Winter holidays

Yes it's that time of the year again - Christmas holidays!

But more to the point - because I now think of everything in terms of skating - it's that time of the year when I complain profusely about public sessions. Friday night public session. It. Was. Awful.

I wanted to skate so much that I braved it despite the amount of cars already parked outside when I arrived. But it was just impossible. For the rest of the year, even when the rink is kind of full, people at least still generally skate around the center, leaving me to practice somewhat in the center. But during the winter holidays, there's just so many people that they go everywhere.

What bugged me even more was the fact that there were actual skaters doing this too! (Definition of actual skater: anyone not wearing rental skates.) I would have thought that skaters would be more considerate of other skaters because they skate themselves and understand. Apparently not. There was a point that really scared me. I was doing (trying) a scratch spin when this teenage skater decides to rush around me literally within 1.5 feet of me. I know I don't have a sign up saying stay away at a 5 feet radius when I'm in a spin, but I thought it would be common sense to not get that close!

I gave up after an hour of mostly just stroking or standing around and waiting, but I think my blades aged five hours in that time since the ice was so rough from too many people. I also pulled my right back muscle probably from continually aborting jumps in mid-air to avoid collisions, but that's much better now.

Well at least my rink is thriving. A holiday outdoor rink was set up five minutes drive away, and I think the rink was a bit worried about the competition to business, but judging from what I saw on Friday, they're fine.

Must get myself out of bed to go to morning freestyle so I can actually skate!