I tried out my new skates last night, and here are 10 random thoughts that I have about them. Getting skates was one of my Leveling Up (check the link to the side) goals – it may seem kind of odd, but I go to fitness skate on Tuesday nights (a fusion of some light derby drills, workout, and skating), and everyone had told me that I would do a lot better on my own skates. After I realized that I was, indeed, going to keep up with it, I made the decision and bought some skates the other day. The reason buying skates was a goal is because some of my level up goals are about doing things that I never thought I would. About 4 years ago, I went to the skate rink with some friends, and failed MISERABLY at skating, and it wasn’t because I wasn’t capable (obviously, I have been skating for almost three months now). I held on the railing, fell over and over again, and just could not get through the night with much success.
But like most things during this journey, part of it was a mindset. I did not have the determination, partially because I was scared, and partially because I did not have the self-confidence. It seems odd to say that about something like skating, but you have to believe in your own ability to do something before you can do it – whether it is running a mile, losing 20 lbs., eating better, or skating. I left that day saying, “I will never skate again”. Well, after I started photographing derby last September, I got interesting in the whole skate world once again. I had always been a derby fan growing up, and was excited to see the team starting up in Bangor. After a month or so, I asked a friend if she wanted to try it out, I wanted to see what it was like for the girls who were on the team, and maybe prove to myself that I could stay up this time. It was difficult, but I got around the rink without falling by the end of the night. I twisted my wrist pretty bad, and needed to wear a support for awhile. We went back one more time, where I hurt my wrist again, but felt a lot better about skating.
After that, I didn’t go back until one of the the roller derby teams in the area started up FITNESS SKATE, which I described earlier. A friend invited me, and it seemed fun, I felt more confident on skates, but at this point it had been almost 8 months since I had been on skates. A year before, I would have said, no, but I went to my first session and everyone was very nice and helpful, and I have been going for about 3 months. I want to say that I have gotten rather good at skating – i’m no derby player (although some people want me to ref for the new team, which I am pondering). Getting my own skates is about conquering my own pissy attitude about failing. It is about proving I can do something that I gave up on because I was scared and had no confidence about, so getting my own skates (and relearning some things, as you will see in the list) is a leveling up my life – I have come to love skating, which is a passion I would have never even been open to discovering before my health journey !
So, if you say you can’t run a mile, you can’t resist your cravings, you can’t do 10 pushups – I am telling you , YOU CAN. It may be harder than anything you’ve ever done, you may have to step outside of yourself in order to even give it a try. I think about people I talk to that say, “I can’t run”, well, I couldn’t run either 6 months ago, and now I am going to run a half-marathon. Do not rob yourself of your own potential, get out of your own way, strap on some skates, some running shoes, a low carb wrap, whatever your goals are, make them small, obtainable, and just DO IT, what the hell do you have to lose? A sprained wrist? In the long run, it will be worth it, I promise.
OKAY, now to stop the rambling and to start the list of 10 random things about getting my own skates !!
1. They looks 43,000 better than rentals (photo in my last post)
2. While I was pushing myself 110% to go the speed and to have the control that I had while using rentals, I used about 40% (maybe got up to 50% at one point) as skating on these new skates was like skating on better
3. My crossovers have improved by 180% in one day
4. Fitness skate is going to be INTERESTING, as I will need to learn some things over, but in the long run know this is a better way to proceed in my skate life
5. Instead of just a blister below by big toe, I think I got a blister on my entire foot
6. They will take a bit to break in, and until then, my poor feet will be squished.
7. I fell last night in the EXACT same place I was slammed last Tuesday, so now my hip hurts twice as bad as it did this entire week, which is just grand, hope it feels mostly better for Tuesday
8. I think I love skating even more than I did before (something about going faster is directly proportional to how much you love it, perhaps?)
9. Sticky feet is A – more fun and B – way easier
10. I know that once I get more comfortable on these skates, skating backwards may be a possibility (something I have struggled with!)
Even looking at number 10, when skating, I knew that going backwards would be a possibility (that I need to work up to, but still possible), and is something that I have been trying to do for WEEKS NOW. Conquering your goals is how you proceed in your journey, so make some that you feel are just and do it. Run 500 feet first, then go for a 500 foot walk, then change it to 600 / 400 until you run a mile. You are awesome, so go out there and live the best life you can!
