Wednesday, November 12, 1997 — North Shore News — #&

dining arts business

NORTH §

Old memories
etched in ice

| WATCH that first step.
"After months of hiking boots, golf spikes,
tennis shoes and flip-flops, that first step in an
skate can be a doozy.
‘Hundreds of North Shore residents are cur-

ay rently. taking those tentative first steps as
moe ancther season of that fine Canadian tradition

getting the.
of me: The

Dor’ Mills elenientary. I was sit- |
ing on’. the: wobbly” boards
‘ Waiting for. the big kids to fin-
li their game of hockey. . :
“The next thing.T knew I was lying flat on
“back on the hard snow, staring up at a steel
etal “sky. I: didn’t feel any pain, but when I
ied:to inhale, nothing happened. —..
I “started to. struggle and make gasping
sounds, when an older kid — one that regular-
made my walk home from school an adven-
bbed “my snowsuit-clad legs and

pumping. . .
ly’ breath came back, and for some reason
at- kid left me alone after that.
First’ real kiss: The place was the floodlit
Rink 0n Sarnia Bay.
The girl towered over me by about six inch-
¢s (and-outweighed me by at least 20 pounds),
but for sonic reason she enticed me over to a
§ :ditnly-lit comer of the rink and squashed her
cold, chapped lips against mine.
ce “Pink ‘Eloye's Tae. Wail was playing on the
speakers, and the smell of hot chocolate waited
‘ough the chilled air. (To this day when I
hear Mother or smell hot cocoa I flash back to
that moment.)
I’ve since learned differently, but at the tirne
I-would have ranked the experience as about
the”same as getting the wind knocked out of

First memory of my father: The rink was
in our backyard in Leaside, and my dad was
standing up to his overboots in snow, a garden
hose in one hand, a shovel in the other. -

Tasked my mother why he was watering the
snow in the middle of the night, and she told
me he was making an ice rink for me. The next
morning I was taking my first tentative steps on
bob skates — my dad was in bed.

First notion that girls have a thing for
hockey players: The rink was Sarnia Arena and

my friend John and I were
going to our first-ever Friday
night, rock-and-roll skate. We
were both 12. John was wear-
ing his minor-league hockey
jacket; I was wearing a sweater.
After a few circuits of the
_smooth ice, we noticed a gag-
gle of girls watching us from
the centre of the rink.
After a few more turns, one of
our admirers skated over and
asked John if he was a hockey player. You get
the picture...

Both North and West Vancouver ice rinks
offer a number of open public skates each
week. The following are times and locations for
some of them:

Lonsdale Arena: Monday, noon - 1:15
p.m.; Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.;
Wednesday, noon - 1:15 p.m.; Saturday, 2:45
p.m. -4:15 p.m.

Karen Magnussen Arena: Wednesday,
3:15 p.m. - 4:45 p.m., and 6:15 p.m. - 7:45
p-m.; Friday, 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.; Sunday, 3 -
4:30 p.m. ~

West Vancouver Arena: Wednesday, 7 -
8:15 p.m.; Friday, 3:15 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.;
Saturday, 1 - 2:15 p.m.; Sunday, 2:15 p.m. -
3:30 p.m.

(For complete public skate schedules, con-
tact your local recreation centre.)”

If you’re more inclined to skate in the great
outdoors, check out Grouse Mountain’s new
outdoor risk at the top of the Skyride (obvi-
ously, it’s not open yet, but it will be soon).

And remember: things always get better

me (see. above).

alk, run or swim your way t

How: old would you. be if you didn’t
know how old you was?!!”
: “me Satchel Page
OK.... so you’ve decided
f.- you’re going to get in shape.

§. . You want increased strength
: rather than increased incidence of
osteoporosis, reduced stress is more
” appealing than an increased risk of
: heart disease, and a more attractive,
sical appearance wins over hi;
ee testercl levels and adult one
diabetes. Not a tough decision real-
ly, considering the options. Now all
“you've got to figure out is how to
are. get, and stay, in a healchful state.
. : There are a myriad of options
available and this article will focus
" on-three of the most popular, the
object being to give you an overview
of these and oudine the potential
pros and cons associated with cach.
- By the way, make sure you have
_+fan. As the saying goes “If you can’t
“laugh ar yourself then you're not
taking yourself seriously enough.”

