The Adventures of an Adult Skating Student

I'd like to find a figure skating program for adults so I can pick up where I left off a couple of years ago. I miss the feel of gliding across the ice. There's nothing else like it.

As an adult, I got the opportunity to take lessons. I started with a six-week class, then committed to a full season. I kept going back for another season, even as other adults dropped out. It was frustrating when the 8-year-olds learned the new moves faster than I did. And it was downright comical when one of them asked me how old I was. All in all, it was a good experience. I learned a lot and only had one injury that required a hospital visit.

One of the best things about skating was that I didn't think about anything else while I was on the ice. It didn't matter what kind of day it had been or what was happening in my life. My attention was focused on the element at hand. Skating is harder than it looks, which is why I felt a sense of accomplishment whenever I learned a new element. One of my proudest moments was hearing a couple of coaches (who are also judges) applaud my spread eagle. Some skaters can't do this move, and I'm able to do it well. I also felt encouraged by a skater's mother telling me that she admired me for going out there every week and doing what the kids did.

I don't want to go back on the ice because of what people said to me, but because of the way it makes me feel. It's a mixture of speed, freedom and exhilaration.