Woman loses 150 pounds to skate again

LAUREL, Md.— In an empty roller skating rink just north of D.C., a skating couple moves in unison to the organ waltz over the loudspeaker. Susan Hopkins skates in the arms of partner Claude Shires.

She's wearing a gold sequined outfit, as a figure skater might wear in the Olympics. In that sense, it's kind of accurate: Susan and Claude are practicing their routine in preparation for the USA Roller Sports national championship this past week in Lincoln, Neb.

Susan, 49, of Dale City was a lifelong skater who quit the sport, put on a lot of weight, and then returned to skating (and a healthier lifestyle) after dropping about 150 pounds.

She's been at the rink running through her routines since about 8 a.m. She practices in Laurel and Landham, Md., because she says there's nowhere in the Prince William area that has adult practice time. Some mornings she's at the rink at 6 a.m.

"I just love it, the competition, the artistry, the outfits," Susan said.

It looks positively easy, watching her skate around the rink, crossing her skates over each other, leaning into each turn. It's not. Roller skates are very tricky to navigate, lacking an easy turning mechanism as in ice skates or rollerblades. For the uninitiated, balance is very difficult, even moreso on a smooth surface. But, for someone like Susan, it's in her blood.

She grew up in a roller skating family in Massachusetts, where her parents and sister skated. She started at about 12, and by the time she was 15, had already won a national championship. After graduating high school she started teaching as a full-time skating instructor at what was once the Dale City Arena (now, the Prince William Parkway runs through where it was, she said).

"Once you turn pro, back then, you could not compete," Susan said.

As an instructor, Susan met Bob Hopkins, another skating instructor. They soon married.

"I taught for 10 years, that's when my daughter became a national champion," Susan said.

(Their daughter, Krystal, now 25, started skating when she was 4. Krystal, Susan and Bob all work together as accountants in the same Dale City office).

Susan hung up her skates in her early 30s. She stopped teaching, and, the way she tells it, started eating.

"I used to be really fat, like 300 pounds fat," Susan said.

"Outback had something to do with it," Bob said.

But Susan wanted to lose weight; she wanted to get back on her skates. She dieted, walked and went for bike rides, ultimately dropping 150 pounds, she said.

"It wasn't a miracle diet, she just ate less," Bob said.

"As soon as I could get back into an outfit I would not be embarrassed by, I got back on skates," Susan said. "I loved it and I missed it and I wanted to get back into competing."

She got back on skates in September 2006, and it all came rushing back. She took lessons and within a year was competing again in regional events.

"I feel good, I feel confident, I feel younger," Susan said.

Last July Susan made nationals for two events -- masters ladies figures (an event where skaters follow black, painted lines on skating surface) and masters ladies solo dance (in which they use the whole floor) -- and she returns to nationals this week for another go in these categories, as well as a masters team dance, with a male partner.

Her skating partner, Claude, 70, of Jessup, Md., knew Susan from various meets. His old partner had just quit skating and he was looking for another partner.

"She's perfect, we get along great together," said Claude, a retired auto mechanic who has been skating 52 years. "She's come a long ways. She's a powerhouse."

He said Susan possesses stamina and willpower, two strong skating attributes.

She left for Nebraska July 27 to compete in nationals and returns sometime this week.

"Last year I was nervous, this year I'm excited," Susan said before leaving.

She'll compete against approximately 30 people in each of her three events, and said she felt "really good" about her chances in figures, "pretty good" with solo. But she's a bit more cautious when handicapping her chances for the team event, only because she and Claude haven't been skating together for long.

"If we can make the top 10, I'll be happy with that," Susan said.

Staff writer Josh Eiserike can be reached at 703-878-8072.