Saturday. After what seem like endless weeks of rain we got one pretty day, actually just a few hours of sunshine that day, but I'm glad I spent them wisely. After finding parking which took a lot longer than we figured it would, DD1 and I put on our derby gear and started down the trail. I thought I'd try my regular boots and outdoor wheels (78's) since the trail is reportedly flat. But after skating just one block I returned to the car to switch to my Skorps. I should have known better; I just don't have the skill to skate outdoors in regular wheels. The Skorpians may look dorky but they are exactly what I need. Each wheel has it's own suspension so it feels cozy --like jumping on a mattress, it's just that comfortable a glide. The down side is their wide profile, which makes me feel as if I'm waddling rather than skating. I got a good work out; we skated four miles that day. I had to stop frequently to rest, which is something I never have to do when I'm skating in the rink because it takes a lot more strength to stoke against blacktop pavement than a smooth floor. When skating outdoors just having to monitor the unknown surface for subtle changes in slope or roughness, puts additional stress on the workout.
Bottom line: I need to skate outdoors more often; it would strengthen my legs. And I'm not sure just how, but I think the tension regarding balance keeping would ease up as well.
Bottom line: I need to skate outdoors more often; it would strengthen my legs. And I'm not sure just how, but I think the tension regarding balance keeping would ease up as well.
