It felt great returning to my board and skating. I had pretty low expectations for how it would go, considering I’m just at the start of riding again, and my balance isn’t really in order yet, but I was surprised to gel with most of what I was doing right away.

Transitions still give me the wibble wobbles, but the familiar things I rode true. My guess is the over-complication of movements and the inaction from fatigue disappeared with time away. I came back, and I just made it happen rather than think about what I was doing.

Plus, my legs felt young again. The body needs rest, or so every coach and medical professional has ever said or advertised during halftime. We’ve all probably observed the realities of resting muscles after exercise. The problem is, I love the routine of skating every sunrise I can.

When I wake up at dawn * the day is mine. The work, the routine (tedious crutch), that all comes after I’ve already done what I want. Of course, there is the brilliant show of light the sun and earth warp and contort together.

• Early wake-up means pre or pre-pre-dawn. This post was written during late summer. During the winter, dawn comes too late.