So, things started last week okay. I skated about an hour and a half in my session on Monday. Then on Tuesday things didn’t go so well. I started having severe ankle pain and had to call the session short at about a half hour. Same thing happened Wednesday. Thursday I took off (Thanksgiving) and…same thing happened yet again on Friday. Saturday I did some experimenting with lacing to see if maybe I was over or undertightening the skates and…same problem.
So, on Sunday, class day, I discussed the matter with one of the coaches. Turns out I’d finally managed to break down the skates at the ankle. This loss of support meant that I was stressing the smaller muscles that stabilize the ankle and…pain while skating. So, the solution was to replace the skates.
Unfortunately, I checked a number of vendors, including the manufacturer itself, and the same model skates that I have (the correct style and support level for where I am currently in my skating progress) was not in stock. Not anywhere. Not even at the manufacturer.
Fortunately, when I was fitted for my current skates I was measured for another brand as a “just in case” fallback if the skates in question weren’t in stock then. They were so I didn’t need that fallback but what it means now is that I know the correct size to get for that other brand. To be specific, Jackson Ultima skates.
And, so, I have just placed an order for a pair of Jackson Ultima “Premier Fusion” skate boots. The support rating is similar to what I have with my old skates. I also ordered a new pair of blades: John Wilson Coronation Ace–a blade that seems to be very popular with serious figure skaters who haven’t yet reached elite levels, a decent all-around figure skating blade.
Hopefully, it won’t take too long for the new skates to arrive, then I can pass them on to the coach to have the blades mounted and sharpened. Until then, I’m just going to have to focus on my off-ice training: Mostly core and off-ice jump training.
So…I guess I get myself an early Christmas present.
The Writer in Black 