You work. Monday to Friday 9 to 5. On weekends you are busy running errands and fixing things that shouldn't have broken. A quick trip to Ikea can easily turn into an exhausting day long excursion with the added bonus of having to assemble everything once you get home. You know the deal, we work hard but how often do we really get to play?
For alot of us thats life. If you rollerblade, take pleasure in knowing that your release from the mundane is not just updating the filter on your profile picture. Even though skating gives us the freedom to get outside and use our bodies, it’s often hard for people to find the free time necessary to embrace this passion. I often feel like there is not enough time in the day and constantly find myself wishing I had just alittle more ‘me' time. Although the majority of inline skaters I talk to tend to incorporate skating into part of the daytime routine, there are a few that consider skating after dark to be an extremely effective way to incorporate skating into their already hectic schedules.
But why skate at night? Most would assume its dark, cold and most importantly dangerous. The truth is, it is all of these things but also so much more. Don't let your fear of the unknown stop you, because there's so much to be seen when the sun sets, traffic dies down and the city starts to sleep.
Even if it is just a quick lap around your neighbourhood, the simple act of having skates on before bed can be surprisingly relaxing. At night its just you, your skates and a positive attitude. Its an opportunity to reflex on the day and most importantly an opportunity to just be.
For myself the act of skating, especially at night, is like pressing a reset button. The deadlines in the back of my head disappear, the unanswered texts from friends and family are put on hold and I am given the opportunity to do the thing I love most.
If you worried that you won't be able to find adequate light, you won't have to look farther than a Walmart parking lot. Opportunity is everywhere, but its up to those who want it bad enough to seek it out. Find a place that makes you feel safe. Skate in circles, skate backwards, fall down and most importantly get back up. It doesn't matter where or what you skate, what matters is that you've made the effort to do something that makes you happy.
If that isn't enough look at it this way; you'll always sleep better after sweating it out, taking a shower and reflecting on the session you just had rather than the one you wish you were having.
See you out there,