www.worldgames2005.de

"Fitness is not a 'destination' that you visit occasionally in your life. Rather, fitness is a 'road trip', or excursion, an ongoing state of health. Participating in fitness activities consistently and regularly is what ensures your best chances for improved quality and quantity of life. Fitness is the process and fitness is the reward."

- Karpay, E "Total Fitness Book", F&W Publications, 2000

I miss inline skating. I miss it so much. It used to be my life. Literally. I used to skate every day, compete every week, teach twice a week and work at the rink all weekend. When I wasnt at school, I was at the rink. Sometimes when I should have been at school, I was at the rink. Back in those days, it was all that mattered to me. I was going to be a champion skater and I was going to the Olympics. Then I grew up, and realised that becoming a lawyer was probably a better idea. Yet, the memories of those days are still firmly in my mind, like they were yesterday. Skating was my identity for so long. I was the girl that skated. I was the girl that used to always try and beat the boys. I was the girl that probably could have really done well if only she had stuck with it, and focused. My friends were all skaters. Now, skating is just a memory, and the worst part of it all is that unfortunately, in early 2000, they converted my skating rink, my childhood community, into a budget, $2 shop called the Warehouse. I had always said to my friends that when "I grew up" I would buy the skating rink. We would sit there and talk for hours about how we could turn the skating rink into a profitable business... unfortunately the skating rink ran out of money before we grew up.

Maybe in Europe I will get back into skating, whether it be on ice or roller. Its like riding a bicycle. You never forget.