"Ah Ah Ah Ah Staying Alive Staying Alive.... "
Of all the songs that played while I was at the roller rink, Staying Alive was the one that took me back to my childhood when I actually skated without having to think about every move!
Activity: Roller Skating
Location: HAPPY WHEELS
Address: 331 Warren Avenue Portland Maine
Cost: $7 to get in... $2 for roller skate rental... $3 for inline skate rental (roller blades)
Parking: Large Parking Lot
FMI: Visit Happy Wheels online!
Notes: Who knew that Roller Skating was still a thing? Well... there was a pretty big crowd at Happy Wheels Last night... so I think word is out! Turns out Tuesday nights, at 7:30 p.m. it's adults only skate...(check out their website for their schedule.) I wouldn't say the place was packed, but... there was a decent crowd!
As a kid we roller skated fairly often. We lived about an hour away from a skating rink and a bunch of families from my hometown would get together and go. The song that sticks out in my head as we skated was 'Another One Bites the Dust.' I remember being pretty confident on my skates.... that's when I was an adolescent! About ten years ago I chaperoned a trip here when I was teaching. I remember putting skates on and hanging onto the railing the entire time.
So this week... Bethanie, a woman I have met pretty recently, someone who has become one of my adventure buddies, invited me to go roller skating. To be honest I laughed at first. Me... on roller skates? Before getting healthier... I would have said no way in hell can I skate.... now.. 105 lbs lighter I am basing decisions on whether I WANT to do something... which, I gotta tell ya, is pretty damn empowering! So when Bethanie asked about skating... I was intrigued... the idea of cruising around a rink with music playing was pretty appealing... and intimidating.
I was relieved when I saw Bethanie and her friend... phew... not 'alone.' Then I saw Bethanie skate... holy.. this lady can skate! She can skate forward and backwards... and makes it look easy!
So I got there, got my skates... (that seriously looked like they were from the 1970s!) and put them on... Bethanie's friend put on her skates... shared that she has not skated in years... and stood up easily and started skating... while she didn't look like it was as easy as it was for Bethanie... she looked steady and like she knew what she was doing...
The first moment of truth.... I stood up... now...remember... I am tall, 6'6" tall... and with these skates on... I was pushing 6'10!! That's a LOOOOONG way down if I were to fall. I was suddenly wishing that I had bubble wrapped myself... my mantra was don't fall...don't fall...don't fall...
The area where I put the skates on was carpeted... which slows down the wheels... I headed to the practice area!!! It was a smaller area with the floor like the bigger rink... Getting there seemed like a feat in itself but made it... I began trying to skate... this was NOT like riding a bicycle... it did not come back to me.... I worked on not falling... while trying to move forward... after multiple trips around the practice rink... using the railing i thought I should try to figure out how to slow down or stop...without slamming myself into the wall... as I tried to put my toe down I felt like I was gonna fall... so.. decided the wall slamming was a better option!
With encouragement from Bethanie's friend... I went out onto the big rink...
People were zooming around so fast... I worried I would be a hazard but the other skaters seemed to negotiate their way around me without any issues. After a couple of trips around... slowly... staying within arms distance of the wall... I returned to the practice area...
Then eventually I returned to the rink... This pattern repeated a few times...
While trying to skate... there were some announcements... a ladies only skate... a guys only skate... and a couples skate... some things never change!!! (plus the disco ball and lights!!)
During the ladies only skate... there were a few times I actually felt like I was skating.. I was picking up each foot (versus earlier where I tried to keep my left foot on the ground and use my right foot for propulsion and direction control...) and I felt confident... briefly...
Interesting part of this for me... the time when I was feeling the best, most confident was when I stopped worrying about what other people were doing... not worrying about being slower...not worrying about being fancy or flashy... but when I was relaxed, could actually hear the music over the voice in my head repeating "Don't Fall!"
If that isn't a life lesson I don't know what is...
- Go at your own pace
- Don't compare yourself to others (and don't care about what others think!)
- Trust yourself and silence the negative internal chatter... and...
- Have Fun!
I am not going to tell you that I LOVED roller skating last night... I enjoyed it... and would like to think that if I went back I would do even better... (Chances are pretty good, right??) And true confession... the idea of becoming a roller derby bad ass is not unappealing!
What I did LOVE... is the variety of people who were there... ranging in age and body type... there were singles and couples... men and women... I saw mature men (I hate to guess age.. but I would say 50s and maybe early 60s) who were there on their own... and were ROCKSTARS!! I loved seeing people who had crazy skills flying around the rink... and people who could actually dance WHILE skating?! That is talent and athleticism. I was surprised that some of the music was current stuff... I would have preferred more music like 'Staying Alive' or 'Another one Bites the Dust!'
Everyone there seemed to be there for the same reason... to have fun!
I had a good time. I am glad that I stepped... or rolled...outside of my comfort zone... I was worried that I would fall and hurt myself... and still have that fear, should I return to the rink....
I had a good time... Being more fit is helping me live better... and I am so happy!!!
Whether on a snow covered trail or in a roller rink Adventure Awaits!!! Go get it!
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