This time of year is my busiest season. Between my jewelry business and my personal obligations, I sometimes have a hard time skating or doing other activities that keep me balanced. Add Liz Reynolds and my holiday boutique last weekend plus very raining weather, and I'm jonesing to get out skating. I actually start feeling like an addict who has had to quit cold turkey.
We in northern California had some major wet weather last week. (I know you folks that live in other parts of the country are feeling no sympathy!) Finally on Sunday afternoon the skies dried and the sun came out--just minutes after my poor husband finished cleaning out the gutters yet again! I waited as long as possible to give the trail the best shot at drying out a bit but still early enough that I could get a skate in before darkness took over. When the time was right, I made my move!
I started on the Lafayette Moraga trail at the Commons in Moraga. It seemed like many other people had the same idea and the trail was filled with walkers and bikers...an extra challenge but not insurmountable. I was the only fool on skates however.
I've written before about trying different techniques to mix up my skate a bit and to keep increasing my skills. This day, I didn't need to try too hard…between the plethora of sticks, leaves, acorns and rocks and the still-wet pavement, I had all the challenge I needed! There was even one section where the water was running freely right across the trail:
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| Note the gravel washed onto the trail and the 1/2 inch deep water still flowing across the trail |
To my surprise, as long as I stepped a bit cautiously on the wet sections, I didn't have too much of a problem. Mind you, it was plenty challenging…the least bit of wet when I'm skating hard means that my skates slide sideways out from under me. On the wet surface I had to take smaller steps and be continually ready to correct my balance.
With a little trial and error, I found I could remain pretty steady on my feet and manage to get a satisfying workout. The workout combined with seeing a bit of sunshine, and my mood was soaring before long. I kept to the mile-long section between the commons and Rheem Boulevard. I did the same section two times to get a 4-mile skate and then managed to come home tired, sweaty and happy.
The next day the trail was drier still and I was now armed with the knowledge that my limits were not what I had thought them to be. It gave me confidence to skate further and skate harder.
I guess my surprising takeaway message was that my previously believed limits were largely self-imposed. Because of my previous bad experiences with wet pavement, I had thought it was something that I couldn't handle at all. Instead, I now know that with a bit of care and practice I CAN skate on wet pavement.
A challenge is not the same thing as a limit unless I allow myself to believe it to be so--a good thing to learn and to put into practice in other areas of my life.
What other challenges do I have that are holding me back because I think they're non-negotiable limits? Something for me to think about.
Keep skating!
Nancie ♥
12/2/12
Skate #162
4.12 miles
Lafayette-Moraga Trail
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