Marathon Madness: From Local Tracks to Global Skating Adventures

Send us a text

Physical therapist and competitive speed skater Mike Mason pulls back the curtain on what it takes to excel on wheels, sharing wisdom gained from decades on the track and in the clinic. From his humble beginnings stealing his sister's quad skates in 1980s Florida to becoming a two-time state champion and international competitor, Mike's journey reveals the unexpected parallels between rehabilitation science and athletic performance.

With disarming honesty and plenty of humor, Mike details his spectacular wipeouts (including a triple ankle fracture that would have sidelined most skaters for a year) and his triumphant comebacks. His practical advice for skaters transcends typical training recommendations - learn why tracing the alphabet with your foot might be more valuable than heavy squats, how swimming transformed his racing technique, and why electrolytes can make the difference between finishing a marathon and cramping on the sidelines.

The conversation takes fascinating detours through international racing circuits, from dodging traffic in Chinese cities to competing on the famed Le Mans F1 track in France, where Mike participates in the grueling 24-hour relay race. As the founder of the Florida Inline Skating Marathon, now entering its sixth year as part of the World Inline Cup series, Mike offers an insider's perspective on event organization and building skating communities.

Whether you're a competitive skater looking to shave seconds off your time or a recreational enthusiast wanting to skate pain-free, Mike's blend of clinical expertise and real-world experience delivers actionable insights that will transform your approach to training, recovery, and performance. Ready to upgrade your skating game? This episode is your roadmap.

“Black Label Supplements. Built for athletes who don’t compromise.”
So go to blacklabelsupplements.com and remember to use the code Howdoyousk8 for your 15% discount at checkout. .css-j9qmi7{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:2.8rem;width:100%;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:start;justify-content:start;padding-left:5rem;}@media only screen and (max-width: 599px){.css-j9qmi7{padding-left:0;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;}}.css-j9qmi7 svg{fill:#27292D;}.css-j9qmi7 .eagfbvw0{-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;color:#27292D;}

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:09):
Hey there, welcome to how Do you Skate, the ultimate
destination for all skatingenthusiasts.
We cater to everyone, frombeginners to pros.
Whether you love inline and iceskating or prefer quads and
skateboarding, we have it allcovered, and we bring you
exclusive interviews withprofessionals, talented amateurs

(00:30):
and influencers in the industry.
So sit back, relax and getready for an exciting journey
into the world of skatingwelcome to this week's episode
of how do you skateate.

Speaker 2 (00:43):
I am your host, sean Egan, and my guest today is Mike
Mason.
He's got kind of a nice littlebackground and we'll give you
some information on how to signup for his stuff by the end of
the episode.
So how are you doing today?

Speaker 3 (00:57):
I'm doing great, since we figured out how to sign
on to Zoom.

Speaker 2 (01:02):
Technology is supposed to be easy and
sometimes it's a pain in thebutt yeah, yeah so so how old
were you and when did yourskating journey begin?

Speaker 3 (01:12):
so I started skating in palm beach gardens, florida,
which is on the east coast andwest palm beach when I was about
11.
I actually, uh, we had a localskating rink which was like
maybe three miles away from myhouse, right across the street
from my elementary school, and Iactually would steal my
sister's skates and go skating,cause she wasn't using them.

Speaker 2 (01:37):
She didn't have pom poms on them, Did she?
God no?

Speaker 3 (01:42):
I would have gotten the crappy rental ones then.
Yeah, god, no, yeah, I wouldhave gotten the crappy rental
ones then yeah, so now did shehave inline or did she have, uh,
quads?
Dude, we're talking 1980s, late80s, you know like 87 ish, 86
and I think when inlines cameout, started about 87.

Speaker 2 (02:02):
So when, yeah, how long did you skate with quads
before you transitioned intoinline, or do you skate inline?

Speaker 3 (02:09):
Well, it's actually kind of a funny story.
I skated quads up until 92, 93.
Then I got out of the sport fora long time.
And then fast forward20-something years later.
I graduated physical therapyschool.
I'm watching the Olympics,obviously watching the speed

(02:29):
skating, and you know, I'm justgetting that urge.
I'm like you know what, maybeI'll get back into it.
So I never skated on inlines.
So I bought a pair of inlinesand there's this really cool
place called Legacy trail herein sarasota and it runs about 30
ish miles.
So I slapped on my new inlinesthat I got from bont, from

(02:53):
debbie rice, okay, startedskating the legacy trail and I'm
like, oh, okay, this is cool.
And I'm like, oh, oh, crap, howdo I stop?
So I grabbed on a stop sign andyou can see how you know,
probably imagine how ridiculousthat looked Going forward, I was

(03:17):
going to say.

Speaker 2 (03:17):
I think all of us at one point or another has done
that in our skating journey.
Well, the outdoor skatingjourney, not the ice skating
journey.

Speaker 3 (03:25):
Yeah, and then I started up with a team here and
then I started getting betterand better.
And then, oh gosh, I startedcompeting again.
I was a two-time state championfor Masters here in Florida.
Then I started competinginternationally.

(03:47):
uh, all over the world china umgermany, uh god, brazil,
colombia uh you know, justhaving a good time you know and
then uh and kind of which willlead up to you some of the
things I do now is you know,when I started going to China, I

(04:07):
had the best experience becauseI was always an indoor skater.
Yeah.
And then when I was introducedto doing marathons, which I'm
typically not a marathon skaterguy, I'm more of a you know
sprinter my 500 meters is myrace.
I love it.
It's over and done with.
I fell in love with doingmarathons and just meeting

(04:29):
people around the world having agood time.
I'm sorry, let me back that up2017 to 2019,.
My daughter and I were invitedto go to China and do marathons
over there and I met greatpeople, and the last trip I made

(04:53):
was when COVID was happening.
I actually got COVID when I wasthere, so I'm patient zero, by
the way.

Speaker 2 (05:00):
You're the one who brought it back with you.
Thanks, man.

Speaker 3 (05:04):
Yeah, you're welcome, but brought it back with you.
Thanks, man, you're welcome.
But anyways, I came backFlorida shut down only for a
short matter of time and I'vealways wanted to throw a
marathon.
And we have this cool placecalled Nathan Benerson Park here
in Sarasota.
It's a premier sports complex.
They do Olympic time trials forrowing, they do triathlons

(05:25):
there 5Ks.
The place is just amazing.
And not only that, you haveon-site living.
You have hotels there that areright next to the park.
You have fine dining.
So this is not like yourtypical going somewhere.
Yeah, it's a cool area.
This is high end and it'sbeautiful.

(05:47):
I mean, when anybody comes,they're just amazed because
there's also not a six-storyobservation tower that people go
up and watch, get a 360 view ofthe race oh, anyways so,
anyways, you know, when kovathappened, um, I decided I was
like you know what we?
COVID happened.
I decided I was like you knowwhat we're?
Everybody else is shutting down.

