Cheap Skates

I was a girly-girl when I was little. I loved my Dance-arina, and tutus, and ballet, and everything pink, and frilly with bows. I liked "pretty". And way, way, way back, when I was an adolescent, I ice skated. I got to wear tights, and a little leotard and a short skirt that twirled when I twirled and floated in the breeze as I skated around the rink. I'll be honest, I was never great, but I could skate around the rink forwards and backwards. I could skate on one leg pretty well, but I never thought I would be an Olympic athlete .

So it being 2010, and just coming off of the Olympics, and after having just watched curling at the Oakland Ice Rink, I thought it was time to dust off the old skates and hit the ice. Well, I didn't exactly have skates to dust off, more like rent, and when I say hit the ice, it was not my intention to spend any time on my derriere. Happily, Tuesday nights are for cheap-skates. Entry is only $6.50, plus $2.50 rental, less 10% for Oakland residents (cheap).

I found out that one of my colleagues was a skater in high school - competed--triple lutzes, sit spins, and all that Olympic stuff, so it wasn't that hard to convince her to come to the East Bay and hit it with me. I pulled my crummy rental skates on and wobbled on, just as I had expected, and for the next hour, I glided and slided and drifted and stumbled, slipped and strode on the ice. It took Holly less than 5 minutes to get her sea legs back and she was lapping me, and chatting up the good skaters. Every once in a while I'd hop off the ice (gingerly), and sit down to rest my weary shins. I'd hop up after a minute or two and get right back on that slip 'n slide.

As I was doing my laps, trying to stay up, I actually recognized the guy who gave me lessons when I was a kid - Tony. He looked pretty much the same in his black hunting hat with ear flaps. He still has a bit of his British accent and he's still teaching little kids how to glide on the ice.

By the end of the hour, I was steadier. I'd definitely need lessons in order to keep up with the big kids (and the little kids). I had a good time, and it was definitely more fun that working out at the gym. By the time I got home though, I needed to spend a good 1/2 hour foam rolling my shins. It may be a while before I hop back on the ice, but it was definitely worth a repeat.