JOGGING/RUNNING/
WALKING
One of the most basic and natur-
al of ali physical pursuits and one of
the best in terms of potential physi-
cal well being. :

after that first step.

It’s inexpensive and you can do it
almest anywhere, any time — per-
sonal safety being taken into
account. There are several running
clubs available and most cater te var-
ious levels of experience. Try oue of
the North Shore running stores for
more information or contact your
local recreation centre.

PROS:

B Time efficient,
inexpensive, with
shoes being the

“most costly neces-

sary investment.

@ It works! Little

technique is

required to get

started and the

sport offers many

challenges — from

a fun !0km event all the way to the

trail uleramarathons (26 miles plus).
CONS:

@ There is a fairly high risk of injury,

particularly if one does not have an

appropriate program of develop-

ment. If you are older, overweight

or have not been exercising regular-

ly, a walking or waik/run program is

a safer place to start. If in doubr, get

a professionally qualified trainer to

start you Out.

@ You will need to do some

strength training, for your upper
body so consider weight training or
swimming to complement this sport.

WIMMING
Many professionals associated
with fitness and health consider
swimming the bese all-around work-
out available.
PROS:

@ It’s one of the
fastest growing
adult sports in the
world and offers ter-
rific cardio and mus-
cular development.
a Appra riate for
people of all ages —
fi t fo ’ from infants to cen-
if

tenarians.
@ It offers chal-

lenges all the way from fun swim-a-

thons up to long distance ocean

swimming racing.

Mf Is celatively inexpensive.

@ There are age group and Masters

clubs available bur make sure you

find one where you are welcome

irrespective of your ability. Phone

your focal aquatic centre for more

info.

CONS:
@ It can be tough to find pool
space depending on your own

schedule.

B Swimming is an extremely tech- |
nique-oriented sport and is more
similar to golf than running from
that perspective. Invest in a qualified
coach to get started. It’s not cheap
but can save you tons of frustration
in the long run.

@ Because swimming isn’t a weight
bearing activity it does not promote
bone density to the same extent as
running or weight training, so
enhance your swimming with a
weight routine!

WEIGHT TRAINING

A convenient and extremely
effective way to develop muscle
strength improve bone density and
improve physical appearance. Get
some help with a program at the
beginning. It will pay off in terms of
reducing the likelihood of injury and
offer more rapid development.

T would estimate fully 90% of
people in most weight rooms (par-
ticularly non-supervised facilities
such as those found in recreation
centres) do not perform exercises
correctly or safely. Take the time to
learn!

PROS:

Can work out in all weather con-
ditions and see dramatic improve-

4
Ow

MITCHELL Bailey is all set for a season of ice skating. The three-and-a-half year
old was among a number of skaters at Karen Magnussen Arena on Sunday.

health

ment in a relatively short period of
time (move over Arnold!).

CONS:

@ Choose your club carefully. Some
private facilities are more interested
in your fiscal limits rather than in
your physical potential.

@ Anyone that wants you to sign up
long term without a reasonable trial
period (30 days plus) doesn’t
deserve your business. ;

@ Weight training does not usually
help aerobic development to any real
extent. Swim or run (walk) as an
adjunct to your weight program.

Whatever you decide works best
for you is fine, but get some instruc-
tion at the beginning and visit your
physician firsr to make sure there are
no contraindications before you
start.

A thought; “Lite has meaning,
only in the struggle... Victory and
defeat are in the hands of the
Gods... ... so, let us celebrate the
struggle!” (an African warrior
poem).

Shane Collins is a physical trainer
and athletic coach as well as an
accomplished ultra endurancerunner
and marathon swimmer. The West
Vancouver resident is the president of
Pacific Bodyworks and can be reached
at (604) 921-0726.