LONDON FRIDAY NIGHT SKATE TM
& SUNDAY STROLL TM

From: wow /at/ lfns.co.uk
Subject: [wow] Oui, con wheels: Le Mans, Westwards, Wimbledon
Date: Wed, 05 Jul 2006 16:58:29 +0100

This Week, on Wheels:

* This week: One-way Wimbledon Stroll, LFNS goes West
* Last week: Le Mans
* Marshal profile: Tammy
* Starting street skating, Part II
* Hill/Street Blues: the Ascent of Man

== THIS WEEK ==

== SUNDAY STROLL ==

The SUNDAY STROLL is off to Wimbledon. The theme is - obviously -
"tennis".

DO: dig out your tennis whites and bring along a racquet.
DO: bring some cash. We are planning strawberries and cream: you may
partake but we will be asking for a contribution to cover costs of
buying it and getting it there.
DON'T: spill the strawberries on your clothes

This is a one-way skate. Bring shoes and cash or travelcard for the
return journey.
                               http://www.lfns.co.uk/route.php/20060709

== LFNS ==

The LFNS this week goes to Chelsea, Fulham, Hammersmith and Shepherd's
Bush. Half time is Hammersmith (District, Piccadilly, Hammersmith &
City lines).

We plan to be back for about 10pm to get a drink in before closing
time, which brings us onto two other points: (1) noise complaints were
received a couple of weeks ago by local residents around the Wilton.
It sounds like the primary culprits weren't skaters, but please keep
the noise down. (2) if you're at the Vic, please note that Lancaster
Gate station is now closed for refurbishment until November. Nearest
alternatives Paddington, Marble Arch or Queensway.

                               http://www.lfns.co.uk/route.php/20060707

== LAST WEEK: LE MANS ==

Sorry about the lack of skates in London last week. Disappointed
skaters at the weekend were heard complaining that "we only marshal
until something better comes along" - guilty as charged: we stop for
Christmas, we stop for New Year, we stop for our own weddings (at
least, most of us probably would) and this year there were so many of
us at Le Mans that we pretty much had to stop for that too.

So, the skating started at 4pm Saturday and ran for twenty four hours,
with regular breaks (every 8-15 minutes) in pit box 44.

* 9 teams of ten skaters each, plus one soloist, plus support crew
* In total between all the teams we skated 5844.8km (3653 miles,
approximately the distance from London to Washington DC).
* The temperature on Sunday afternoon reached 38 degrees C
* Our fastest team, LSST Mens 1, came in 12th place of 593 teams,
with 179 laps.
* LSST Ladies 1 completed 151 laps, giving them 5th place in category
* LFNS marshal Hans skated 118 laps (500km) SOLO (on his own) to raise
UKP1379 (and counting) for Breakthrough Breast Cancer, ate 15000
calories, lost 5kg in weight, and came second of all the soloists.
Truly a remarkable achievement.

"Which one is the LFNS team?", we were asked. Well, the Dregs have a
special claim. Thank Guinness it's Friday, too. And the LSST teams
too. And ... in the end I think there were LFNS skaters on every
London team present.

If you weren't there (why not?) and don't know what it's like, this
will mean nothing to you. If you were, it was inspiring, and for many
of us was the best year yet. Big big thanks to everyone involved in
its organisation and support, and to everyone who raced for staying
cheerful, giving it your best, and pulling in some amazing times. And
last we heard, Hans was reported alive and well and taking a
well-earned break in Paris.

results:    http://www.serpentineroad.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=18689
photos:      http://www.serpentineroad.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=18690

And if you really really want to skate in London this time next year,
come and talk to us about marshalling, and promise not to go on
holiday in July ...
                           http://www.lfns.co.uk/feedback.php#marshalling


== PROFILE VIEW ==

This week's featured marshal is TAMMY. You may already have met her if
you have hurt yourself on the skate. She is one of our regular
qualified first aiders and she is likely to have been the person who
wiped up the blood and put on the bandage. She has dealt with
everything from minor scrapes to broken wrists but we are happy to
report that she says there have been far fewer injuries lately. So we
are all officially safer skaters!

