Skate Well, Live Well

My name is James Speciale and I am an inline skater. I quickly became addicted to inline skating after learning just how freeing and fun it can be. It used to be my buddy and I getting out of work late, stopping by the nearest fast food place for a bite, then hitting the park for a good night skate session. If only then I knew just how addicted I would become.

After I'd enlisted in the Army, I'd been searching for ways to get my mind off of work so that maybe I could enjoy my time while waiting for the end of my contract. I met somebody who, one day, brought up the idea of roller skating. I realized I'd missed those late nights skating with my buddy back home and immediately went and purchased the cheapest pair of inline skates that I could find. We'd began skating regularly and I discovered that I was getting somewhat good at skating. While I do still have a lot to learn, my confidence on wheels couldn't be higher.

Upon my discharge from the army, I returned to my home state of North Carolina with my new pair of skates and an addiction. My buddy and I hooked up again and resumed our skate sessions, this time venturing out into downtown areas to discover more complex routes. We live on the coast, and so there are not too many inclines to deal with. However the flat landscape does provide it's share of challenges and excitement. Typically my buddy and I will skate anywhere from ten to twenty miles in a single session; yes it sounds like a lot, but it really adds up quickly when you're having a good time.

That right there is why I skate. Because every time is a good time. Whether I'm with my friends or I'm skating solo, it always leaves me feeling refreshed. It's a good workout, it's exciting to challenge a friend, but most importantly, it's just fun. I think people don't put enough emphasis on implementing good clean fun in their daily life; there always seems to be a reason behind anything. I skate because it's fun; nothing more. Even in my solo skate sessions, I'll go as far as forty miles if the conditions are right. Feeling the wind whip past me and the wheels turning below my feet.

And then there's the occasional twig between the wheels that make you lose your cool for a moment, but you quickly collect yourself and push ahead. That's why you wear your knee pads always. Because no matter how good you think you are, unexpected obstacles always arise. My daily route is on a bicycle path that crosses far too many intersections that are obscured by trees, and you never know when you might come face to face with a pickup truck, or a bicyclist, or a pedestrian walking their dog. These do add an element of danger that you can never be too prepared for; this is the reason I prefer to skate as the sun rises before the locals start to move about.

What started out as a fun pastime quickly transformed to an addiction and now into a lifestyle. My daily skate keeps me focused and gives me something fun to look forward to first thing in the morning. I've made friends on my routes. I'll make challenges and race bicyclists. And on the rare occasion I bump into another inline skater, it's always an exciting time. I'll never forget the couple I met who told me that after seeing me skate so often, it inspired them to start skating together. Or the children I'll pass who's faces light up when they see me skate my, then I hear them yelling to their mom or dad that they want a pair of inline skates. It's pretty cool knowing that I'm positively impacting people's lives just by having a fun time doing something I love.