Ooh it hurts… right down there and around there.

This morning I jumped out of bed ready to tackle the day head on. I did jump… but I landed on my face. This is something that is becoming a bit common at the moment. My legs are as stiff as boards. My shoulders hurt and I have blisters on my shins (something that I have never experienced before).

I decided to walk to the bus stop on the way to work with the boots tied to my bag.

Last night I couldn’t help but watch some clips on YouTube of people weaving in and out of cones as if they were dancing. It is truly amazing and something to aspire to.

I decided that I will stick to it, so after the bus had driven off from the ride back home after work, I found myself left at the kerb tightening my laces and reminding myself of the things I have seen on YouTube and the things people have said. Bend your knees, balance, turn with your shoulder, don’t talk with your mouth full, push off with your heals, focus on the horizon … and off I went.

I’m up… I’m moving… I’m down… I’m sliding. Well that didn’t quite go like the YouTube videos I had seen!

One thing I have learned is how to stand up on roller blades. I know it seems like a trivial thing, but when you have spent as much time landing on your arse as me, this sort of thing helps.

Off I go again… “Focus on the horizon, don’t look at your feet…. Left… right…”

I’m actually doing it. Before I know it I am making strides, literally strides and making good progress, cruising past yesterday’s accident spots. “In your face accident black spot”

There was a guy in front of me who was walking at a good pace, and I thought as long as I can keep up with him or even better get past him, I am winning. He would be like my pace car.

I shoot past him as he shouts “evening, sure is a nice day for it”

“I’m not doing too bad it is my second day of tried this… I can’t stop to chat… no, literally I can’t stop” I say as I zoom past down the hill.

The main problem with going downhill you indubitably either end up going into another hill, or a stream of some sort. I got the hill. I pushed and pushed as hard I could until I got to the top where the man I just zoomed past had caught up and started walking next to me.

“So where in England are you from?” he said as I was back to doing baby steps.

“Northampton” I say.

“Oh right. I lived Oxford for a few years… You’ll soon master the skates; you just have to stick with it.”

Before I knew it, I was at the bottom of my street, on the home stretch. Three falls (compared to yesterday) and 10 minutes knocked off yesterday’s time. I just have to knock another 15 off and then I break even in terms of the time it takes to get to the bus stop.

I’m going to stick with it, even though the blister has now popped on my shin… ew nice!