The day before... prepare yourself!!

Good evening, my people! (My readers, obviously... don't read too much into it)

I must apologize once again, but I need to make this brief as it's getting late into the evening.

Recap:

Yesterday--Great!
Today--Great!

... lol, I'm a sucker, aren't I?

Today was the first day of skating in the competition venue or "the big arena." It's always fun to be out on a surface in a stadium-style arena, with such volumes of space surrounding you, room-temperature air, and lights that'll burn you're eyes out; there's really no other substitute. Each arena however presents a new set of circumstances. In today's case, I found that the placement of a spin made me dizzier than if I moved the spin about six feet to the left. It can be very difficult to not have visual markers telling you where you are, when, and where you'll be going next; your direction orientation all-of-the-sudden becomes your primary focus... not always a great thing in the grand scheme of things. I took a lot of time to scope out the surroundings while I was on the ice for practice, after the practice, and will do some more tomorrow morning before I skate to insure that I'm very comfortable in my environment. I feel much better now, as it is, about the surroundings and after tomorrow morning, it'll be even better than now.

As influential as we [skaters] may let little things like this be, a lutz is still a lutz no matter what side of the rink it's on... same goes for axel, toe, sal, flip, etc.--it's all the same jump we've trained our bodies to do. Essentially, "orientation" doesn't much matter--that's a self-sabotaging head-game we can play if we so desire. Personally, I don't feel like doing it this time, so I'll let it go and stay confident in what I've trained myself to do: a lutz anywhere, a toe anywhere, an axel anywhere, anytime, etc. I'm a well-trained athlete and I know I can skate well anywhere on that ice!!!

I was the first to do my short program today on the earliest men's' practice--usually a set-up for more mind games... this time was a little shaky but not all bad by any means. I knew I had to do my program, so I prepared myself ahead of time. Good axel, good loop, ... won't mention the lutz--lol! No sense in dwelling, remember?

I later did a very short practice at a different rink where I set my goals for the session right before I got on, and I accomplished them. I would do a fast and efficient warm-up: DONE. I would do a long program with everything in it: DONE. I would skate around to feel my legs and put myself in the moment of right now: DONE. In addition, I started my long program on the opposite side of the rink (which switches the whole program to the opposite side) simply to prove to myself that it's not about the side of the rink on which you start, it's not about visual cues, it's not about being comfortable on one side and not another... it's about what I do right now, being an axel, lutz, loop, etc, none of which have ANYTHING to do with who's sitting on what side or where a certain logo is on the boards. Good lord, Braden! Get over yourself.

Today was practice. I allowed myself that. Tomorrow is competition--another day when I'll do what I do everyday... my triple axel, my triple loop, and my triple lutz combination! What's the difference, it's just another day!

"I am very prepared! I do what I do 'cause I choose to do it! I am focused on myself! I land my jumps! I perform! I compete! I do great things!"--some of the many things I have been, am, and will be repeating to myself so that I know them to be true, without question, and to aid in my confidence going in. I know I'm capable, I've done it before many times!!! That's not a question. So, guess what I'll do tomorrow! THE SAME THING!!!

"I do my axel! I do my loop! I do my lutz combination!" No questions!

Tune in tomorrow night for the short program.

Can't wait to give you a great show,

Braden