After downhill skiing for as long as he can remember, math teacher Bradley Smith decided to switch it up in 2021 and try skate skiing. For Smith, it wasn’t about going down the mountain fast anymore, but endurance, technique and a fun new way to enjoy the hobby that he loves.

Growing up, when they weren’t downhill skiing, Smith and his family occasionally cross-country skied. Cross-country skiing entails skiing through the woods on narrow trails. Despite his long skiing history, it wasn’t until a couple of years ago that he was introduced to skate skiing by the spouse of a former GPN teacher. As opposed to downhill skiing, which is more about steady gliding and going on numerous trails, skate skiing is similar to ice skating on snow. 

“Mr. Pola’s wife actually introduced me to skate skiing back in 2021,” Smith said.  “Skate skiing is fast, and it’s more like– it’s about speed.”

As an active person who participates in multiple sports, Smith is no stranger to the aches and pains of physical exercise. However, skate skiing allows him to get aerobic exercise without constant soreness. 

“It’s also the best workout for my body,” Smith said. “Because it uses every single muscle, so I’d never overuse anything. Like when I’m swimming or playing volleyball, my shoulder will get tired, but it’s like the best cardio, my heart is going the entire time.”

Smith dreams of skiing in new places, especially in Maine, where trails connect remote lodges. This is an opportunity for a vacation strikingly different from traditional ski vacations where you remain at one hill and go up and down.

“I think it’d be really cool to like—you can’t really skate ski it, but you can like classic it,” Smith said. “There are these different trails in rural Maine, where there are these different lodges that you can stay at, and then you just ski between the lodges for a week.”

This past winter, Smith entered his first skate skiing race. But things didn’t go exactly as planned. Early in the race, he realized how much properly tailored equipment matters. Despite this rough first race experience, Smith’s love for the sport has not died down and he plans to continue with skate skiing in the future.

 “I got 10th to last because I got the wrong wax on my skis,” Smith said. “So they were sticking instead of sliding. And so literally, there were 70-year-old grandmothers beating me because my skis weren’t sliding.”

Despite the ups and downs, Smith wants to share his love for skate skiing especially because of the easy access people in Michigan have to skate skiing.

“Make sure you know how to rollerblade first, if you’re doing skate skiing,” Smith said. “You can go to the metroparks, like Stoney Creek or Kensington or Huron Meadows in Brighton to do it.”

Q&A

What is your favorite food?

Chicken Pot Pie.

Where is your favorite place to travel?

Visiting family in Amsterdam or London.

What is your favorite song?

Vanish Into You by Lady Gaga.

What is your favorite season?

Fall.

What hobbies do you have?

Playing tennis.

What is your favorite restaurant?

Either the Fly trap in Ferndale or Imperial in Ferndale.

Where is your dream vacation?

Skiing at Whistler.

What is your favorite app?

New York Times Games.

What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

Cookie Dough.

What is your favorite childhood game?

Four Square.

What is your favorite board game?

Wingspan.

What is your favorite thing to do with friends?

Playing a sport or board game.