Sometimes I fail- Practice 6

Sometimes derby is going to kick you in the ass.  I know this.  However, it's not fun when it does.  I'm not going to pout, but I do need to make sure that I don't just track my progress and such, but also my fall downs.  I can't pep talk myself unless I see both my good and bads.

I started out the night thinking that everyone was having a bad day, and I was hoping their karma didn't rub off to badly.  We had a guest coach, and I was stoked to learn from someone new.  We started off with jogging and jogging and all that fun stuff (thank GOD for a sports bra), and although I'm not the fastest, I did it.  Then we did this weird stretch that I just could not get my mind around.  Note to self- figure it out!  After we got our skates on and started sprints.  I was doing good until someone fell and someone else got in front of me and slowed down.  I thought it was the start of the pack, so I followed her.  Then I got booted!  I know, if you are going to slowly then you need to go to the outside so you and others don't get hurt.  And I know I should have spoken up if I didn't want to be booted, since I was doing ok.  I CAN NOT expect someone to know what all 60 women are doing.  Instead I got into a funk and skated to the sides. 

Later we worked on things for our assessments.  I was in such a funk from before that I just kept screwing up, causing a bigger funk.  At one time I was in tears because I felt like I just couldn't do it.  I ended the night badly, and went home.  On the way home a derby announcer posted this on his FB page-  The Reverend Al Mighty “Anyone can give up, it's the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone else would understand if you fell apart, that's true strength.”

I need to remember that I'm not always going to get it.  I'm not always going to kick ass, even if it's just my own ass.  But what I do need to remember is that true strength is holding it together and keep going.  Chin up and keep trying. 

Between a phone call from a dear friend, popcorn and a date with the green fairy, I got myself together.  I know I'm going to have bad nights.  I've seen even the most amazing skaters have boo nights.  No one is perfect, especially not me.  But what I need to remember is nothing is personal, and if I'm taken off of things, it's for a reason.  And I need to step up my game, not just pout.  I'll get there.

I can... skate wicked fast? Practice 4

Thursday night brought me back to where I love to skate.  JFK has floors without divots, tape or strange bumps.  I feel like when I'm at Roller Kingdom if I push I'm going to be ass over tea kettle... so yeah, I LOVE JFK!

Before practice I tried to re-lace my skates so that I would have room in my toe box and my foot top where all the nerves are.  I think I need to tighten what isn't loosened,  however, it felt soooo damn good to feel my feet for the whole practice!  We are getting there, and all it took was a little "you can do it" from Betty!  Woot.

However, once I got to practice, I felt like I missed the memo and it was really endurance week.  I'm still trying to figure out how to skate in the other direction... so that started my ass kicking for the night.  Then we did knee drops.  The theory behind that is that while skating you can drop to one knee, and then get right back up and keep going.  Every time I dropped my knee pads would wiggle and then I would face plant.  So I tightened them.  Still no getting back up for me!  Finally I was told to just do picking up my feet on the whistle.  Still not comfy with that, but when the end of that torture was done, I did better at skating on one foot!  More practice will equal more confidence.  Once during our skating I did a really great fall- on my hands and knees, but I got up almost without taking a breath and kept on going.  I'm also starting to understand crossovers, when I'm moving at least.  And I realized that when I'm told to go I'm now starting to push off with my toes first, which gives me an extra boost.

And then the highlight of my night.  Maybe even the highlight of my derby career thus far... maybe.  We were told to find our sisters... mine was MIA, so I got adopted by N. Raging Grace.  She is my new hero!  We did pushes (maybe called shopping cart pushes??).  I got into derby stance, and she started to push me.  Now, when I'm pushing, I can skate kinda fastish.  She put her hand on my butt and showed me that I'm about as fast as a slug... by pushing me faster.  My job was to drive us, she pushed.  I started to have to worry about other people, making sure we were not hitting others or skating into them or anything.  She pushed.  FAST!  Holy FUCK ME!  This is better than any vice ever.  Better than roller coasters or speeding or sex or... well you get it... skating fast rocked my world!  And then I pushed her.  :(  Not so rocking, but I'll get there.  And I've decided to *gasp!* loosen my trucks a little.  I think that will help.

We did other things with the "big girls" like plow stops, and such, and then went off to be fresh meat.  We learned more on T-stops (hey, I'm getting it!!), and plow stops, and I finally go the hang of sticky skates, where you skate with all 8 wheels on the floor.  Then we did some actual derby drills.  We skated in a pack, where you have to be touching 2 people at all time, and Ivanna would shout a name and tell us to move through the pack to the front or back.  Then we did 3 at a time and learned how to fill empty spots.  The last part of practice I felt Caleb could have done better, but I tried.  We did hops.  First just bunny hops, and then dolly hops.  I can hop without falling, but as Dave pointed out, I'm not hopping far or high... so I'm really not succeeding all that much.  :(  After practice Helen taught us how to do stats, which was really good to learn, and also helps with learning the game.

I hope to have my stops mastered within another week.  I think I can do that.  And still working on derby stance.  That's one of my nemesis... when I'm in derby stance my upper bum hurts.  I need to work on my core.  Going to do some home exercises starting now...  I need to start strengthening my core!

Yoga in a halmet?

Monday night was my first practice with the New Hampshire Roller Derby!  I don't remember the last time things just felt so right.  But OMG my mind is blown.  Sometimes I felt like even though I had never been there, I needed to know what to do.  I will... I'm a fast learner.


But what made me laugh the most was when someone told us what yoga pose we were doing.  In quads, knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards, and helmet (mouth guard was optional).  Yoga is supposed to be graceful.  I know someday I too will be graceful on my skates... but maggie + quads and gear + yoga = messy pretzel!

When I got there Hazel made me feel really welcome, and then Betty gave us fresh meat name tags for our helmets!  I'm told she stayed up forever the night before making them.  They are HAND DRAWN T-bone steaks with our names on it.  And she actually fit my full name in mine!  When I get my derby name I'm going to mount and frame that steak!

So anyways, we got into Roller Kingdom and started handing in info while putting on gear, then all of the sudden I looked up and people were skating, and someone yelled "practice has started, everyone should be skating!"  Wha?!?  you want me to get out there and skate with them?  Yes, I know.  I'm now official, that means get your ass out there and skate!

So skate we did, then yoga, then introductions (please don't give me a test!), then fresh meat and a few others went off to skate.  We did stops... derby stance (omg my bum!)... knee stops (falls)... rock star falls... plow stops... and swimming with our skates.  Then we got with the big girls again and skated in a line.  Supposed to be within arms reach of the person in front of you... yeah, that never worked for me.  I need to become more aware of my surroundings.  I tried.  Then we watched whips and then practiced some more before scrimmage.  And I think my night was made when Trixie remembered me (and my name!) and told me I was doing great.  God, these women are like rockstars!  Yes, I know, I will be too.  I just... wow, I can not believe I've joined this group of such strong, amazing, nice, and awesome women!

THAT was amazing!  Someday I AM going to be like that.

Then I had to scoot.  But more practice tomorrow.   This feels so right.  I'm sooooooo happy!

Oh and check out the team webpage!  I'm on it!!!!