Cork-On-Ice

As I sit here in recovery from my second operation, January is drawing to a close and I can faintly hear spring’s whispers haunt winter’s last breath.

If you are looking for one last “hoo haw” to honour the end of the sleepy cold months before spring’s sunshine warms your face again, Cork-on-Ice in Mahon Point is open until this Sunday 31st January.

I was invited for the VIP and Press opening in November and before we went onto the ice, we were treated to an opera singer singing “Let it Go” as a beautiful little Elsa girl elegantly ice-skated to the music. Truth be told, when it was our turn to skate I was a bit apprehensive as ice-skater I am not, but rest assured the majority of people there are equally nervous albeit the small few that glide past you twisting, twirling and contorting like swans, the superior species in its natural habitat.

Like a lot of people there, during the first lap I was clinging onto the side walls for dear life. Then getting more confident, I only allowed myself grab the walls if I thought I was going to fall. During the fourth lap, I didn’t touch the side wall once and I was quite chuffed with myself shouting out a celebratory “Wohoo!!” to my sister as graceful swans effortlessly glided past me.

I really enjoyed myself as doing something new to push you out of your comfort zone can be daunting but fun. On the skating rink, you are only in competition with yourself. Alot of people are equally as bad as you so it becomes something you share in laughter as you pass each other out trying to avoid making each other fall. It’s great exercise for the thighs as you are supposed to bend your knees in a sitting posture. Something that worked for me was to hold my hands out like a conductor. My arms and hands would move according to my balancing act as if I were a conducting a piece of music.

When it comes to ice-skating, take a snowflake out of Elsa’s book and “Let it Go!”.

https://www.iceskating.ie/book-now/venue/cork-on-ice/

https://www.facebook.com/CorkOnIce/