Roller Derby Update

I'm still kinda sore from practice on Monday. It was all about endurance and after warming up for a bit, the coach came over and wanted us (the fresh meat girls) to try time trails. I've never tried doing the time trails yet, so I was a bit nervous.

As part of the WFTDA (Women's Flat Track Derby Association) minimums, you need to be able to do 25 laps in 5 minutes. I felt like I was going to throw up as I watched the first group of fresh meat girls go.

Then it was the second group's turn. I lined up with the 3 other girls in my group and got ready. At the whistle we started off around the track. By the middle of the trials, my lungs felt like they were going to explode. In the end, I did 18.5 laps in 5 minutes. Not too shabby for my first time ever doing them.

I know that once I learn how to and perfect my crossovers I will be able to do more than 18.5 laps. I still feel like I'm tripping over myself though when I try to do the crossovers. I need to start going to open skate night more at Rollarama, but right now the budget doesn't really allow for that. It ranges from $4-$6, but it's also 25 minutes from my house so I've got gas money to worry about. I hope to start going more often though. I also got the okay from the owner to wear my protective gear (knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards, etc.) there, so that will help me be able to work on the things that I don't have the confidence to try without pads on.

I also need to focus on doing more leg work and cardio at the gym so I can make it through time trials without feeling like I'm going to die!

Until next time, space cadets.

Slowly But Surely

I'm getting there. Slowly, very slowly.

Ofcourse, I am talking about the elusive crossover. Last night at practice, I did some crossover "swizzles", where your skates don't leave the floor, and you weave your feet in front of one another. That was something I'd been trying to do for a while, but had not had much success with. Last night I actually did a pretty good job doing them!! Yay!! Crossovers, here I come!!

I've been with the Hellions for a little over 3 months now, and am trying to get so I can meet my WFTDA (Women's Flat Track Derby Association) minimums which are needed for me to be able to skate with the rest of the girls. So far, the only minumums I can meet are:

-regular skating
-stops
-falls
-stepping
-squatting
-focusing
-leaning

The things I need to master to pass minimums are:

-crossovers
-speed/endurance
-one foot glides
-quick cuts
-recovery from falls within 2 seconds
-hopping (yikes!!)
-weaving
-whips
-pushes
-pacing
-weaving around moving obstacles
-bumping
-blocking (taking hits, checks)

When looking at these two lists it seems like I haven't made any progress!! But I have to keep remembering how I was on the first practice I came to, when I could barely stand on skates let alone have "confident and fluid strides" (per WFTDA). I'll continue to push towards getting these damn minimums met so I can then get my REAL derby name and not have to be known as Fake 'Um Steak 'Um anymore!!

Until next time, peeps (if anyone actually reads this). Derby love forever!!