 3 hours on the ice one night, but that was including a half hour phone call while sitting on the benches and a potty break. It's one thing to do drills by yourself, but another when you are doing specific drills with someone hollerin' at ya! Believe me, when I have skated with my skating coach, I am so worked at the end of my half hour lesson! I can almost do crossovers now without breaking my face, though, I can do crossovers counter clockwise for days on my roller blades, and cheat a little by going clockwise at the roller rink when the workers are not looking to work on my crossovers going the other direction. I can definitely stop much better than I did two weeks ago. Before, stopping involved the wall, or using my face as a brake. I preferred the wall, but sometimes, it just wasn't fun.
Step three:
Yep, I got a massage table. I found a great deal on craigslist and I couldn't be happier. It's a small table, but I got it for a whopping good deal of only $25!!! It's not quite as nice as my table in California, but for a price like that I am perfectly happy with it! Now, I am in the process of getting clients together to make some cash flow. It actually works out that it is slightly smaller as it fits very well in my apartment. I am so pleased with how it worked out. My friend even happened to be available on the day I was to meet with the lady to look at it and she took me in her car! I love it!
It's been great to be out on the ice and to start from scratch. I have to eat a lot of humble pie too! I am used to sports being so easy for me. I mean, I am sure I will pick up the hockey stuff easily, but being able to do all the different things my coach asks of me has been crazy cool. I see little kids doing all these drills on one foot, and I am struggling on two feet to do the same drill but different. Sure, they've been doing it longer, but still, it gets into your head some mornings! I got this though! It's gonna be amaze balls! Here's to hockey and keeping all my teeth intact!
ej
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