(06:08):
Everybody wants to skate andhave a good time.
Florida's open.
Hey, I'm going to start up amarathon and we started in 2021.
The planning actually went backall the way down to 2000, back
to 2014, when I would skate thata lot and train with debbie
rice, um from bont, and I wouldskate with astro team and uh,

(06:32):
yeah, that's how it startedbeginning and you know we're
going on five years right nowyeah, I'm looking forward to
actually doing it next year, soit's gonna be cool.

Speaker 2 (06:40):
It'll be our sixth year man nice now, with your
physical therapy background, doyou think that's kind of helps
you a lot in training better andsmarter, like off the skates?

Speaker 3 (06:54):
yeah, yeah, 100.
Yes.
It's also helped me recoverfrom injuries.
Um, like, I broke my anklereally bad in 2014 competing.
It was the first or second meetof the year and I was in first
place coming out of a corner andsomehow my ankle snapped,

(07:14):
slammed into a brick wall,broken three spots dislocated it
.
However, I was back on myskates in four months competing
and I won out the division thatyear nice so, yeah, it's
definitely helped.
It's actually I understand thebody in a certain way.
You know um, you know, and I'mconstantly learning too.

(07:35):
Everything's always learningwith therapy you know, one.
So it's.
It's giving me a good advantageand a good insight on things.

Speaker 2 (07:44):
Nice.
Well, now we're going to pickyour brain on that, since you
brought that up.
All right, especially since wehave a lot of skaters that
listen to this show Actually,pretty much all skaters, except
for my girlfriend, I think shewon't put on skates.
So what are some of your bestadvice?
Just for strengthening up theankles for skating?

Speaker 3 (08:06):
okay, so this is going to sound crazy.
So, um, when I broke my ankle,the biggest thing when you have
an ankle fracture is losingmobility yeah um, and that's
scary.
I've seen what happens when youhave a mobility issues in your
ankle or, like in my case I have.
I still have a steel platewhere I have seven screws just
for extra support.

(08:26):
Um, because my doctor at thetime was like, yeah, I know
you're kind of crazy, so we'rejust going to keep that in there
, just to preventative.
So what I would do?
Simple things like taking atennis ball, tracing out the
alphabet when I'm in a seatedposition, when I am my initial
stages of healing, okay that.

(08:51):
So, believe it or not, you know, everybody thinks about gross
muscle, big muscles and stufflike that, but you always have
these smaller muscles in yourfeet and in your body that you
also have to build up.
That's like if, when you go tothe gym and you see a big
bodybuilder, I guarantee it theyhaven't worked out their
stabilizing muscles yeah, and Ialso I guarantee it they haven't
worked out their stabilizingmuscles, yeah.
And I also give this, you know,analogy to think of a building
in New York, a building strongfrom the foundation up.

(09:13):
So, you got to build everythingbottom up.
So I would do things like that,then I would progress it to you
know, doing that and standingand then going from there.
You know, at the time too I hada really good coach, uh, tony
Corberle.
Uh, he was on the world, he wasone of the world managers for
inline speed skating back in2015, 16.

(09:34):
Okay, he would put me throughdrills, um, doing leg
strengthening, uh, you know,just going to bleachers and
doing hops, single leg hops.
You know a lot of things likethat, and you know what I would
incorporate from physicaltherapy going.
Okay, let me add this in let'sdo a lot of neuromuscular

(09:57):
reeducation.
So I'm throwing a big term,that's just a big fancy word for
balance, it's, you know, let'slet's flip over a boso ball,
stand on it, do weight shifting,shifting your weight side to
side, you know.
Then you know, with you, knowsomebody near you, you do single
leg, uh, exercises on that toreally fire all the stabilizing

(10:20):
muscles in your leg and you'd besurprised how even the
strongest guys will wobblebecause you don't, you really
don't test those muscles out.
so that's why you got to pushyourself like give you a great
example in three months I'mgoing to paris and then I'm
taking a high-speed rail to lemans and doing the 24-hour race,
which I've done two years in arow.
Now this is my third year I'mI'm starting to train for that

(10:43):
again.
So I'm going through the wholeseries of okay, this is what I
gotta do, work on thestabilizing and stuff like that.

Speaker 2 (10:54):
Oh, excuse me so now, with that, with the bosu ball,
you're talking about using theflat side or the?

Speaker 3 (11:04):
Yeah, so basically you flip it over so the flat
side's up top, and then yousafely get on it.
You get in a skater position.
What I typically like doing toois, when you're on it,
squatting down, holding for 30seconds, then popping up,
breathe, then repeating thatabout 10 to 15 times.

(11:27):
Okay, so you're getting thatmuscle burn everything Plus, you
know, the more reps you go into, you start seeing really the
wobbling stuff like that.
You know, and that's tellingyou, hey, I'm really working out
these muscles that I'm weak on.

Speaker 2 (11:43):
Yeah, nice.
And what are your thoughtsabout doing yoga?
Because I started doing yogajust especially for, like, the
hip flexors and some of thebalancing stuff they have there.
I look like I'm back in the 89earthquake in California.

Speaker 3 (11:57):
Well, I actually got a funny story about the
earthquake.
My sister was almost on thatbridge that collapsed.

Speaker 2 (12:03):
My cousin just drove off and watched it collapse in
his rear view.

Speaker 3 (12:07):
So that's funny.
So my sister was actuallyrunning late.
There's a Coast Guard station.
She was in the Coast Guard andshe was about to get on there
and it collapsed.
Oh, wow.

Speaker 2 (12:19):
Love it.
She was late for work, yeah.

Speaker 3 (12:23):
Yeah, so, so yeah, doing yoga is wonderful, you
know, definitely workout hipflexors, you know.
And what I like about yoga, youcan always modify it.
Yeah.
With you know, because noteverybody is same flexible,
trust me.
I dated a yoga instructor onetime man.

(12:44):
She put me to shame shame.
We always think we're flexibleuntil we meet that person yeah,
and I'm looking at her goingnope, nope, not happening so did
she like was this while youwere skating at the time, or was
this before you're skating?
no, this is why I was skating umand stuff like that.

(13:04):
And she we met actually she wasa triathlete, okay, and we, we,
uh I do charity work for thislocal charity for adults with
disabilities, so you know wepush people and stuff like that.
Uh get them involved in, youknow, you know activities like
that.
So we actually met uh trainingand then you know activities
like that.
So we actually met uh trainingand then you know, we started

(13:24):
dating and stuff like that.
And let me tell you she was moreintense than I was.

Speaker 2 (13:30):
Now did she help you like with flexibility for
skating.
Does she like come up?

Speaker 3 (13:33):
with some stuff for you oh yeah, yeah, she got, she
got me some good, you know um,you know definitely you know
work.
You know it's always whatskaters are hip flexors yeah you
know, you know, it's alwayswhat skaters are hip flexors.
Yeah, you know.
You know if you're in a skatingposition you're squatting down
for a long time.
You know, and typically mostskaters forget to stretch.

