Tips

First, we've got a number of safety tips of a general nature. You should always be conscious of these safety aspects when you're out skating on the trails.

Next, we look at what you might want to do before you begin your day of skating including an equipment check, stretches, and exercises. Then, we mention how to hydrate properly during the roll, what to eat before the roll, as well as some pointers about relaxation.

General Safety

Wear your safety equipment.
Watch out for bumps on roads, sidewalks, and trails.
Always stay alert and aware of what is happening around you.
Watch out for other skaters, cyclists, pedestrians, and cars.
Carry a whistle to let others know you are approaching.
Be courteous.
Avoid leaves, water, and loose gravel on roads and trails.
Always look ahead for obstacles.
Never lean backwards on your skates.

Before you Begin

A. Check to make sure that:

Your brake is not loose or worn out.
Your wheels are free of dirt, grime, or oil.
Your wheels are not loose or wobbly.
The axles and nuts are tight.
You are wearing all of your safety gear.

B. Do some stretches with your skates off.

Before starting out, it is best to warm up your legs, abs, hips, glutes, and lower-back, which are used in inline skating. Stretch the following muscle groups:

Achilles
Calves
Hamstrings
Quadriceps
Groin
Font, side, and back abdominals
Lower back

C. If you prefer, do some exercises with your skates on while standing on a level patch of dry grass.

Touch the tips of your toes, which will warm up the hamstring and calf muscles. Hold for 30 seconds.
Bend one leg slightly while extending the other leg out and behind. This exercise stimulates the striding motion and stretches your groin muscles,
Hop from skate to skate. This makes you practice weight displacement and balance.

Proper Hydration during the Roll

The idea is never to feel thirsty when you are on the roll. If you are thirsty, it probably means you are already dehydrated. To accomplish this goal, you need to carry two liters of water or more on a 3-hour roll. The key is to drink the equivalent of about half of an 8 ounce glass of water every 10 or 15 minutes. This will keep you properly hydrated throughout the roll.

Foods for Endurance during the Roll

Proper nutrition prior to the start of the roll is just as important. If you don't eat the right foods before the roll your energy level will drop significantly during the roll, as well as your coordination.

For Sunday skates that start at 1:30 PM, eat three pieces of fruit at around 8:30 AM and then eat again at 11:00 AM. The second meal should consist of a rather large serving of pasta mixed with vegetables, brown rice mixed with vegetables, or pancakes and syrup with a side of whole wheat toast, or the equivalent. The idea is to have a properly combined carbohydrate meal that will move from your stomach to your small intestine and into your bloodstream within 2 1/2 to 3 hours. This means you will have plenty of energy from this food from 1:30 PM until about 4:00 PM.

You should also carry a snack with you that you can eat along the way to give yourself a boost at about 3:30 PM. You could bring trail mix, seeds, nuts, raisins, dried apricots, dates, figs, or a power bar.

For Tuesday and Thursday skates that begin at 7:00 PM, eat the above carbohydrate meal, or an equivalent at about 4:30 PM.

Relaxation

After you attain braking proficiency and speed control, then being relaxed while you skate downhill should come fairly easy. Being relaxed isn't a way to look cool. Keeping relaxed is critical for unanticipated bumps or debris on the trail that could make you trip and wipe out.

When you're relaxed your body reflexes can respond better than when you're all tense from fear of falling. Basically, when relaxed, your knees, hips, and body are already in the right position to adjust to any bumps, turns, or obstacles that come up. If you're tense, you have to loosen up first before you can react.