Pain & Patience

by Young Che on May 6, 2008

When we went to Chicago earlier this year I remember telling Juice that the thing I loved about visiting the CHI in the winter is that the cold really makes you know that you are alive. When you are walking down those downtown Chicago streets at night and the wind whipping you in the face mercilessly it is most definitely a reminder that you are alive. I don’t know why I need or rather enjoy these reminders so much but I do. I love experiencing new things, seeing new places and meeting new people because each in their own little way reminds you of the beauty of life. Another thing reminds me that I am alive is the pain associated with slamming. Skaters the world over are familiar with slamming because we are always a fraction of a second away from eating concrete literally. The other day I was skating and was reacquainted with one these painful reminders that I am indeed truly alive. I tried a nollie backside 180 and over rotated. I was already nursing a recurring wrist injury (carpal tunnel, arthritis or a lifelong sprain) and I instinctively moved my wrist allowing my elbow, hip and ankle to share the blow equally. As I hit the ground my body stopped there but it felt like my insides kept going through the concrete. As I lay there barely able to move I couldn’t help but think that maybe at 35+ years of age maybe I shouldn’t even be skating for fun anymore and the physical toll I am putting on my body isn’t worth it. I also thought about a study I read once which stated that the human body isn’t designed to repeatedly take all of the abuse we heap on it in the name of sport and play (football, boxing, ultimate fighters, base jumping, etc.). After I managed to pull myself up and regain my bearings there I was right back on my board because I had confirmed form myself in a painful manner that I was in fact still alive.

I love to skate and I love to see good skating. There are so many young up and coming rippers out there that I want to start paying homage to them on these pages. Some of them I may know a little about and some of them I probably just discovered today on youtube as is the case with this young gunslinger featured below. His name is Kellen James and he rips. He just turned pro and after you take a look you will know why. Check him out. Peace Son.

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