A lot of people are afraid to rollerblade because they might fall. Let me put your fears to rest... you will fall! The real question you should be asking yourself is, "Will I get hurt?". Most falls can be injury free if you are properly protected. We strongly recommend that you wear a minimum of a helmet and pads for your knees, elbows and wrists.

If you lose your balance and feel like you're going to fall, please don't start waving your arms around like you're trying to fly. It rarely works and you look stupid. Bend at the knees and get down low. This lowers your center of gravity, making it easier to regain your balance. Secondly, if you fall, you'll be that much closer to the ground! Also, if you can help it, always fall forward. Let your knee pads take the first impact, then your wrist pads. It's a bit scarey at first, but it will keep you away from serious harm. Remember, you're not wearing any butt pads!

The second danger you need to look out for is traffic. When it comes to cars, it's important that you see them and they see you. This also applies to bicyclists and pedestrians. A person may be smaller than a car, but it still hurts like hell when they step in front of you while flying down the road at 10 to 20 mph. Looking on the bright side, you've got safety gear and they don't!

In order to keep yourself visible after dusk, always wear light colored clothing and/or reflective material. For added protection, many Masterbladers where blinking red lights on their packs or clothing. These lights are available at most bicycle shops and can be seen from as far away as a mile. Some of us also wear headlights. These are 5 to 10 watt halogen bulbs that are attached to your helmet and connected to a battery that fits into a pocket or pack. Another added benefit of headlights is that you can see any potholes or sticks in the road. These are also available at bike shops, but be sure that they have a helmet mount adapter.

Last, but not least, always carry water. As a rule of thumb, you should drink one quarter cup of fluids every fifteen minutes. Get yourself a water bottle that will fit into a fanny pack, or buy a hydrapak. These backpacks hold more water you probably need. They're easy to carry and use. A tube runs from the bottom of the pack to your chest, so you can hydrate yourself on the run.