Last night - my first night on skates after a five-month LOA - was wonderful. Just wonderful. Since I wasn't sure I had any mad skills left, I skated with the newbies, who are all sweet as can be, and who are all frankly better than I was my second week. Turns out I remember a lot, and I got to work on turnaround toe stops for quite some time. Kiki Mojo worked with us, and in addition to being darling, she's encouraging and helpful and keeps an eye on strange things new girls tend to do.
I did not eat it once, except when scheduled to do so. My falls felt really good, especially the baseball slide, and I didn't sit on my skate while doing so. Note to self: work on dropping onto the left knee. For some reason, my legs rebel against that and don't want me to do it. Gotta fix that!
Next week, I hope to be back on the track with the intermediate 1 group. My insurance isn't in effect yet, so I don't want to do contact drills quite yet ... but I'm getting there.
So my derby job. I will be an interleague hostess - sort of like a concierge. I am to meet the traveling (opponent) team at Verizon (after scheduling a meeting time and providing directions), show them the venue, inform them of any rules, keep them watered during the bout. It is MADE for me. I'm already tall, loud, visible, and addicted to pumping up the crowd. Note to self: gotta have an HRD fascinator by March. Other note to self: work on that derby cutaway coat! It could be cute in a venue that has functioning AC.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
I'm back! and I have a derby JOB
Last night - my first night on skates after a five-month LOA - was wonderful. Just wonderful. Since I wasn't sure I had any mad skills left, I skated with the newbies, who are all sweet as can be, and who are all frankly better than I was my second week. Turns out I remember a lot, and I got to work on turnaround toe stops for quite some time. Kiki Mojo worked with us, and in addition to being darling, she's encouraging and helpful and keeps an eye on strange things new girls tend to do.
I did not eat it once, except when scheduled to do so. My falls felt really good, especially the baseball slide, and I didn't sit on my skate while doing so. Note to self: work on dropping onto the left knee. For some reason, my legs rebel against that and don't want me to do it. Gotta fix that!
Next week, I hope to be back on the track with the intermediate 1 group. My insurance isn't in effect yet, so I don't want to do contact drills quite yet ... but I'm getting there.
So my derby job. I will be an interleague hostess - sort of like a concierge. I am to meet the traveling (opponent) team at Verizon (after scheduling a meeting time and providing directions), show them the venue, inform them of any rules, keep them watered during the bout. It is MADE for me. I'm already tall, loud, visible, and addicted to pumping up the crowd. Note to self: gotta have an HRD fascinator by March. Other note to self: work on that derby cutaway coat! It could be cute in a venue that has functioning AC.
I did not eat it once, except when scheduled to do so. My falls felt really good, especially the baseball slide, and I didn't sit on my skate while doing so. Note to self: work on dropping onto the left knee. For some reason, my legs rebel against that and don't want me to do it. Gotta fix that!
Next week, I hope to be back on the track with the intermediate 1 group. My insurance isn't in effect yet, so I don't want to do contact drills quite yet ... but I'm getting there.
So my derby job. I will be an interleague hostess - sort of like a concierge. I am to meet the traveling (opponent) team at Verizon (after scheduling a meeting time and providing directions), show them the venue, inform them of any rules, keep them watered during the bout. It is MADE for me. I'm already tall, loud, visible, and addicted to pumping up the crowd. Note to self: gotta have an HRD fascinator by March. Other note to self: work on that derby cutaway coat! It could be cute in a venue that has functioning AC.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
after six months off, I'm going back
Because I am a lazy bitch, I took time off for TRF and the holidays. I should not have done that. I haven't been on skates since, like, July. I am going back to the Betties tonight. I am thinking I'll skate with the newbies for at least tonight; I need to get my legs back under me. Will report post-action.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Week 21: post-assessment
The past two weeks, we did assessments to see where we belong (newbie, intermediate 1 or 2, advanced). As anticipated, I'm intermediate 2. We also did inductions last week, and I am now an official Machete Bettie. Yay! Am awaiting my insurance number and my committee list so I can pick an assignment. Finance, perhaps.
Tonight we worked with Rush, who I really dig for training. He knows how much he can ask of us before we start to whine, and then he makes us do more until he knows we're near the end. We did a lot of pack work. I seem to like being at the back of the pack, which is not a good place to be, but I have so little stamina that everyone passes me effortlessly.
At one point, Rush had had us stopped, and when we packed up he told me to get in front. I figured since I am by far the slowest out there, I'd best to step on it, so when he said go I took the hell off. A few seconds later he started hollering at the pack to catch up to me, and I turned my head to look ... they were way back there! How I got so far out in front is anyone's guess. They did catch up to me, yes.
When we took our next water break, Rush asked me if I wanted to go back to Intermediate 1 for pack drills for awhile. I asked him if that was where I needed to be, and he said no, I had earned my 2 slot, but I seemed trepidatious. I admitted that I was, and he pointed out that clearly I *can* move it when need be. He asked me to try to stay in the middle of the pack, and I did my best, but by then I was wearing down and it was showing.
Angela is a great cheerleader, btw. She was working pivot (front of the pack) and talking me through it at the same time, which was hugely helpful to us more in the front because we couldn't always hear Rush. How she gets so damn low I have got to learn.
All in all, a good night. I'm excited, and a little scared, for when my insurance takes effect so I can scrimmage. I need to get over scared - contact is the point!
Tonight we worked with Rush, who I really dig for training. He knows how much he can ask of us before we start to whine, and then he makes us do more until he knows we're near the end. We did a lot of pack work. I seem to like being at the back of the pack, which is not a good place to be, but I have so little stamina that everyone passes me effortlessly.
