@Nico R that's awesome! I think you're doing great for 7 months in and when someone picks it up that quickly I always wonder about a background with comparable skills that may contribute to that speed. Like dance or martial arts dont seem related to skating, but they concentrate heavily on body awareness and mechanics, weight shifts, where you place pressure in your feet as you move, etc... you've got a gift, can't wait to see how much further along you are in another few months!

@Nico R 50 lbs down?!!... That's amazing. I hope you feel healthier, despite the bumps and bruises. Yeah, I've come to terms with messing something up every few weeks.... knee, neck, ankle, wrist.. despite being pretty good at falling.....sometimes you just have to rest up up and listen to your body

@Josie Torres Thanks Josie! How's your practice been going??

@Josie Torres oh no, that stinks that she wasn't there!. if you see her again hopefully you can exchange contact info so it can be a more of an intentional meet up. So cool you went to see the central park skaters!! I've been meaning to go check them out for awhile now but haven't made it out there. This is my crazy busy season at work, but still getting practice time in when I can, just a little less than I prefer right now. The Florham Park rink is always closed for all of August, so there goes my Friday skate night. So I'm mostly at BBP on Tuesdays, and on Wednesdays I try to go to Villa or skate at the gym studio, and I try to get to the studio at least one more time on the weekend. If you ever want to meet up at Florham Park on a Friday when they reopen, let me know!( I think that was the rink nearest you?)

I skate almost exclusively indoors these days, so not sure I'll be much help, as I've gravitated towards harder wheels. But I skated outdoors a lot when I first started a few years ago, so have rolled on hybrids and some super gummy wheels for trail skating. In what way do t stops feel difficult with your current wheel set?

Great guide! I was wary of the Reidell R fit inserts because they are so much pricier than ones you can pick up at the pharmacy, but I noticed a big difference in both comfort and connection with the boot. I also had a lot of pain in my arches that I initially thought was because i needed to break in the boot more, or that I needed more arch support in the boot... but it turns out I was lacing too tightly over the midfoot. I had the idea I needed to really strap in and pull each X of laces tightly up through the top, but your arches need to lift and lower inside the boot as you are working different edges, so there needs to be room for that. Little things that make a big difference.... the more comfortable your feet are in your boots, the longer your sessions can be. When not laced up correctly for my feet I was hurting after an hour. Now I can easily skate for an entire 3-4 hr session without discomfort and all I needed was to adjust the way I was lacing. It didn't have anything to do with the boot, and I probably didn't need the upgraded insoles (though they are a perk!)

I'm in NJ!