Speaker 2 (13:52):
Yeah, it's, it's.
I've been really bad aboutstretching and now with uh, the
first uh race for the rollerblade series May 31st it's, it's
getting in.
I'm going in twice a week andthen some of the strength and
conditioning classes I'm doing,we're doing stretching in there
and for some reason I keep inshowing up on leg day Lots and

(14:16):
lots of squats.
So now, when it comes to likeweight training, like, what do
you do as far as weight traininggoes?
Do you do squats or do you dohip thrusts, or what do we got?

Speaker 3 (14:26):
So you know there's two parts of doing weight
training with your legs.
For example, there's the, youknow, traditional leg presses.
Leg presses are awesome forbuilding up your legs because
you can do so many differentexercises targeting different of
your quads.
You know most skaterseventually will develop a big

(14:47):
vmo, so that's like your fourthquad muscle.
Yeah, it helps.
It helps keep the patellatracking aligned so you don't
get knee pain and everythinglike that.
And you know you can do singleleg exercises like that.
So what typically what I do?
When I, in fact, I got to go tothe gym after this Me too, you
know.

(15:07):
Yeah, yeah, I'll get on the legpress, I'll do.
And you know what I don't doego lifting anymore.
I used to do that where I wouldslap on a whole bunch of weight
going.
Oh yeah, look what I can do.
You know, sometimes lighter isyou get more doing lighter
weights.
I, I agree and doing correctform and everything like that so

(15:28):
you know, typically I'd startout with 245, just a warm-up,
then progress up to, you know,five to six plates on each side,
then then pyramid down back,and then I would take all the
weights off, put on 145 usuallyhave a starting weight of 116
and then I would take all theweights off, put on 145, usually
have a starting weight of 116.
And then I would do you knowabout four or five sets of

(15:50):
single leg press.
Okay, and then also too, youknow, everybody forgets to like
so when you're on a leg press,typically people just put their
feet, just like this.
Yeah.
You know you actually have to dowide in up down because you're
targeting different leg muscles.
When you're doing that, you'rehitting your glutes more in one

(16:11):
positioning and stuff like that,and there's so many good charts
out there that will show yougood leg positioning Nice.

Speaker 2 (16:18):
And so Go ahead.
Oh, go ahead.
I was going to say do youbelieve in squats too?
Oh yeah, absolutely.

Speaker 3 (16:23):
Squats are everything .
I mean you have to do squats,yeah.
The funny thing is like, forexample, I know when I need to
do squats because I'll look inthe mirror and I go oh, I don't
have my skater butt anymore.
Okay, time to do squats.

Speaker 2 (16:39):
Yeah, I actually made that comment last night we were
doing I was sitting next tothis girl on one of the things
I'm like, oh, I'm sorry, mybutt's in the way, and she's
like, oh, I don't have one.
I was like I do, it's all thesquats, and so it was Yep, yep,
but so what are some otherexercises that you recommend
specifically for skaters?

Speaker 3 (17:00):
Well, I love doing single leg dips Okay.
You know you find yourself likea box or something.
Throw one leg on there and gothrough the form of doing your
skater motion and you know youdo about four sets of 10 on
those.
Box jumps are wonderful forexplosion, especially off the

(17:21):
line, definitely off the line.
That's one of my favoritethings to do is run off the line
.
Um, typically I'd get calledout for jumping.
It was when I was racing a lot.
It was almost a given I wasgoing to jump and then I would
be put back four feet and butI'd still win the start.
Yeah, dude, I'm like abulldozer, I'll knock people out

(17:44):
of my way and actually that'sright now.
I'll be training with astroagain starting tomorrow, uh, up
in tampa.

Speaker 2 (17:52):
So getting back into that kind of fun and that's to
get ready for that 24-hourmarathon yeah, it's just you
know.

Speaker 3 (18:00):
And the cool thing to answer your question, yes, and
the the thing I've always beentaught is you train for what you
race.
So, for instance, if you'reskating a marathon, you skate a
marathon.
The 24-hour race is a 2.4-miletrack in Le Mans, france.
Yeah, you know, the first 600meters is a 6% incline, so
coming from Florida, that hurts.

(18:22):
Thank God we have a placecalled well, we have a ring.
It's called the Ringling Bridge.
Yeah.
It's very nice.
It goes over the intercoastal.
So on the weekends now I'mtaking my skates with me.
So after I'm done treatingpatients, I go right around the
corner and I just start doingsprints up those things.

(18:44):
Okay, Okay.

Speaker 2 (18:46):
Yeah, and what is some advice?
Because my coach has actuallymentioned doing the 24 hour race
.
I don't think I'm comfortablethis year with doing it.
Actually I know I'm not justfor a fact, but what's some
advice to actually prep for thatthing?

Speaker 3 (19:03):
Well, so basically it's a relay, so you're not
doing okay yeah, you're notdoing.
But but I'm not saying there'sactually people that do go there
and skate 24 hours all bythemselves.
In fact, there was a guy whohe's.
Now I'll kind of explain onething.
This guy named chris gale.
Um, he's from Europe and he's,um, he skated, he does this, uh,

(19:27):
charity, um, that he wassupporting.
So he was dressed in a flamingooutfit, an inflatable flamingo
outfit, for a whole 24 hours, ohwow, and doing laps and laps
and laps coolest guy.
So the first year I did the race, we went under my uniform,
which is the Florida InlineSkating Uniform.

(19:48):
Okay, and every year since thatwe raced under that on my brand
.
And then this year we have atotal of five teams going this
year.
So the last two years it's onlybeen a team of nine and ten.
Now this time we have a team of32.
Okay, racing different levels.

(20:09):
So it gives us a higher degreeof placing, which is going to be
pretty cool because, you know,one, it helps promote the
marathon that I throw here inSarasota.
It gives us more exposure.
But two, it looks really coolbecause each group has a
different color uniform.

Speaker 1 (20:28):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (20:29):
So when we do, when we do so, the first thing you do
when you do the lap, so therace starts at four o'clock, but
right before that at threeo'clock, you do kind of a parade
lap around the whole thing andthat's where you also hold.
You know, like from the UnitedStates, this year I'll be
holding the U?
S flag.

(20:49):
Uh, in fact, chad Hendrick wasout there last year waving
everybody Nice, which is prettycool.
Yeah, it was pretty cool.
I've met him quite a few timesover the years and it was kind
of cool to see him and you knowhim a little bit again, yeah,
but uh, I would highly recommenddoing it.
It's one of the coolest thingsyou'll ever.
I mean, it's just so cool, it'sso different.

(21:09):
It's a lot of fun.
Yeah, and if you do go, let meknow, I'll tell you, I'll guide
you through this I'll probablybe part of your team.

Speaker 2 (21:18):
I'll perfect, like master is, a little bit earlier
because I want to do the relaywhere I can take a nap, because
me going 24 hours, I don't knowyeah.

