On almost any other morning, if I wrote in this space that I had breakfast with America's Ice Princess, Sasha Cohen, an A.P.B. would be issued, search warrants would be signed, and overcoat-clad government agents would be scouring my Fan apartment for a hidden dungeon, credit card receipts for Duct tape and a highlighted copy of Stephen Kings' "Misery." (Yes, I just gave myself the creeps, too…I apologize.)

But on Monday, I got a legit chance to hang out with a few of the sport's more recognized faces, including Cohen, and a couple of up-and-comers. That's because the Champions on Ice skating tour starts this Friday at the Richmond Coliseum, and all the skaters, handlers and production crew are training and gearing up all week in the River City – they've even brought their own treadmills, weights and even a ping pong table to make sure they stay in competition (and hobby) shape.

When the tour glided into the Richmond Coliseum last year, it was parlaying the momentum of the '06 Torino Winter Olympics. Japan's Shizuka Arakawa had won the women's gold, Cohen snatched up the silver, and Neil Diamond cursed them all - mad as hell that stores were sold out of the spangled sequins he desperately needed for his new fashion ensemble. Yes, figure skating outfits sport shiny, happy threads.

This year, figure skating's elite have another, much different mainstream conduit synching up with their tour – the big screen parody "Blades of Glory," which stars skaters such as Cohen and Scott Hamilton alongside Will Ferrell and John "Don't call me Napoleon" Heder. (Champions on Ice publicist Lynn Plage will be quick to tell you that the tour boasts its own all-male pair, the acrobatic, borderline masochistic tandem of Vladimir Besedin and Oleksiy Polishchuk).

As for Cohen, who was kind enough to answer a few of my questions in between bites of egg whites, the skater known for her grace and side show-esque flexibility is looking to cross over into acting, as well.

In addition to her "Blades of Glory" stalker cameo, she's also in an upcoming flick, "Moondance Alexander," starring opposite Don Johnson, Lori Loughlin and others.

"I play the mean girl," Cohen said with a sly smile, adding that she plays a young competitive horseback rider. The flick premieres at the upcoming Newport Beach Film Festival later in April.

Of recent acting classes and making her thespian chops, Cohen said: "You really kind of learn a lot about yourself…It takes a lot to develop that skill set."

Cohen also recently penned "Fire On Ice: Autobiography of a Champion Figure Skater."

The two-time World silver medalist, Olympic silver medalist and U.S. National gold medalist is also spreading her philanthropic wings, having taken a position on the board of Figure Skating in Harlem, a non-profit providing opportunities for young girls living in Harlem. In fact, Cohen and a big chunk of the Champions on Ice posse were flying to NYC later Monday afternoon to take part in a "Skating Under the Stars" fundraiser for the group.

Cohen loves to help out the kiddies, but there's another reason she's also anticipating the big night.

"I can't wait to meet Donald Trump," she said.

-- Mike Ward, Richmond.com

Meet Alissa Czisny, a sweet 19-year-old up-and-comer from Ohio. Czisny, a junior international studies major at Bowling Green who takes classes exclusively online, recently finished third at the U.S. Championships.

Gallivanting the globe doing triple toe loops and learning about the macroeconomics of Micronesia actually aren't that different – both require an appreciation for the ability to speak at least dual tongues. "That's one reason I think I chose that major," Czisny said.

As for joining her first Champions on Ice tour, she also has a couple reasons for that. "It gives me experiencing performing and being in front of an audience," she said.

You see, the tour picks up at the end of the competitive season, comprising nationals, worlds – and every four years – the Winter Olympics. So the Champions exhibition circuit keeps the competitors in skating shape and gives them a chance to hang out with their brethren without worrying about fickle French judges or fractions of a point.

"It's definitely less nerve-wracking because there's less pressure to win," says 23-year-old Ryan Bradley of the difference between life on the tour and life vying for the podium. "Usually when you see all these people, it's so stressful," he added.

Bradley, a native of Colorado Springs, finished second at the recent U.S. Championships.

We wandered a bit further down the Coliseum's underground hallways to find Pete Menefee, costume designer, who was measuring threads for three-time U.S. champ Johnny Weir.

"If I've worked with the skaters for a couple of years, I learn their style and riff on that," Menefee said.

But today Menefee has bigger problems – two of three sewing machines broke during transit to Richmond. Plus, he and his staff still have to finish costumes for the James Bond / Austin Powers-themed closing ensemble number. This includes a Russian henchman costume, a Dr. Evil and even a Cabbage Patch Kid that will be dolled up like Mini Me.

-- Mike Ward, Richmond.com

The climax of my day with figure skating royalty was a scheduled "lesson" with one of the skaters, Canada's Shae-Lynn Bourne, a past ice dancing world champion who's workin' a solo gig at the Champions on Ice Tour.

I couldn't pre-apologize enough to Bourne, a good, patient sport who grew up on skates. I, however, hadn't been skating since 1994, during a high school student council conference in the mountains of Upstate New York. It had been held at one of those "Dirty Dancing"-esque resorts – and no – I didn't carry any watermelons for Patrick Swayze.

So I laced, err, buckled up my borrowed skates from Skate Nation, stretched the ol' hamstrings and stepped onto the ice, where a severe case of the "jimmy legs" had my calves rattling like a dashboard bobblehead riding shotgun down the cobblestones of Shockoe Slip.

Bourne took me through a few steps, such as the Fox Trot and we faked our way through a lift. But let's be honest, all the pros got a real good laugh as I baby-stepped across the Coliseum's frozen pond with the all the grace of a three-legged dog fetching the newspaper.

I don't care so much that I didn't fall – I was really sweatin' hitting the ice and bringing Shae-Lynn down with me into the bowels of embarrassment. (Tonya Harding probably could have hired me rather than Jeff Gillooly for a much more innocent hit on Nancy Kerrigan) But luckily, our degree of difficulty was akin to "Celebrity Jeopardy," and both our bums stayed warm and dry.

Thanks Shae-Lynn, and all of the Champions on Ice, for inviting us into your world for a day. We may not have what it takes to rule the ice on skates, but we're hoping to land a part-time job piloting a zamboni near you.

-- Mike Ward, Richmond.com