Fresh Meat Update
So I haven’t updated in a while, mostly because I have been very busy caring for my partner, who is suffering a ruptured achilles tendon. Needless to say, I have taken on basically all of the work of running our household. That said, I still have time for derby!
I will start by saying that I have been dealing with some frustration lately, feeling like I have hit a bit of a progress wall. This came to a head a few weeks ago, when we did our very first 25 in 5, and I came in at a lowly 13 in 5. It was far lower than I was expecting, and it had me really bummed out. Needless to say, I am now thinking about ways to improve my endurance outside of the one practice a week I am attending. I hereby commit to taking the stairs at school, instead of the elevator (except maybe to my office, 8 floors is quite a bit).
I also feel like I am just not picking up on some of the skills. We have been working on ‘pushing’ drills, which we are doing to prepare for getting into actually hitting. Unfortunately, I cannot get the hang of it. I have no strength so I am unable to actually push anyone, and I still don’t feel very sturdy so I tend to trip a lot in these drills. My lack of strength is also impacting my ability to give a good whip, and I think I need to invest in doing some push ups and core strengthening at home.
That said, I have had some improvement. I am beginning to get crossovers and feeling more confident about them, and yesterday I got up ‘properly’ without having to put my hands on the ground or put both toe stops down. I guess the leg strength is getting there.
This week I also received my very own skates, just in time to attend practice. The xk4 da45 plates gives me a bit of trouble, because I sometimes find them responding to things I didn’t realize I was telling them, and as a result I felt extra wobbly last night. I also had some pretty sever foot cramping, which some say could be because they are too big, but I really don’t think thats the case. I am hoping its just a matter of breaking them in, and as such I am going to be wearing them around the house everyday. The skates themselves are absolutely gorgeous. I am so happy I didn’t compromise, and went with a vegan boot. It is just so pretty AND cruelty free! Here is a photo to show them off 
They are taped up with pink hockey tape for now, until I decide on the colour I want to use to protect them. That said, I think it goes well with the blue and yellow!
I am also getting more and more into putting together my derby outfits. Whereas I started off in longish yoga-shorts and a tshirt, I am now wearing leggings, bright coloured shorts and my standard political tshirts (with phrases such as Fuck Tuition Fees, No Means No, and This Is What A Feminist Looks Like….). I am even thinking about getting myself a pair of sparkly, bootylicious derby skinz! I feel like derby is helping my self esteem a bit, and making me want to appreciate my body more.
I am hoping that my new skates and outfits are going to contribute to me continuing to feel good about myself, staying committed to derby, and hopefully seeing some improvement in my skating. I am hoping that our next 5 minutes test I can make it to 14 laps. I am aiming for progress one lap at a time!
I also recently had the opportunity to share my passion with a couple of friends. Our league hosted a roller disco night, and several of my colleagues were supposed to come. Ultimately, only one was able to show up, but he brought is partner and I think a great time was had by all! It was nice to have a night off just to skate, with no pressure to compete, perform or participate (although I did take the opportunity to work on my crossovers!)!
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