Area skating rinks offer free roller skating for fitness challenge

It's a passion and a calorie eliminator.

For 13-year-old Alex Maglio, roller skating has been a part of his life since age four. It's a hobby and a form of exercise.

The Roselle teen visits the Coachlite Skate Center in Roselle at least once a week. Then he skates for about three hours.

"It helps me keep in shape," he said. "I like to go skate (for fun) and work out at the same time."

The next few months are a good time for Maglio and people who enjoy skating. The Roller Skating Association International has crafted its first Skate A Million Miles fitness challenge. The event runs through May 15.

Coachlite and the Lombard Roller Rink are participating in the challenge by giving children and adolescents an incentive to skate. Both skating rinks are offering up to five free roller skating sessions until May 15.

"It really is a good cardiovascular workout, and it's a fun social workout," said John Purcell, executive director of the Indianapolis-based Roller Skating Association International.

"We estimate that the average person can burn roughly 350 calories by skating 6 miles per hour," Purcell said. "That makes it roughly equivalent to jogging, but we happen to think that roller skating is more fun."

The fitness challenge is both a way to promote roller skating and fight childhood obesity -- a large concern in the United States.

Roughly 15 percent of children and adolescents are overweight, according to the American Heart Association.

Some studies estimate that number to be even higher --claiming nearly a third of all children 17 and under, or roughly 25 million, qualify as overweight.

"Because of the obesity rate in that age group, we are trying to encourage kids to skate at least once a week for at least three hours during the challenge," said Ed Wanders, manager of Coachlite.

The Roselle rink is offering all children, ages 7 to 15 years old, a card that guarantees them five free skating sessions until the end of the challenge.

Sandi Highley, co-owner and manager of the Lombard Roller Rink, is extending that challenge to adults as well. The Lombard rink will offer the same to any age group.

"We want to promote healthy activities so kids don't sit around and watch TV all the time," she said. "But anyone 10 and over can participate."

Coachlite Skate Center

Special: Free skating for up to five sessions for children ages 7 to 15 years old until May 15

Location: 1291 Bryn Mawr Ave., Roselle

Info: (630) 893-0298 or wwwcoachliteskate.com

Lombard Roller Rink

Special: Free skating, for up to five sessions, for children and adults until May 15

Location: 201 W. 22nd St., Lombard

Info: (630) 953-2400 or www.lombardrollerrink.com