Tammy's role on the skate means that she often hangs at the back with
her First Aid Kit but give her a chance and she will rocket off
ahead. A member of the LondonSkaters Speed Team (yes, another of them)
she enjoys marathon skating and is just back from the Le Mans 24 hour
race. (Fastest lap time: 2.65 miles in 9 min 25 secs).

In real life she is a barrister and her expertise helps us keep the
skate out of the courts. When she's not skating or reading law books,
Tammy enjoys dancing the tango and skiing. She is threatening to start
race training on snow so that she can shoot out ahead of us whatever
the weather!


== THE NEOPHYTE'S GUIDE TO STREET SKATING: PART II ==

The Sunday Stroll - all you ever wanted to know but were afraid to
admit you didn't know already.

Last week we carried a piece on the street skates aimed at people who
had never been on them. We recommended that people start with the
Sunday Stroll. And here, for those who have never Strolled before (or
those who have and keep forgetting to keep left) is a quick
introduction to the coolest way to spend a hot Sunday afternoon.

* "How do I join in?"

Just turn up. The Sunday Stroll leaves from the Hyde Park Corner end
of Serpentine Road at 2.00.pm every Sunday it isn't raining. There's a
map of the route at www.lfns.co.uk and we post our weather-dependant
go/no go decision there (around midday) as well.

You'll need your skates (obviously) and we recommend helmets, kneepads,
wrist guards, and (in this hot weather) water.

Bring money in case you want to drop out and bus home (or if - like
this week - it's one of our advertised one-way trips that doesn't
come back to the park) but you don't need to pay us. That's
right. It's free.

* "What does it cost?"

It doesn't. It's free. Gratis. We don't ask for your money to join
the skate.

If you've enjoyed the skate and want to give something back, we're
always looking for marshals and other help with co-ordination. Talk
to us and ask what needs doing.

* "Are there any rules?"

Yes.

KEEP UP: We're skating on public roads so we have to skate
together to keep you safe from traffic. (If there's a gap in the
skate, cars will sometimes try to cut in.) So we ask people at the
back to skate faster. And, if they really can't, we sometimes have to
ask them to drop out. I know. It's a bummer - but you don't want to
hold up everyone else do you? And you will get faster. And we'd like
to see you try again. We do try to keep people in the skate, but, in
the end, keeping it together is essential to safety, so we have to go
at a speed that everyone is reasonably happy with.

KEEP OFF THE PAVEMENTS: Please. This is a street skate. If you want to
skate on the pavement, don't join a street skate, join a pavement
skate. If you should knock over a pedestrian (or even just frighten
someone) they could complain and we could be shut down. Please don't
do it.

KEEP LEFT: To keep the skate moving, marshals have to run ahead of
it. Then you pass them at a junction and they have to run ahead of it
again. They will (usually) pass on the right. So please keep left. In
a head to head match between a skater and an oncoming motor vehicle,
our money's on the car.

* "Is there anything I didn't want to know but that you're going to tell
me anyway?"

How did you guess? Yes, the legal stuff.

- You have to be at least 16 years old or accompanied by an adult who
stays with you on the skate.

- You skate at your own risk. Really. In-line skating is a risky
sport. If you don't want to risk getting hurt, don't do it. If you
do it, take care and remember, you are responsible for your own
behaviour.


== WHAT'S THAT COMING OVER THE HILL? ==

Let's face it: it's very hard to plan a street skate route in London
with no inclines. If you've got a particular problem with uphills,
here are a few tips to get you started. There are no shortcuts - if
you want to be good at skating up hills, you have to do just that. In
Hyde Park, the cycle path leading from Serpentine Road up to Speaker's
Corner is a gentle enough slope to start on, yet you will really feel
the benefits after a couple of weeks.

As always, "bend ze knees" - it helps you keep your balance. You
should be taking lots of shorter, choppier strides. Although it can
look a bit silly, swinging your hips seems to help. Rather than having
your skate pointing forwards as you place it down, you'll need to
angle it outwards duck-footed, 30 degrees or more. Swinging your arms
in a side to side movement will help power you up even the most
daunting incline. For more tips, check out this article from
speedskater Mike van Erp:

                http://www.londonskaters.com/how-to-skate-up-hills.htm

== DUNWRITIN ==

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                           http://www.lfns.co.uk/feedback.php#contactus


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