Speaker 3 (21:28):
Well, what we do with that is that, say, all 10 of us
yeah.
We'll skate for about six hours.
Okay.
Then we start breaking off ingroups of four to five.
Okay, you have a three-hour naptime, go take your nap.
Go feel Go eat Bl five.
Okay, you have a three hour naptime.
Oh, go take your nap.
Go feel go eat blah, blah, blah.
Then when they rejoin the nextgroup, so everybody's getting

(21:53):
you know rest and stuff likethat.
But let me tell you, and you'reusually typically skating every
45 to 50 minutes.
You know cause you're goingthrough the line.
Yeah, because you're goingthrough the line.
Yeah, you have plenty of timeto rest.
It's just.
It's an amazing experience.
Plus, it's on the famous f1track in le mans, france oh nice
yeah, and then, three weeksprior to that, they do the uh f1

(22:15):
series there and every everyyear there's always celebrities
out there, like one year lebronjames was out there hanging out
and stuff like that.

Speaker 2 (22:24):
I thought you said celebrities.

Speaker 3 (22:26):
Oh, yeah, well, yeah, well, when he's not crying on
the floor.
But I mean, you have, you know,people like Tom Cruise out
there and stuff like that.

Speaker 2 (22:35):
Nice.

Speaker 3 (22:36):
So now.

Speaker 2 (22:37):
Oh, go ahead.
I was going to say when I havean advantage being on the team
being from Colorado and thetraining up here.

Speaker 3 (22:48):
Yeah, yeah, I mean I think I'm at a disadvantage
because we're at sea level orbelow.
Yeah, I remember when I wouldgo to Colorado Springs and, you
know, race at outdoor nationalsand then I'd come back to
Florida and race.
Oh my god, man, my lungs wereawesome.

Speaker 2 (23:02):
I was like Did you come out early for nationals and
get some training in at thealtitude first?

Speaker 3 (23:09):
Okay, yeah, my sister lives.
Uh, well, at one time she didlive in Colorado Springs.
Okay, I would go and stay ather house and just skate around
and just hang out for a week ortwo.

Speaker 2 (23:20):
Nice?
Yeah, it's.
It took me a little while.
I moved from California and ittook me a little while to adapt.
So it's like working on thecardio, um, just getting used to
skating, cause I, like you, Itook a long break and started up
again actually, uh, right atthe end of 2023.

(23:40):
Yeah, so, and then I I didspeed skating like early
nineties and but wasn't coachedthen.
So it was kind of like learn asyou go, wasn't doing the
exercise in the gym.
So it's cool to see how farthings have come.
And, with your background, Ihad to pick your brain because

(24:01):
we got so many skaters and somany people.
All they do is skate to trainand a lot of people don't do the
gym side of things and so doyou do a lot of I can't even say
dry land training, because whenyou're an inline skater, it's
dry land anyways, but yeah, yeah.

Speaker 3 (24:20):
In fact, when I go train with Astro tomorrow, we're
doing, you know they do a lotof plyometrics first.
Okay, they do a lot ofplyometrics, first for the first
hour and then skate the secondhour.
Yeah, I kind of like thatbecause I've seen different
aspects of how teams train.
No-transcript I, if I get backinto skating like really

(24:41):
competitive again, I'm going totake like two to three weeks off
and go down to Columbia andtrain down there, because they
train like two to three times aday.
It's, it's nuts.

Speaker 2 (24:50):
I've seen the videos.
It's a.
It's intense too, and it'salmost like how things used to
be back in the USSR, where theyget them really young, yeah, and
it just looks like a Kung Fuschool of skaters, yeah.

Speaker 3 (25:05):
And like when I go there, I'm like in fact I was
there, I was in Bogota andthere's a team down there called
Royal Royal skate and they'rereally cool people down there.
Claudia and her husband, I waswatching.
They're like yeah, you canpractice with us anytime.
And I'm watching the littleones.
I'm like dude, your little oneswill kick my ass right now.

Speaker 2 (25:26):
I'm scared to go up.
That's why it's nice being inmy 50s.
I'm like, yeah, I'm older thanyou guys, so I'm not far behind
man.

Speaker 3 (25:34):
I'm 40.
I'll be 48 in June.

Speaker 2 (25:36):
Yeah.
So now, what's what'sespecially with like with the
marathon, since you put on amarathon?
Um, my coach gave me some skinsuits cause I'm not exactly
small, so finding stuff my size,but it's got the pockets in the
back.
So what would?
What little snacks would I takeon a marathon to fuel myself

(25:56):
during the marathon?
That would fit in those pockets.

Speaker 3 (25:59):
So like I would go to a cycle shop or I mean even
amazon, you know they have thoselittle gel packets and like
when I would do triathlons, oh,my god, yeah, I would load up on
, you know, simple sugar stuff.
That would just give me thatburst of energy when I need it.
Um, you know, um they have likethese gum, they even have like
gum and stuff like you chew.

(26:20):
It gives you like this littleburst of energy.
So anything like that, okay,anything that would give you, oh
, especially, especially numberone thing, if you're doing a
marathon electrolytes.
So I one time I was training,uh, I did a 54 mile bike ride
and I didn't take enough salt.
Okay, and take salt pack likelittle um, uh they have like, uh

(26:43):
, it was like it looks like itcomes in a candy box, you know
like things you can pop in yourmouth.
Because the worst thing you cando and this happened to me my
legs cramped up and I literally,oh my, it was the worst pain
I've ever felt in my life.
I literally I didn't fall offmy bike, but it came really
close of tipping over and thenone of the other cyclists knew

(27:06):
exactly what was going on, gaveme a salt pellet and, oh, my
legs were fine again.
Yeah, it reacts that fast.

Speaker 2 (27:14):
Oh, that's good, Good to know.
So I'm taking my own notes onthis stuff too right now.
So now, have you had any likebeen in any major Cause?
I've fallen a couple of timesin practice.
Have you had any like majorfalls while skating?

Speaker 3 (27:32):
Oh, dude.
Yes, I mean, I told you aboutmy ankle fracture.
Yeah, Um let me list myinjuries Uh, ankle ac separation
.
I fell on my shoulder.
Oh, um, I dislocated my thumb.
I had surgery and this happenedat practice.
Um, I was doing cone drills andmy thumb just went down like an

(27:54):
accordion.
I thought I broke it and I justI popped it back in place.
Then I had to get surgery toreattach the tendon uh I was
racing outdoors at this placecalled the pad it's in tampa and
I was coming out of a cornerand my feet, literally, was like
a cartoon.
It just slipped from under meand my head went boom like that

(28:17):
thank god, the helmet didexactly what it was supposed to
do.
So the helmet, when I hit theground, didn't crack on this
side, it cracked on the otherside.
So it distributed the force.

Speaker 2 (28:28):
Okay.

Speaker 3 (28:30):
And otherwise I would have been messed up.
And with that man I remembergetting up, falling back down,
and I had to crawl back to myseat and just sit there for a
while.

Speaker 2 (28:43):
Oh, head injuries are the worst, oh yeah.
Yeah.
Even when you don't thinkyou're injured, the minute you
start to move, you know.

Speaker 3 (28:52):
Yeah, everything just hurts and you're just like,
nope, I'm good.

Speaker 2 (28:57):
Yeah, it's, it's.
I fell in practice one time.
I came off and I turnedbackwards and my foot just
clipped the thing and ended up,like slamming on my head, landed
on my butt.
It's probably one of the onlyfew times I've actually fallen
on my butt, so as speed skaters,we don't usually fall backwards
, we fall forwards, right.

