North America

I won't spend much time describing this gallery but let me say it is a really fun look at photos of the type you take with black and white film, you dodge and burn, you hold in your hands, mark up for cropping, and put in the newspaper. I also usually stay away from comments after most newspaper or television website articles, but I looked at these and I was glad. Most were happy. Some were very well written and added to the positive aura of the page. What I notice is what so many noticed, that these were shots of people having fun skating. I hope today's kids are having as much fun as safely as these. And notice how many adults are in on the fun too.

Even if you feel healthy and are active, this skater's story points out that it's important to know and pay attention to symptoms, then to seek attention when you feel an out of the ordinary pain or discomfort. Then after an initial diagnosis, when pain returns, get more diagnosis! At a time when I let a lot of things keep me from going skating, this woman is an inspiration to exercise and to seek help if I feel similar symptoms. Other brief stories here tell how others have faced their heart attacks. 

Heart disease: They didn't know what hit them - USA Today -

Just noticed a couple of reports that give a new angle to the story of US Representative Gabrielle Giffords and her long road to recovery after nearly being assasinated on January 8th. One is that she is a very active inline skater as it turns out. According to this local news story about Rep. Giffords's progress. she was regularly seen skating the asphalt loop around Reid Park in Tucson.

Supporters have become accustomed to a “miracle every 48 hours,” said Michael McNulty, Giffords’ perennial campaign chairman.

“The rhetorical problem is that the doctors always say: ‘Given what she’s been through, she’s doing wonderfully.’ That’s kind of like saying ‘They’re going to China, and given that they have to walk, they’re doing great.’

Good article about a long track ice oval in Nova Scotia that roadskater blogged about when it opened last month and its effect on local interest in speedskating:

Nova Scotia's speedskating community says the new long track speedskating oval on the Halifax Common is boosting local interest in the sport.

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