Ice Skating

There was a time not too long ago when I daily put my life in danger jumping horses over five foot jumps. I frequently enjoy the thrill of strapping myself into small cars that move at terrifying speeds along tracks at Six Flags. I once went white water rafting through Grade 3 waters.

Yet, when I decided to try ice-skating this weekend, the prospect was a little scarier than I anticipated.

You see, I haven’t been to an ice rink since ninth grade, and while that was only five years ago, I wasn’t any good then. This is why ice-skating was a fun, nostalgic adventure for me this week.

A couple of friends and I decided to head over to ICE at the Parks Mall in Arlington for their late-night open skate. It was from 9:00 to 10:30, and only cost 6 dollars for admission and skate rentals. It all seemed so great until we were handed the skates and suddenly the realities of ice-skating came back to me slowly, like a strange slow-motion movie sequence.

Reality No. 1

It takes forever to lace up skates.

With a million little metal things to go around, it takes a surprisingly long time to work your way up to the bow. I also managed to forget that you are actually supposed to tighten them to a level way above the typical pain threshold. This was a fact that came in to play much later.

Reality No. 2

Balance is a key factor in successful skating.

Just walking on the carpet from the benches to the ice was enough of a challenge. It took every ounce of my being to keep from wobbling enough to break an ankle. Then actually stepping on the ice was a leap. That first step is a moment to remember. I wobbled onto the ice and grasped the side-rail for dear life.

Reality No. 3

It is very difficult to keep from looking like a hunched over old woman doing a strange dance when you get on the ice.

That seems self-explanatory enough.

Reality No. 4

Falling is painful.

While I only fell once and it was only a half-fall, landing on my knees on the hard, cold ice sent a jolt through my bones that made my teeth chatter. It gives you a whole new appreciation for figure skaters. When I watch the Olympics, I will no longer laugh when the poor people fall down.

Reality No. 5

There will always be those rude younger kids who skate around at obscene speeds who think it’s funny to cut off people who are having a hard time keeping their balance.

It’s just mean!

While it was definitely an adventure to get started, it was certainly fun. I also slowly got better and was able to go at a decent speed by the end of an hour. I even attempted to skate backwards, though not so successfully. I was pretty proud of myself and even the fact that a monkey can ice-skate better than me (really, it’s true) doesn’t make me feel so bad.

One last thing…

Reality No. 6

You will get blisters from your skates.

This is true even more so when you don’t tighten them enough. At least I will have the battle wounds on my heels and toes to prove that I’m out there adventuring!

Until next week,

Katie