BY EMILEE MAE STRUSS
If you’ve seen a pack of women on rollerblades, potentially dressed in 1980s neon, rollerblading down the bike path together, it’s likely that you’ve spotted the Sun Valley Bladies. This is a group of about eight women, roughly between the ages of 20 and 55, who simply want to get out and have a good time.
The Bladies meet at 5:30 p.m. every Thursday at rotating locales in order to cater to all members. Amanda Porino, founder of the local group, got the idea from her friend, who does something similar.
“My girlfriend in Park City would talk about it,” Porino said, “and it sounded goofy and fun to me, so I started a group here with another friend.”
The Bladies is a noncompetitive group; however, they take their Thursday night soundtracks and themes very seriously. Imagine dressing up in ’80s neon knee-high socks, disco getup and blading away to “It’s Raining Men” by The Weather Girls. That’s a pretty accurate snapshot of this group.
“We typically start at a bar and end at a bar,” Porino said. “One route we did started at The Valley Club in mid-Valley and ended at the Power House pub and restaurant in Hailey.”
Porino, who has been athletic her whole life, says it’s also a great workout.
“I’ve competed in athletics my entire life, yet I wake up sore from rollerblading,” she said.
The group is beginner and stroller friendly, and considers their activity simply a fun outing.
“I have a three-year-old son named Beau,” Porino said, “and my husband travels for work, so sometimes I’m strollerblading with Beau, too.”
Lululemon, a women’s athletic clothing line with a store in Ketchum, currently sponsors the group. The company supports active women who also make a point of having fun. Sun Valley Bladies can be found on Instagram @sunvalleybladies and Facebook.
With the many different ages and stages of life this group attracts, they stick by their motto: No Bladies Left Behind.
