Getting Back Into It

WOW! I had the best practice yet tonight. they really just worked us so hard.. by the end of it I think I was wheezing! (time to make some lifestyle changes) I really want to just dance around and jump up and down shouting "roller derby is fucking awesome!" Seriously! I got to introduce my self as "Serious" when we were doing stretches tonight. It made me feel like I was starting to embrace my alter ego, really becoming another whole person in a sense... still me yet " Serious Lee"... intense, dangerous, powerful, and genuine.
My skates are great... way better than the ones I was using... but I need new wheels. I need some wheels that will give me speed and control. I feel like I'm tripping over the ones I have now, they really are too wide for what I want to do. I have so much to learn about the gear still. My pads and helmet seem to be great though! I still need a moulded mouth guard... mine is so distracting.

I learned some new stuff about stops today, which is always good. I'm determined to be able to stop really quick if I have to. I seem to be getting good at the tee stop, which isn't really used all that much oddly enough, but I'm also getting better at the hockey stop and the plow stop! I'm not sure which one is more valuable on the track yet though.... anyone know?

I also had the pleasure of learning from two skaters I haven't been coached by yet... Bert and Taz. They are both super fast, agile, and downright dominant skaters. I feel privileged to have been coached by them both. Bert and Taz really are people I can learn from, I hope they both go to many practices to come! I'm planning to be out of freshmeat soon but I know that other freshies that aspire to be jammers can learn from these two cool cats as well. Also I have to say that Nomad is quite the cat too! This is one guy that really knows what hes doing... and even though he may

We did the coffin drill tonight. It was really, really hard, but good training and a bit of fun. Starting on your back, arms crossed on your chest, and wheels flat against the boards, we wait for the whistle to blow... then get up as fast as we can and RACE to the other side of the track, knee drop and slide onto your back in the starting position while attempting not to slam into the boards on the other side. For anyone reading not familiar with roller derby.. you might have to read that a few times to understand what the fuck I'm talking about!

This is my derby wound for the night. I'm REALLY sorry it's a pic of my stink old derby foot. And I'm not complaining.... I'm sharing!

I do have to say this is definitely one of the biggest blisters I have ever had the pleasure to have. Just on the one foot too, because I mostly only skate around the track in one direction. Anyone have a good remedy for blisters?

Fun Skate Was, Well, Really Fun!

Several of the RDRDA skaters have been helping out to turn an old arena into the RDRDA Rollerdome. Although I wasn't there for every night of the renovations, I do feel like I was there as much as I could be to help get regular practice start as soon as possible. The work that everyone did is unbelievable! The floor couldn't be cleaner and smoother. Good job everyone!!

I finally got to take my skates and cruise on the track! Up until tonight I had only my small linoleum floor to skate on. I didn't get to go very fast in the confined spaces around my house... although I did get lots of practice maneuvering and stopping! The cement floor downstairs was a little more like the one at the Rollerdome, but it's often strewed with toys, books, and storage items.

Putting on all my gear for the first time at the arena, I felt a surge of energy run through me. I was excited and scared... I was scared that the confidence I felt on my lino floors at home would turn into a sticky mess on the arena floor. I knew my wheels were great on the lino, but what about cement? Turns out it is pretty different. Skating out there for the first time I felt slow and a little awkward. I was lucky enough to have Scourge Her (the other Trina) skate at the same pace as me and keep me company as I learned my new skates. She is another fellow freshie. She will be benchmarking with me at the end of October.

After a while, I really started getting the feel of my skates... I started going faster, and faster. The only downside to that was that I wasn't perfectly comfortable on them for about 15 minutes, and there were a lot of people on the track. It was a fun skate, so they were also putting out obstacles, jumping mats, and a ball! At first I was scared of the ball (with or without the new skates), but I got brave and kicked it a few times. I also zig-zaged around the obstacles (I had to go around every second one, but I did it). Once there were fewer people on the track, I decided to get some practice on my lap speed. Now, this depends on several things... first, I wasn't sure yet if I could do a proper crossover in my new skates, hell, I wasn't sure I could do a proper crossover at all... second, my skates felt really sticky and slow, I thought I might just move the wrong way and have my wheel stick in an awkward position (this possibly means a big fall if at a high speed)... third, there were still about 8 people on the track to maneuver around at a high speed. Lets not forget, I'm a freshie (inexperienced). All this being said... I didn't fall once!

I met some new people tonight. Everyone seems really willing to accept me as a new skater. I have to say, they have made me feel very welcome! All of them. I got wowed by a few little ladies (and gents)... honestly, these girls (and guys) are amazing! Some I have already met... Mortu Mary, Nomad, and Ginger... and some I just met tonight... Bert, Gigi, Bitch Slap, and TyeDie (hope I spelled that right). I'm sorry if I forgot anyone that thinks they should be on the list... it's been a long day.

