SKATE TIP OF THE WEEK
Inline secrets from the world's top skaters and coaches

This week's tip:

How to Avoid Crashing in a Skate Race
Avoiding the thrill of those nasty spills

By Debbie Rice
 

It's a jungle out there! ... At least it can be.

What with potholes, tar snakes and erratic skaters, you've got to keep on your guard to stay on your feet.

While nothing can guarantee a safe trip to the finish line, here are a few tips that can help you stay upright and avoid nasty spills.

1. Head to the front of the line

Get to the event early and position yourself near the front of the pack. The mass start makes most newbies and not-so-stable skaters uneasy. They usually gravitate to the back. If you start behind them, you'll have to zigzag through the panic and chaos of that first mile or so, increasing the risk of clipping skates and going down.

2. Line up with your competition

At the starting line, position yourself with skaters of your own level. Know your competition, look for familiar faces, and set up next to them.

3. Avoid erratic skaters

Once the race begins, decide who you'll attempt to stay with. If there's a skater in your pack that looks unstable or unpredictable, get around them!

4. See what's coming

Most skaters are courteous and will call out danger spots on the course. But don't count on it.

I'll never forget a race in Downer's Grove in the late-90s. The lead skater of the pro women's pack (I was in second) approached a large pothole. Instead of going around it, she jumped over it without warning the rest of us. With no time to react, I fell right in and the pack crashed on top of me.

Lesson learned: never rely on the lead skater for your safety. Always look around those in front of you to see what's ahead on the road.

5. Expect the unexpected

Anyone can take a tumble. So stay focused and alert. Be ready to go around or jump over the skater in front of you.

6. Adjust to changing conditions

Adjust your stroke when you spot wet patches or other changes on the course. ... And look out for those who don't alter their stride!

7. Know where your skates are

To avoid bumping another skater's boots during a race, stay directly in the pace line or far enough to the side to create a collision-free stroke.

We all want to do our best when we compete. But don't let your desire to win (or go fast) get in the way of safety. Finishing first is great, but not if it sends you or another skater to the first aid station.

Remember: it's a jungle out there!

(Originally posted: July 4, 2008)

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Debbie Rice doesn't let on, but she owns one of the most amazing resumes in inline skating! For starters, she is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records (or at least was listed when skating had its own category) as the fastest woman ever on skates. Apparently fearless, she was clocked on a downhill run at 61 mph. Less dramatic, but equally dangerous, was Debbie's stint on the Roller Jam television series in the 1990s. A star of the Florida Sundogs, the petite Texan broke her back in two places when an opposing skater knocked her into a railing. ... A Houston native, Debbie trained and raced on the same team as Chad Hedrick and Cheryl Ezzell and won 15 indoor national championships, in addition to numerous outdoor races. Now 39, she is still racing — and winning! So far this season, she's two for two, having won both the Texas Road Rash and Badger Games Inline Marathon. ... In addition to her day job, she is a Bont sales representative and team manager.

• Debbie's MySpace page

Related reading:

• Skate Tip of the Week Archive
• Beginners Guide to Outdoor Racing
• Beginners Guide to Inline Skating