Speaker 3 (29:16):
Oh yeah.

Speaker 2 (29:16):
We do the tumble Exactly.
So now I know my reasons forshaving my legs and having
hairless legs while skating.
Do you do the same thing?

Speaker 3 (29:28):
um yeah yes yes, I do .
I haven't done it in a while.
Um, like, if I'm just outskating, normally you know
having a good time?
No, no, I mean recreationalskating.
If I'm doing that.
I'm not shaving, but if I'm intrain mode, like which I'm
getting into, yeah, you know,the only problem is I'm a hairy

(29:48):
Greek, so it takes forever.

Speaker 2 (29:52):
Just go get waxed, you'll be fine.

Speaker 3 (29:55):
Dude, it's so exhausting.

Speaker 2 (29:57):
Well, it's funny, I've explained to people because
they think it makes us moreaerodynamic, and for me it's
when you fall that hair gettingripped out, you increase your
chances of infection.
It hurts more because it rips,because it grabs the asphalt.
So that's actually the realreason behind it People.

Speaker 3 (30:15):
So I'm going to be next week.
I'm starting to swim again.
Swimming's great for cardio,for it, and it helps you speed
skate, like when I started doingtriathlons and learned how to
swim properly and everything.
Then, getting on my skates, Iwas like, holy crap, man, this
is awesome.
You control you know.

(30:35):
Swimming's basically breathing.
Yeah, if you can control yourbreathing and it, swimming did
something that no other sporthas ever done.
It helped me slow myself downand breathe correctly.
Okay, how to time myself betterand where I was going with that
is, I'm definitely gonna beshaving for swimming one.

(30:56):
I look like a hairy ape whenI'm in the pool, so I don't want
to look like that when I'mcoming out.

Speaker 2 (31:04):
Yeah, just water dripping everywhere.

Speaker 3 (31:07):
Yeah, using the hair dryer all over so yeah, I mean
it's great, it's a built-in coat, so I don't get cold but, no,
it's like holy shit man so nowdo you shave your arms too when
you skate dude, just I shaveeverything, man.
Okay, it all comes off.
Now do you shave your arms too?

Speaker 2 (31:23):
when you skate too.
I shave everything, man, okayit all comes off.
Now, do you actually shave ordo you wax?

Speaker 3 (31:28):
Oh, I shave.

Speaker 2 (31:29):
Okay, I've done the waxing before.

Speaker 3 (31:33):
Well, like when it comes to my legs, I'll do the
nare.
Okay, I'll nare up my legs andthen I'll go back and kind of
fine tune everything.
But what also works good too isI bought one of these big ass.
It has like razors on it.
I got it off Amazon for likeback hair.

(31:53):
Yeah, the big handle.
Dude that thing.
Let me tell you right off.

Speaker 1 (31:59):
Nice.

Speaker 3 (32:00):
It's less effort and I'm like when I first bought one
and did it, I'm like, wow, thiswas pretty cool all over yeah,
it's, I've seen those.

Speaker 2 (32:09):
I just never ordered one, so, oh, they're worth it.
So now with like marathonstraining and stuff and we were
just talking about swimming doyou recommend people adding that
to their training regimen?
Oh yeah.
And how many days a week wouldyou say?

Speaker 3 (32:25):
Uh, it depends on your goals.
Like what I would always say,you know, two times a week for
swimming.
Okay.
Your body still needs rest and,you know, depending on your age,
I mean, well, for example, whenI was training so where I kind
of back up real quick where Ilive at here in Sarasota, it's
an amazing place so I wastraining at a place called the
Sarasota Sarasota Sharks.
Yeah, out of that place justhappened to be some of the

(32:50):
current Olympians, current andpast Olympians from these past
couple Olympics.
Ok, you know, and you'regetting all this level of you
know, of expertise there, whichwas cool.
But when I would watch thelittle kids swim, I mean they're
training, they're doing doublestwo days every day, double

(33:11):
practices.
Yeah, okay, good for them.
They have the energy.
When you get my age and yourage no, yeah.
So two days, good, hour, hour,hour and a half, you know do, I
would say a thousand meters,okay, swimming, do 100 meters,
or whatever you're comfortablewith, but like with me, I like

(33:33):
breaking it up doing 100 meter,you know, uh, laps freestyle the
whole time, or do you throw onbreaststroke and backstroke and
butterfly?
I only know how to swimfreestyle and doggy paddle, and
the reason I say that?
I got a funny joke with it.
So when I first got into atriathlon, I was invited by this
woman.
I liked, so we did thetriathlon and I got cocky.

(33:56):
I got so cocky I'm like, I'm aspeed skater, I can, I can swim
400 meters.
What's that?
That's nothing, dude.
It took me 45 minutes and bylike the last 100 meters I was
doggy paddling, I was, I wasabout to die, oh and then.
But then when I got on my bike,I was in heaven.
I was like, okay, this is myhappy spot, I'm catching up to

(34:18):
everybody.
And then the run.
Run was easy.
But when I left, that triathlon.
I go oh, I got to learn how toswim.
That's not going to happen tome again.
I look so bad.

Speaker 2 (34:30):
So our parents, mine and my aunt's signed us all up
for swim team when we wereyounger, because we all had
asthma.
Because we all had asthma.
Oh so, and then it's funny,because the cousins that swam
outgrew the asthma and thecousins that didn't still have
asthma.

Speaker 3 (34:49):
Yeah, you know something to say with.
You know, when you're buildinga respiratory, especially and
that's what I'm saying withswimming, it builds up your
lungs.
I never had, for example, onething my back grew, which helped
me out skating.
I was able to support myselfbetter, yeah.

Speaker 2 (35:06):
And two, the lung capacity I felt was greater just
from holding your breath foruntil you take that next breath
yeah, well or not, not so muchholding your breath, but timing
out.

Speaker 3 (35:16):
Like with swimming, you're timing out your strokes,
yeah, you know.
So think about what you do withskating when you step and
you're gliding, you know you'rebreathing, you know glide with
your steps, so it, and thetiming just came so much better.

Speaker 2 (35:31):
Yeah, exactly.
So now, usually when theweekend comes up, you can tell
me no or yes.
Usually my workout on aSaturday is I do a deep stretch
class, kind of like yoga, andthen on Sundays we'll go for a
hike.
So we'll just.
Those are like my rest days,just cause, you know, like this
Sunday, last Sunday we did fiveand a half miles, so and I mean

(35:53):
that's not bad.

Speaker 3 (35:54):
I mean you know you're enjoying yourself.
I mean you know I would alwayssay, though, just keep one day
and in fact this was taught tome by a swim coach who trained a
couple Olympians over at theSharks.
She goes you need one day ofabsolutely doing nothing.
And I go what does that mean?
She goes sit on your ass, eatyour favorite potato chips and

(36:16):
do nothing.
Your body just needs to rest.
That's kind of hard.
Yeah, I know, and I would talkto her.
Her name was Daphne, I go,daphne, I go.
Do you know how much I work?
Right, yeah, resting me is likefive, 20 minutes.
You know, naps here and there.

