You know you skate too much when...

[AgnesNitt]

Someone emails you about the 'ice dance competition in PL' and you automagically read "Lake Placid" despite the fact that it's initials and they're in the wrong order.

[Laneybug7]

-You choreograph a programme to every song you hear
-When driving home from the rink after practice you think 'I want to skate again'
-Going in the pool consists of doing jumps in waist high water and practicing move sequences
-You have a perpetual bruise underneath your knee from falling on it so much
-Glitter and sparkly things are your best friends
-Your skating friends know more about you then your own parents, siblings, best friend
-You shake your head and walk away when anyone says that 'Ice Princess' is a good skating movie...but yet you secretly like to watch it.
-You check skatingforums more than your facebook
-Mysterious bruises appear on your legs and arms from those 'minor falls' that you didn't think hurt at the time
-You name your pets 'Axel', 'Lutz', 'Blade', etc
-You cringe when you see people using rental skates
-You broke in the rental skates when you didn't have your own
-You have more coordination on ice, than you do off ice.

*That was fun, I may have more later*

[emilayy]

you have little calluses on the sides of your pinkies from tightening your skates all the time

[rosereedy]

You only watch movies for the music to see if it is program worthy.
You want everyone to know the reason you limp is from skating practice.
You listen to your program music in the car on repeat so you can mentally do the program.
You own 9542688542 pair of gloves and all have holes and none match.
You feel the need to put rhinestones on everything.
You're broke because you had to buy ice time and lessons.
You schedule everything around skating, including vacations.

[AgnesNitt]

You practice spirals in the extra large handicap bathroom stall at work. 

You practice step behinds in the grocery line (this is not just me!) 

You read Runner's World for exercises to improve your knees and ankle strength.  :angel

You take a dead boring yoga class because it will give you open hips. 

[chowskates]

- you get corns on the ball of your feet - exactly where the blade is aligned
- your back is sore all the time, except when you're on the ice
- when you go shopping for clothes, the first thought is "can I skate in that??"
- you have more friends from the rink than outslde

i would go on, but wait a minute, there is no such thing as skating too much!

[JHarer]

you have little calluses on the sides of your pinkies from tightening your skates all the time

I totally have lacing callouses. But they aren't as bad now as they were when my sisters were too young to lace their own skates. I used to run an assembly line lacing skates for myself and my two younger sisters.

[jjane45]

Add all the spread eagle exercises while waiting in line.
Oh and visible calluses on both ankles right under the tongue of skates.

[karne]

-You choreograph a programme to every song you hear
-When driving home from the rink after practice you think 'I want to skate again'
-Going in the pool consists of doing jumps in waist high water and practicing move sequences
-You have a perpetual bruise underneath your knee from falling on it so much
-You shake your head and walk away when anyone says that 'Ice Princess' is a good skating movie...but yet you secretly like to watch it.
-You check skatingforums more than your facebook
-Mysterious bruises appear on your legs and arms from those 'minor falls' that you didn't think hurt at the time
-You cringe when you see people using rental skates
-You have more coordination on ice, than you do off ice.

*That was fun, I may have more later*

Oh crud, this is me down to the ground...



- All your favourite videos on Youtube are your favourite programs
- the first item in the budget for the fortnight is "ice time" followed by "coach's fees"
- the first thing you ever bought online was a pair of skating tights
- you want to go to Russia because Russia is where the best male skaters all come from!
- the fact that you bleed from a fall is a new exciting thing to be catalogued into new skating experiences
- any time you find a surface that's remotely low in friction you start spinning (DO NOT DO THIS WHEN DRUNK!  :angel)
- you despise short skirts and short shorts and think they're trashy...except as a skating practice/competition outfit!

[davincisop]

- You go and run all your errands in your sweaty skating clothes and don't realize until around 2pm that you're still in skating clothes.


I did that one day recently. I had to find interview pants and a dress for a wedding and so I went right after practice and didn't get home until 3... so I was in my sweaty clothes until 4 pm when I could finally shower.  Yuck.

[aussieskater]

I had to find interview pants and a dress for a wedding

You didn't wear your skating clothes? 

[davincisop]

If I could have I would have haha. Actually, I got the worst sunburn ever the day of the wedding so the minute I got home from said wedding, on went what I wear for skating.

[Harleyboy]

Your wifes eyes glaze over and she starts humming whenever you say the word "skate"

[AgnesNitt]

You have calluses from the top of your boots rubbing on your legs.