It's All Coming Together!!

As I lift the chairs and put them upside down on all the tables, I can feel it getting easier and easier as the days and weeks go by, I can almost do it with one hand now. I even started noticing that cans, bottles, and jars are easier to open. It also takes less energy to go up and down a flight of stairs.. I remember before starting derby, all it took was one flight of stairs and I was out of breath. Doing housework and cleaning at work is getting much easier... I can vacuum and mop the entire lobby floor without feeling like I need to take a break half way through, I can clean the whole bathroom now without breaking a sweat, and I can now carry my laundry up and down two flights of stairs with much more ease. I have less general pain than usual and my muscles are already starting to firm up, especially in my legs. I've noticed that all my jeans are getting a bit tight! This is all the result of getting my muscles back in action, all the important ones, my core. As long as I keep exercising regularly and going to my two hour derby practices, I will keep getting stronger.

Yes... I Finally Have A Pair Of Skates To Call My Own... I Also Call Them "My Lovely's"

So... I finally got my own skates... and my own gear! It seems like it took forever! I just want to throw out a huge thank you to my wonderful boyfriend, Dan, who bought my skates! I wouldn't have them yet without his generosity. I'm a very lucky derby girl!



As soon as I got my skates I had to try them on to see if they fit. They fit perfectly! I was fortunate enough to have a lovely lady, Teri, let me try her skates on at the last practice. It's a damn good thing I did too because otherwise I'd have ordered the wrong size! Since her size three's were a tad bit small I decided to order a size four and hope for the best.

Once I put them on.. they didn't come off for 3 days... except to drive, sleep and work. Everything else I did, I did with my skates on my feet! I made meals, cleaned the house, had a few friends come over, went up and down stairs, and even went to the bathroom with them on! The way I see it, I'm not just breaking in my skates, I'm getting my feet used to them too (breaking my feet in). Yes, by the third day my feet hurt a little, but all for a great cause!

As I was skating around my house relentlessly, I discovered I can do EVERYTHING better in my new skates. I can stop better, skate better, and turn better (I can pretty much do pirouettes in my skates!) I absolutely can't wait to get out there on a real track and see what my skates can really do!! 30 laps in 5 minutes... here I come!!

I'm buying outdoor wheels for my skates tonight too! Lacee is going to show me how to switch them out so I can skate outside. It all seems to be coming together for me now.. .I'm well on my way to becoming the derby queen I want to be.

Waiting For Skates

Roller Derby has been a BIG part of my life in the last month... and it's about to get even BIGGER!

On Saturday, I ordered my first pair of skates... thanks to my wonderful boyfriend (he was wonderful before he bought me the skates). "Seeing you smile and light up like that is thanks enough for me", he says, "I can see that you are passionate and dedicated". I'm so glad he sees how important this is to me. I won't succeed at this if I'm not supported by the people who love me. Thanks Dan!

So, now I get to wait. I've heard it's not long... less than a week, I'm hoping I have them by Friday. I ordered all my pads (elbows, knees, and wrists), and a new mouth guard (the one I have now is way too big). I'm probably gonna put on all my new gear and roller skate around my house for days. I'll be doing the dishes in my skates, and the laundry, and maybe even cook in my skates. I don't care if my kids think I'm crazy!! (I might even wear them to bed)

With new skates, comes a new freedom that I can't wait to experience. I'll be able to skate where and when I want to. Right now I am so limited, I can only practice in Springbrook during scheduled practices. Sure I can train... squatting, stretching, running, etc, but I need to practice skating too! I need to practice all those benchmarks I need to meet. Getting on the team is really important to me and I want to get there ASAP.

Step 1: Receive skates and gear
Step 2: Skate every day
Step 3: Get benchmarked and on the team
Step 4: Become a roller derby superstar
Step 5: Represent Team Canada at the Olympics

Wish me luck!

Benchmarks

A lot of people are asking me what benchmarking is. Benchmarking is meeting specific milestones as a skater before you can join a team. Here's what I need to be able to do to benchmark:

1. 5 laps in 1 minute (achieved) - When I did my laps on Monday I had done 6 and a half laps at the one minute mark
2. 25 Laps in 5 min (achieved)
3. Tee stop (achieved)
4. Toe stop (achieved)
5. Plow stop (achieved)
6. Tomahawk stop (achieved)
7. Knee drops (achieved)
8. 4 point fall (needs work)
9. Gliding on one leg (achieved)
10. Jumping (needs a little work, but I pretty much got it)
11. Crossovers (achieved)
12. Cutting the track (Needs a lot of work)
13. Proper form (needs a little work)
14. Skate backwards (almost good enough)

I don't think I am missing anything. I may be though, I'm still pretty new at this.