Half the off-season has already passed, and the preparation for the upcoming season is in full swing. After returning from Switzerland Alena has been practicing at the home ice of the Figure Skating Academy, and today together with a group of St. Petersburg’s skaters and coaches she left for a traditional training camp in Sweden, which is to last for three weeks.
Unfortunately, because of last weeks’ tight training schedule Alena didn’t have enough spare time to share any news with you in her blog. But she still has found a way to amuse the visitors of her site :)
Below is a ‘letter of explanation’ written by Alena to her coach in the spring of 2005, after Russian Military Forces Championships which took place in Moscow. Five years later Alla Piatova came across it at her home and gave it back to Alena.
"At the first practice I felt very confident on every jump. Before the event I had set a goal of doing the best I can. At the beginning I did all the jumps. Compared to the event in Kirov I skated better, because I fully rotated my double Axel.
At the second practice I wasn’t as confident as at the first one. I could do all the jumps only at the third attempt. At the beginning of the program I found that I had trouble breathing. I tried to clear my throat, but couldn’t. I managed to recover my breath only in the second part of the program. Compared to Kirov I skated worse, but not by far. I must thoroughly prepare to the next event, so that I can do at least two clean triple jumps”.