Speaker 2 (36:37):
Oh, I'll get my sleep .
I'll do like a 10 hour sleep onthe weekend, that's not a
problem.
Oh jeez, I wish I had that.
Well, it's funny.
Once I got one of the Caspermattresses I can sleep fine now.

Speaker 3 (36:49):
Really, I might have to invest in one.

Speaker 2 (36:52):
But so what is your skate, what is your setup?

Speaker 3 (36:59):
Oh, so I have David's Simmons's you know simmons
racing.
I have simmon boots, I have abont uh frame um and, depending
on what I'm doing, like if I'mskating indoors 110 millimeter
wheels okay if I'm skatingoutdoors like marathon, wise 125

(37:20):
, like I'm going to be in Duluth, so are you going to Duluth?

Speaker 2 (37:25):
I'm doing Duluth.
That's the fourth race in theseries.

Speaker 3 (37:29):
Okay, so yeah, we'll meet up there.
You'll see my setup, butusually 125 with my
long-distance stuff.
But I can't skate indoors on125.
You build up so much speed andmomentum it's hard to control.

Speaker 2 (37:45):
Yeah, that's why I finally got the four wheel
frames for with 110 millimeterwheels, but my setup is 125.
Yeah, so.

Speaker 3 (37:55):
I love 125 training outdoor all day long, every day.
But like for instance, rightnow I'm skating on 110s because
I'm starting out again and Iwant to make sure I have foot
placement right, control right,tempo right and everything.
And then once I get faster andstuff like that, but like when I
go, to france, oh yeah my, myuh 125s are going on yeah, all

(38:16):
four of the rollerblade series.

Speaker 2 (38:17):
I'm using the 125s because, like the first, the
first race is st paul, minnesota, and that's 11 miles, and the
three after that are all 26miles, so want to want to get
through it, just because Ialways say I'm going to do it.
And like I planned on duluth,last year didn't get to do it,
um, but this year definitely,and then eventually I want to

(38:40):
hit the one in Berlin too.

Speaker 3 (38:45):
Let me tell you.
If you go to Berlin, let meknow.
So our race is part of theWorld Inline Cup.
Yeah.
So we're associated with themand we have not only the cool
time, like you're skating with4,000 people I mean, I've
literally jumped in the packswhere nobody spoke English.
But we all had this common goalwe knew how to communicate with

(39:06):
each other and you know youpace out.
And what I love about that racemore than anything is, no
matter your skill level, whereyou're at, you're always going
to find a place to jump in at.
You know in a pack and you knowdraft and stuff like that, and
then afterwards.
You know the after parties arefun.
I mean, the last two times Iwas there I was hanging out with
mark swings him and I oh man,it was a blast nice.

Speaker 2 (39:30):
Now, what are the races on the world cup series?

Speaker 3 (39:32):
so you're one of them , berlin's one of them oh god, I
would have to literally pullthat up here, let me.
Let me do that real quick, ifmy computer is working.
World Inline Cup.
I know they put out theschedule.
I'm the last.
Well, technically I'm anassociated race.
So I'm not technically a pointsrace, which we're working on

(39:57):
becoming a points race.
Let's see World Inline Cup.
Let's see World Inline Cup.
Let's see.
Let's see if this has aschedule All right On the
website.
Whoops, all right, oh, here'sthe official page.

(40:20):
I wasn't on the official page,so it's here we go, we are.
So June 2nd is Portugal theclass one, okay.
June 9th is France, that's aclass one.
Then August 10th is a top class, is China, then it's

(40:41):
Switzerland class one in October17th or August 17th, sorry.
Then Berlin on the 28th andthen my race is on the 20th.
Well, oh, they need to fix thatWhoopsie.
Oh, actually I think this islast year's schedule.
Oops, sorry, I was going to saythat.

Speaker 2 (41:00):
Berlin was the weekend after Duluth.

Speaker 3 (41:03):
Duluth, yeah, which the first year I did Duluth, I
did Duluth and Berlin.
Uh-huh.
Oh my God, Let me tell you thatwas painful.
Okay, sorry.
Well, actually it's kind ofsimilar.
So March 23rd, which wasPortugal, which was just last
month, yeah, may 25th is France,june 9th is Switzerland, uh,

(41:28):
china is to be announced.
The 20th is berlin and thennovember 8th is my race, okay
it's possible that I might beable to do yours this year.

Speaker 2 (41:39):
Yeah, come on down, man, let me know.
I've got the girlfriend thatshe's like, yeah, I'll go to the
races with you just because shegets to travel.
But she's like I can't takethat much time off and I'm like,
well, it's like we leave fridayand then come back sunday.
I mean we won't get a whole lotof time to spin, but at least
get a couple of you know acouple days out there and maybe
come back on a later flightright, oh yeah.

Speaker 3 (42:02):
So I know that lifestyle.
So this year is going to bedifferent for me.
I'm a full time employee withone company I work for, yeah, so
I'm acquiring all this PTO timenow and like I was looking at
my France trip, because usuallywhen I go to France I'm like,
okay, I can leave here, comeback here, I'm only missing a
couple days of work, you know,it's not that bad.
Now I'm like now.

(42:23):
I'm now.
I'm like, oh crap, I can stayhere and get paid exactly it's
nice when you have that optionyeah, so we're, uh, my buddy.
I have a good friend named ivanguzman.
We actually, him and I, met inchina.
We're the only americans andwe've been friends ever since
back in 2017.
So him and I've traveled allover the world skating, partying

(42:47):
.
So him and I that's like mypartner in crime, so anywhere,
like if I go, hey, ivan, there'sa race next month, let's go.
It's like, all right, sure,let's go.

Speaker 2 (42:57):
Nice.
Now do you use supplements aspart of your regimen?
Oh, supplements are everything.
Yes, what's your supplements of?

Speaker 3 (43:05):
Well, so mine's different just because I had a
test done.
So I would advise everybody tofind out what they're deficient
on, first of all, becauseeverybody has some type of
deficiency.
Mine was three things reallybad.
Mine was vitamin D, vitamin Band my iron were very low.

(43:32):
So I definitely take high dosesof those.
And I stress that when I say Iwant everybody to find out what
works for them, because youdon't want to take too much of
something and get sick.
Yeah, continue working againstthat.
So you know a simple blood workand make sure your doctor knows
too to test for it, becausesome doctors don't.

(43:53):
And you've got to be specific,and it's one of those things
I've learned over the years.
You tell them hey, I want totest out this, this, this, this
and this, and typically they'llcome back.
And ever since I was, you know,I started adding supplements of
those targeted vitamins.
I felt better, way better.

Speaker 2 (44:12):
Okay Now.
Do you use creatine at all, or?

Speaker 3 (44:21):
Yes, I use creatine uh, like gummies.
Okay, um, I take two to threein the morning and those were.
They're just simple, becauseI'm not good with the powder
stuff.
It's just you know I'm like,okay, I got to get out the door.
Let me just you know I don'twant to mix all this crap, let
me just go.