[KillianL]

The calluses on the sides of your pinky fingers finally crack and bleed, staining your skate laces.  You quickly cover them with the bandaids you always carry in your skate bag, so as not to get blood on your files at work later that morning.
You keep a fan at the office just to dry out your skates after morning ice.  Oh, and air freshener.  And there's a designated place in your office for your Transpack.
You eat your lunch at 2PM so you can practice jumps and spiral positions in the office kitchen while your food microwaves without risking bumping into others, both literally and figuratively.
You quietly take quick "stretching breaks" in a secluded storage room.
You wish your colleagues wouldn't ask "why the limp?" because you don't want another lecture about "skating at your age."
Your orthopedist knows you and greets you by name upon sight.  His assistant, too.  He forgets which parts he's already treated, and so do you, so numerous are they.
You cut your own music, and your coach never worries it may not be "family-friendly" or the wrong length.
The newbie skater kids at the rink ask if you're a coach.  They want your instruction even after you respond "no." 
The first time skaters at public ask if you're a professional, God love 'em, even though we know it's only because the really good skaters with doubles don't ever come to publics. 
When you pass parents and skaters coming to the rink after work in - work clothes! - no one recognizes you.  Similarly, you've skated in slacks or a dress blouse at least once, cuz you forgot to pack skate attire and you refuse to miss a session.
You see your skates as a long-term investment.  In fact you may take such good care of them you don't get any of the usual visual cues of breakdown until it's too late.  Which leads me to...
...you suddenly have spare time to participate in forums, 'cuz you injured yourself yet again and are off the ice OR ELSE!   

[aussieskater]

Which leads me to...
...you suddenly have spare time to participate in forums, 'cuz you injured yourself yet again and are off the ice OR ELSE!   

Uh oh not sounding good! ((Meriwetherl))

[Sydney]

you have bruises on your knees that never go away because you keep rebruising them

[KillianL]

Uh oh not sounding good! ((Meriwetherl))

I have an awful tendency to push my limits...     fortunately this time it's just a knee sprain.     With time, this shall heal!

[karne]

you have bruises on your knees that never go away because you keep rebruising them

Definitely me, that one.


When not being on ice between Monday of one week and Monday of the next drives you so completely bonkers your parents are on the verge of kicking you out. 

When you plan your next lunch with Grandma with enough time to start work sewing that skating skirt project (sorry Grandma  )

When your parents offer to pay ice time for a month for your birthday, and you hesitate because - do you take the ice time or do you ask for ballet (to improve your skating) instead? And you can't think of a single birthday present idea that isn't skating related.

[momomizu]

-muscle soreness doesnt phase you anymore if you even get sore at all
-everything you buy is for skating
-when people ask you if you're going to the Olympics, even though you're too old   

[AgnesNitt]

You get to the rink and realize your skate card isn't in your bag, so they give you a pass anyway because they know you'll come back with the card as soon as you find it. (Yes I did find it, and yes I did go back to get it chipped)

[sarahspins]

You go shopping for clothes (shorts - all of mine have holes in the back pockets and I'm not sure why) and get distracted by all the stuff on clearance right now that would be *perfect* for skating.

I have to remind myself I have plenty of skating clothes - it's regular clothes that are lacking!

[Qarol]

- You go and run all your errands in your sweaty skating clothes and don't realize until around 2pm that you're still in skating clothes.

It's so nice to know other skaters sweat. I'm the only one I ever see at my rink who's sweating. Sometimes, I sweat so much, steam rises from my head.

[FigureSpins]

You know you are "into" skating when you mis-spell "GPA" and "GRE" as "GOE" regularly.
Really bad when you're an Admissions Officer, too!

[Laneybug7]

-It feels just like a holiday gift when you find out that you have your favorite LTS group(for me it's the youngest 3-4 yr olds)
-You've mastered doing spiral in an elevator..both directions(up and down I mean)
-You watch "Dance Moms' and think 'yea I know a skating parent like that' or 'Abby Lee Miller is nothing compared to the coaches I've seen.' (That's actually very true for me;)
-You can't listen to a classical/instrumental piece without thinking 'oh <insert skater's name> skated to this.'
-Rinestone yoga pants are added to the 'new best friend' list.
-You adore the instrument/sound track music station
-You've walked on the ice with your guards on at least once
-You have a mixture of rather embarressing music on your ipod..including showtunes, disney tracks, movie soundtracks, etc
-You've considered sleeping at the rink, so that you'll be sure to catch early morning freestyle
-Falling doesn't faze you anymore.
-Mispronouncation of your name at competitions and test sessions doesn't faze you anymore(I've given up)
-One word 'toepick'
-You've cut your hand on your blade at least once(most recently, wiping my blades off and buffing them with the side of my finger)
-Skating in jeans...not gonna happen.


Okay I'm done..gotta go do some off ice:)