Sam
After our winter weekend triathlon, Sarah and I returned to Guelph determined to improve our skating. I signed up for Skate Canada’s CanSkate program and the first class was Tuesday night, and Sarah decided to join me.
But first I had to buy a helmet (my first time wearing one, times have changed) and new skates (after the mice ate my old ones.) These are figure skates but they’re designed to be comfy and they’re black rather than the traditional white.
Fun times. Yes, a little bit terrifying. It took me a few minutes before I let go of the boards. But also lots and lots of fun.
We all warmed up together and then split into different groups based on our ability.
I enjoyed all the new Canadians on the ice in our very beginner group. .
I was also impressed by the people who’d advanced past beginner. They looked good! I took that as inspiration.
By the end, I was skating somewhat comfortably forward and not so comfortably backward. Stopping is a whole other matter. Lots of work to do there. I even got a sticker on my helmet for successfully completing my first lesson!
Reflecting on this, I was surpised by the reaction of friends and colleagues. There was a lot of “age is just a number”and “I guess it’s never too late.” I hadn’t really thought of this as age thing at all. I don’t get the idea that you stop doing new things as you get older. I hate the idea of doing less and less with age.
My own reaction? I love learning new things.
There’s a kind of excitement in being a complete beginner, found in the very early stages of doing a new thing. I hope I keep on finding new things. I mean, I accept that with age I’m not going to get better and better at some of the old things I’ve been doing my whole life, so the better and better energy I love has to come from new things.
Also, although you likely know this, it’s not a comparative better and better. It’s totally better and better for me.
I am really leaning into my word of the year, EXPAND, and I think it was a terrific choice. See Fit Feminists’ Words of the Year 2026: #WOTY and From swimming to skating, Sam is expanding her horizons and learning new things.
I keep thinking EXPAND EXPAND EXPAND, like Rocky in Project Hail Mary and his AMAZE AMAZE AMAZE.
Sarah
As someone who thought skating is like riding a bike I was surprised by how much I wobbled around during our recent trip to the skating trail at Arrowhead Provincial Park. I was ok skating forward but struggled a lot with the whole manoeuvring thing.
When Sam tracked down adult learn-to-skate lessons I jumped at the opportunity to have a skills refresher. I really enjoyed our first lesson. It felt great to go back to basics and I was already feeling more stable by the end. I can’t wait to go back this week!