Speaker 2 (44:33):
Well, if it comes in good flavors it makes it kind of
nice, because then you get thatextra water while you're
drinking.
So cause I?

Speaker 3 (44:39):
mean when I was doing creatine, where I'd mix it I'd
get the odorless and tastelessOkay.
And then you know you can mixit in anything.
So you know, go to yourStarbucks and get your freaking.
Was it dragon fruit refresh?
Step on that.

Speaker 2 (44:58):
I've actually been drinking tea.
I haven't been doing Red Bulls,I haven't been doing coffee.
I've actually been doing tea inthe morning.

Speaker 3 (45:04):
Well, that's actually really good.
And uh, I actually could tellyou some studies recently.
So they've seen, doctors haveseen an increase in colon cancer
and they're contributing topeople drinking a lot of energy
drinks.
Okay, um, yeah, they've seen itscarily like really bad in
young people.
And I'm talking, you know,colon cancer usually shows up in

(45:26):
your early forties and so up.
They're seeing it in theirtwenties.
Oh, wow.
Then they start analyzing okay,what are these people drinking?
What are they doing?
What's your lifestyle?
And most often it's, you know,they're taking large amounts of
energy drinks.

Speaker 2 (45:44):
Yeah, that stuff's just toxic anyways, man yeah, I
will have to talk to my 17 yearold because he kind of half
lives on those things so yeah,no, yeah because he can't do
coffee, because he, like I guesshe gets the coffee that's too
acidic, so it doesn't agree withhis stomach.
Right and um, I saw this thingon tiktok and it's called the

(46:05):
five treasures tea.
Yeah, so I've actually beendoing that yeah, I've been doing
that and it's, uh, it's, it'sdoing wonders.
And then one of the things thatI like, especially when I'm
older, is I take cayenne peppertoo, yes, for that circulation
especially.

Speaker 3 (46:24):
I'll tell you after we're done, but, um, yeah, yeah,
it's actually just I started onmonday and just the differences
I've noticed so you know what I, you know what I've started
doing and um, like before anevent, just to wake up or even
like, say, if I have to train inthe morning, I I typically
don't like training in themorning, but if I have to do the

(46:45):
work, yeah I get.
I get those.
You can buy them off Amazon.
It's smelling salts.
Oh those will wake you up andyou know, definitely I wasn't
using them before races, but I'mgoing to incorporate that when
I start racing again.
So just, I mean, they keep youfocused, they wake you up.

Speaker 2 (47:06):
What about carrying it like while you're doing a
marathon, just in your backpocket?

Speaker 3 (47:10):
Can you do?

Speaker 2 (47:11):
that or do they not allow it?

Speaker 3 (47:13):
Oh no, I mean you can do it.
I mean, basically, what comesdown the rules is you're not
supposed to have headphones.
Wink wink, you know.
I mean, if you're a world-classskater, no, you can't have
headphones or anything like that.

Speaker 2 (47:25):
But you know, average Joes like us, yeah, Good to
know, because, 26 miles is along time and it's like what
hour and a half hour and 45minutes if you're a decent
skater.

Speaker 3 (47:37):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Well, I think the one of thefirst time I did the marathon I
was in China and you kind of getlost.
Marathon I was in China, youkind of get lost, I don't know,
I have ADHD.
When I was skating I was like,ooh, look at that temple.
Ooh, look at that, oh crap.

Speaker 2 (47:57):
I'm racing.

Speaker 4 (47:59):
You're one of those people that's like you got your
camera out and you're videoingstuff as you're skating by.

Speaker 2 (48:01):
Yeah, probably how you really broke your ankle.
Huh yeah, you were too.
Probably how you really brokeyour ankle.

Speaker 3 (48:05):
Huh yeah, you're too busy looking at that temple on
the on the mountainside yeah,that was a cool experience being
able to go to that, because, uh, not only so, there was a.
There's a lady named angelinawong um, everybody knows her in
europe and in china and asia andshe saw, you know, my daughter
and I racing, because mydaughter, you know, at the time
when, uh, she was seven, she'sbeen racing since she was four

(48:28):
she stopped racing around 10,but in that time, you know, she
invited us over.
She would, aaron, would do, uh,a 10k race.
You know I'd do the marathon andangelina would invite us over
to pay, for they basically payall your expenses you just got
to pay for your hotel room, okay, and she would also give you
400 bucks.
So it was like wait a minute.

(48:49):
You're telling me I get to cometo here, meet all these cool
people race, and you're going topay me $400?
Okay, sign me up.

Speaker 2 (48:59):
When's the date?
Just let me know.

Speaker 3 (49:01):
Yeah Well, they're starting to slowly start that up
again because I was gettinginvited but at the time when,
just recently, I'm like I'm notin that shape to even, you'll be
wasting your money on me, Idon't want you to do that.

Speaker 2 (49:15):
Yeah, we'll get back there, don't worry, I've got
faith in our age.
So now, who has been yourbiggest influence of skating?

Speaker 3 (49:28):
oh boy uh, well, you know, actually when I got back
into skating, uh, jared paulokay uh, you know he raced the
local circuit around here andyou know him and I, he would
give me great advice, greatencouragement.
Uh, tony, um, my old coach, uh,coaches from astral, you know

(49:49):
astral, like johanna and stufflike that, eric um, just, you
know what I, you know what I.
What I love about skating is nomatter where you're at.
If you share that, you're neveralone exactly you meet all these
cool people and you know.
That's why I encourageeverybody to travel and skate,
because, dude, I mean like I,for instance, and I'm not trying

(50:13):
to, this is not like mebragging, but like if I wanted
to go to London and be like.
Hey, I want to come to Londonand hang out.
I called my fellow skaters goover to london hang out.
You know they'll take care ofyou and you guys skate and have
a good time and that's like thatall over the world.
Like yeah, when I was goingdown to columbia a lot and uh
brazil oh my god they welcomeyou like family.

Speaker 2 (50:36):
It's awesome yeah, it's, that's.
The nice thing about skating iswe're just one giant skate
family.
It doesn't matter what yourstyle or what you choose to do.
We're all accepting.
But every once in a while youdo have that one redheaded
stepchild that just wants tostart crap.

Speaker 3 (50:52):
So yeah, yeah, I mean some of my good friends.
In fact, the people I'm skatingwith in france are mostly live
in, uh, england, okay, and youknow, and they're you know, from
all cultures.
Some are from poland, some arefrom Ireland, but they reside in
London.
It's really cool just to meetup back with them and be like,

(51:13):
hey, let's party and have a goodtime.
Let's catch up.
Some of the people I met fromthat group I met actually in
Germany skating and stuff likethat.
Some people recognize me fromthe advertising I'm doing for my
race, cause I, you know, Ialways promote my race, so I'm
wearing my skin suit.
People would flag me down andgo, oh, you're Mike.
I'm like, yeah, what's up,let's go party.

