Learning to fall... the hard way

As I mentioned in one of my earlier posts the fear of falling is probably the biggest hurdle I need to overcome to progress with my skateboarding. Falling is simply a part of skateboarding. Even the pros fall. I have no problem with the inevitable cuts and bruises, I actually like bruises! I love watching the colours develop on my skin and the different patterns that they make(!!) but the feeling of falling off a moving skateboard is not easy to get used to and of course falling on concrete does hurt.  A few weeks ago I had my first proper fall in Monkstown skatepark. I had fallen a couple of times before but only a minor slip in Sofd (on wood) and one rather comical fall in Monkstown when a small pebble jammed in my wheel and I was sent flying off the board (Luckily I managed to land on my shoulder and hardly felt it). I arrived at the skatepark around 7.30 in the evening to find it empty. I was delighted to have the space to myself and was feeling confident after a good session in Sofd the previous Friday so I pushed myself a bit more. I rolled of a small ramp and up another and tried to fakie but just as I was about to roll back off I started thinking about what I was doing, momentarily panicked, and fell. The board slipped out from under my feet and I slammed my left elbow and thigh into the concrete. I lay there for a few seconds in pain before realising that thankfully I hadn't done any serious damage, and got back up. As nobody else was in the park, I was also saved from the embarrassment factor! However my confidence was seriously dented and I rolled gingerly over to the seats not sure if I wanted to continue. It was around this time that my skate buddy Marie turned up and encouraged me to get back on the skateboard and give it another go. She rightly pointed out that if I didn't get up and try it again there and then, it would make it even more difficult. So I worked my way around the park slowly again and tried to get some confidence to try the move again and thanks to Marie's encouragement I did eventually manage to do it! My whole left side was very stiff and sore for the next three days and I couldn't lie on it or left my left arm up properly but I didn't have any cool bruises to show for it! I still worry about falling and injuring myself but as long as I continue feel the fear and do it anyway my skateboarding can progress to the next level.