I have made it no secret that I am now fully invested in the super radical skateboarding lifestyle.
I’m currently staying at home and nursing a minor foot injury that’s keeping me off a board, and it’s the worst! It turns out I enjoy being active? Someone tell my P.E. teachers!
In the Before Times when my mental health was not reaching pandemic-based nadirs, I was already getting better used to the idea of being more constantly physical. Like when you’re at school, you do P.E. because you have to, and as long as you try (or look like you’re trying), you can’t really fail, so who cares if you’re not actually pushing yourself?
But when you’re an adult, you realise all that stuff your gym teacher was yelling about how the only person you’re failing is yourself is… true. Gross.
Still, being active has not necessarily been Fun until I started skateboarding more regularly. It feels weird knowing I’m coming up to a weekend where I won’t be able to skate. Even if my foot recovers before the next weekend and I get a chance to practice by myself, I know I won’t. It’s just not the same outside of a skate park!
Like many of us, I had the early pandemic fantasy of coming out swole. I’ve always liked the idea of secret practice, where one day I’d get asked to lift a heavy box, and before someone can come help me, I’d easily lift it up over my shoulders. Or a car would come careening towards me, but it’d glance off my amazing bulk, leaving a dent in the car. (Or I’d easily parkour off the hood and walk it off like it was nothing.)
But the thing that is actually stopping me is that I don’t like learning in secret. People tell you to bring a gym buddy because it’s more fun working out with someone else, and it feels true. It’s more fun skateboarding in a park. It’s more fun sharing videos of you finally skating down a baby incline, or practicing your break falls. And it’s more fun to fall down when someone can give you a hand up and encourage you to keep going.
Being a cool secret badass if overrated. I’d rather be a dork and fall spectacularly (but safely!) in public… as soon as my foot heals.
Thanks for reading! Have a treat:
When I finally have the courage to try dropping in, it’ll be after taking the advice of this very wise 3-year old.