Speaker 2 (51:36):
There you go, so I'm.
That's one of the things, andthe nice thing is is with
turning this into a business.
Yeah, all the traveling, allthe racing I do, all tax
write-off.

Speaker 3 (51:47):
Yes.
Yes it is.
And you know, like my racedirector, I want to mention him,
rick Abrahamsen.
He's one of the original peoplewho started North Shore.
Okay, you know he's been.
I can't even tell you howphenomenal he's been with
helping out this race, promotingit, giving ideas, making it

(52:10):
really sharp and stuff like that.

Speaker 2 (52:12):
Nice, yeah.
So now we always have newskaters coming into the fold and
want to and want to race.
What is some advice you cangive to them, for the new up and
comers, or even people my agethat are just now getting into
it, because I've been to therink with 80 year olds that are
still skating, so dude, we have80 year olds that compete in the

(52:36):
marathon, which which I love tosee because kind of sidetrack.

Speaker 3 (52:42):
When I treat my patients and they're 80 years
old and they're complainingabout oh I can't do this, I
literally shut them down going.
You know, I haveeight-year-olds that escape
miracles, so basically shut up,yeah exactly.
But the one thing I tell peopleis I know this is going to
sound corny, but have fun.
If you're not having fun, youcan't enjoy it.

(53:07):
Let me.
Let me tell you why you'rehaving fun.
Everything else will justfollow.
Yeah, train better, you'll getstronger.
More opportunities will comebecause, that radiates out of
you if you're having fun andenjoying, it becomes an
addiction.

Speaker 2 (53:20):
You want to skate, you want to have a good time
yeah, exactly like I always sayfriday night is skate night,
saturday night is date night,yep, but yeah, that's like the
one thing.
Um, there's a documentary awhile back called trophy kids.
I don't know if you saw it, itwas on hbo it's the same.
Did you ever see bigger,stronger, faster?
Yeah, yeah, same guy did thatone and what, what it is.

(53:42):
It's like the parents that pushso hard on their kids, just,
and I think as adults, werealize that a lot of the times
when we played sports when wewere younger is what our parents
wanted us to do, not what wewanted to do Right Cause I
wanted to play hockey.
I never got to play hockey,right.

Speaker 3 (54:00):
So well, you know it's funny.
You say that because with mydaughter, you know, I was
married and skating was a verybig you know getting personal
here, it was a very big problembecause I loved it, my younger
daughter loved it, my middle ormy oldest, my stepdaughter, you

(54:20):
know, she liked it.
She wasn't great at it, but Ialways gave them options of OK,
you know I'm not pushing you orforcing you to do this.
You know, if you want to tryother things, try other things.
You know they cheerlead, youknow they did other stuff, you
know, and like my daughter nowshe doesn't skate but she does
color garden.
She's really good at that, youknow, would I do.
I hope maybe she comes back toit, maybe, but I'm gonna leave

(54:46):
it up to her.
Yeah, make that choice forherself, because if I push it,
then it who's dreaming my living, mine or hers?

Speaker 2 (54:51):
yeah, exactly now.
Are you honest with your kidswhen they ask advice?
For hey, I want to do this orthis as a sport?
I'm brutally honest I actuallygot yelled at from the ex-wife
for that, because my 17-year-oldcame to me and he's stocky like
me and he goes I don't knowwhether to do basketball or

(55:12):
wrestling and I go do wrestlingbecause you're going to suck at
basketball and the backlash Igot from his mother was like oh
my God, I'm like just chill out.
And he actually ended up goingall the way and placing second
in states in eighth gradevarsity freshman year.
Yeah, had a nickname that hiscoach gave them called the
prodigy, but he, after he losthis grandparents, he quit.

(55:37):
But yeah, it seems likeeverything he does he excels at
and I think a lot of that isbecause if they do a sport when
they're younger, they get thatwork ethic that a lot of kids
don't have nowadays that want toplay video games all day.

Speaker 3 (55:52):
Oh my God.
I can go on and on about thatmentality of like I, for example
.
I grew up, my dad was.
My dad raised four kids byhimself.
We weren't rich, so weappreciate everything.
We played, had fun when my dadwas able to afford skating
lessons.

(56:12):
We cherished that.
We're like hey, we're going togo and try hard.
Kids, nowadays there's anexpectation, entitlement of
things.
Nobody wants to work hard forit anymore.
Everybody wants things handedto them and it drives me insane,
like with my daughter.

(56:33):
I look at her and laugh at her.
When she starts wanting things,I go yo you do.
That's great, you want it.
What are you going to do toearn it?

Speaker 2 (56:42):
Yeah, exactly so it's nice when they do have that
work ethic.
And yeah, here's a littlepreaching about my daughter.
I talked to her yesterday andfound out that she enlisted in
the navy and she leaves for bootcamp and this is one that had
kind of the pardine pass.
She's 24 now.
She gave up all those ways soshe could make sure she passed
the drug test that she and nowit's like you, that's like a

(57:05):
proud father moment, and it'snot something I pushed her into.
That was completely herdecision and she gets to travel
the world and get paid Dude.

Speaker 3 (57:15):
She's going to love the discipline.
I mean, I honestly thinkeverybody should go in the
military.
Yeah.
Just for the experience ofgetting trained, getting the
discipline regimen, kids thrivebetter.
I mean there's so many studieswhen kids have structure they
thrive ten times better versusoh yeah, you do whatever you

(57:35):
know.
Blah, blah, blah.

Speaker 2 (57:37):
Yeah, exactly.
So now how can my listenersfollow you and also sign up for
your marathon?

Speaker 3 (57:44):
Okay, real easy.
So we're on all social media,tiktok, uh, facebook, instagram,
youtube.
I have a youtube channel whichI gotta update some videos, but
our website isfloridainlineskatingmarathoncom.
Really easy, you'll see.
We have tabs where it's veryeasy to navigate.

(58:07):
And you know, we I think thelast tab is the registration tab
, see the last of first.
But anyways, you know, click onthat shows you what the current
price is for different races.
So we have the full marathon.
Well, we have a full marathonplus.
So it's not exactly, it's alittle bit more.
Um, we just want to make sureeverybody's going to get you
know, their money's worth.

(58:27):
Yeah, so we, we have a, youknow, half marathon plus a 13k
plus and stuff like that okay wealso have a 5k.
We actually made it.
Uh, we have a 5k just for kids.
You know that's been actuallygaining a lot of traction
because you know a lot of umparents who, you know, young
kids I actually I'll have toshow you some pictures of that.
But you know a lot of parentswho, you know, young kids I
actually I'll have to show yousome pictures of that.

(58:48):
But you know they're not greatskaters, but they'll do one lap
around Benerson park and theylove it, they.
You know it's an achievementand you know parents will do it
with them, so it's a goodbonding moment.

Speaker 2 (58:59):
Yeah, nice, so I appreciate you coming on the
show today.
Yeah, thank you.
Thank you, since we finallymade it happen.
Exactly, a little bit ofscheduling First week was you,
second week was me, third weekwe made it happen you, thank you
, thank you.