Ice Skating

Did you know...I used to be a figure skater. From the ages of 6 until 17-18ish, I was a rink rat. I spent the majority of my freetime spinning, jumping, ice dancing and talking. My life was set to music. I can remember specific years from the music I skated to. Skating is the sport that I know best. I LOVED it. I loved the smells and sounds of the ice. I loved the discipline and technicalities. I loved the way I felt when I was skating...fast, strong and confident.

I started to give skating up my junior year of high school. I had suffered a number of ankle injuries, two of which needed surgery. I got into ice hockey. When I went away to college, skating and I made a clean break. I would be lying if I said I didn't miss it sometimes. It saw me through my childhood. I defined myself as a skater for a long time. When I think about it, it seems crazy that so many people who are close to me now, never knew how dedicated I was to the sport for so long.

Sometimes, when I'm running, my mind drifts to skating. Sometimes its a because I think that someone should skate to a song i'm listening to. Sometimes its because I feel like I need a two foot glide. But sometimes, after running a long while and I've hit that perfect pace and stride, it takes me back. It's like a clean landing on my most difficult jump, incredibly elusive, but absolutely amazing.