At one point, Rush had had us stopped, and when we packed up he told me to get in front. I figured since I am by far the slowest out there, I'd best to step on it, so when he said go I took the hell off. A few seconds later he started hollering at the pack to catch up to me, and I turned my head to look ... they were way back there! How I got so far out in front is anyone's guess. They did catch up to me, yes.
When we took our next water break, Rush asked me if I wanted to go back to Intermediate 1 for pack drills for awhile. I asked him if that was where I needed to be, and he said no, I had earned my 2 slot, but I seemed trepidatious. I admitted that I was, and he pointed out that clearly I *can* move it when need be. He asked me to try to stay in the middle of the pack, and I did my best, but by then I was wearing down and it was showing.
Angela is a great cheerleader, btw. She was working pivot (front of the pack) and talking me through it at the same time, which was hugely helpful to us more in the front because we couldn't always hear Rush. How she gets so damn low I have got to learn.
All in all, a good night. I'm excited, and a little scared, for when my insurance takes effect so I can scrimmage. I need to get over scared - contact is the point!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
week 17: in which I am bumped up to Intermediate 2
I missed last week, since I was in South Padre. So I was looking forward to a bit of an ass-kicking, considering I didn't do squat on vacation and I scraped my ankle on a curb ... and hoo BOY, did we ever get one.
I had a few minutes to warm up, so I went to the kiddie pool and did a few turnaround toe-stops at mega-slow, to be sure I remembered the theory. Then a couple easy laps before drill started. Last night, for some reason, it seemed like we spent more drill time than usual going clockwise. (Not that I'm complaining - I'm frighteningly right-leg dominant, and my left leg can use all the workout it can get.) Scissors, squats, one-leg push-offs ... the usual, except let me interject that it was DAMN HOT in there. I don't know if the AC was off, or if the outside was warmer, or if we were just working harder, but I sweated more last night than I think I have since I started in February.
After stretching, they separated the levels, and I went to Intermediate 1. Scar Wars sent me over to Rush and the Intermediate 2s. First, we did mega-laps ... 25 counter-clockwise, then 25 clockwise, then 25 counter-clockwise, then 25 clockwise. That wasn't as hard as I thought it'd be, although I am now acutely aware of my new mandate: get my slow ass to speed class. (I did miss part of the third 25 because the ankle scrape was demanding tape.)
After that came the cruel, harsh mistress: the Relay. Sprint to the first line, one-knee 180, 15 sit-ups, sprint back, turnaround toe-stop. Sprint to the second line, two-knee fall, 15 push-ups, sprint back, turnaround toe-stop. Sprint to the end, snowplow, sprint back, baseball slide to tag the next girl. The first time we relayed, I was third, behind Basketcase and Scates. I did not suck.
Then we did push drills, where you line up five or six girls in skater position. They take the hips of the girl in front of them and lock their arms straight, and do not move their feet. The girl in the back does all the pushing, and at the end of a lap she drops the line and sprints to the front, and the new girl in the back pushes for a lap. That was fun, if a little unnerving.
Then came the Relay again. (This time, I did suck.) Then I had to leave, since a) I don't have insurance and couldn't play last-man-standing, and b) it's a looooong drive home.
We get assessed next week. (I am fairly certain I'll stay in Intermediate; I don't think I'm ready for Advanced.)
So on balance: tough workout, but the actual skating part is getting easier. It's not automatic yet, but it's slowly getting more natural. And I am LOVING that I'm toning up!
Things to work on:
- turnaround toe-stop, as usual
- speed
- endurance
- core strength
I had a few minutes to warm up, so I went to the kiddie pool and did a few turnaround toe-stops at mega-slow, to be sure I remembered the theory. Then a couple easy laps before drill started. Last night, for some reason, it seemed like we spent more drill time than usual going clockwise. (Not that I'm complaining - I'm frighteningly right-leg dominant, and my left leg can use all the workout it can get.) Scissors, squats, one-leg push-offs ... the usual, except let me interject that it was DAMN HOT in there. I don't know if the AC was off, or if the outside was warmer, or if we were just working harder, but I sweated more last night than I think I have since I started in February.
After stretching, they separated the levels, and I went to Intermediate 1. Scar Wars sent me over to Rush and the Intermediate 2s. First, we did mega-laps ... 25 counter-clockwise, then 25 clockwise, then 25 counter-clockwise, then 25 clockwise. That wasn't as hard as I thought it'd be, although I am now acutely aware of my new mandate: get my slow ass to speed class. (I did miss part of the third 25 because the ankle scrape was demanding tape.)
After that came the cruel, harsh mistress: the Relay. Sprint to the first line, one-knee 180, 15 sit-ups, sprint back, turnaround toe-stop. Sprint to the second line, two-knee fall, 15 push-ups, sprint back, turnaround toe-stop. Sprint to the end, snowplow, sprint back, baseball slide to tag the next girl. The first time we relayed, I was third, behind Basketcase and Scates. I did not suck.
Then we did push drills, where you line up five or six girls in skater position. They take the hips of the girl in front of them and lock their arms straight, and do not move their feet. The girl in the back does all the pushing, and at the end of a lap she drops the line and sprints to the front, and the new girl in the back pushes for a lap. That was fun, if a little unnerving.
Then came the Relay again. (This time, I did suck.) Then I had to leave, since a) I don't have insurance and couldn't play last-man-standing, and b) it's a looooong drive home.
We get assessed next week. (I am fairly certain I'll stay in Intermediate; I don't think I'm ready for Advanced.)
So on balance: tough workout, but the actual skating part is getting easier. It's not automatic yet, but it's slowly getting more natural. And I am LOVING that I'm toning up!
Things to work on:
- turnaround toe-stop, as usual
- speed
- endurance
- core strength
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
week 14 update: OMG it's getting easier!
Had to sit out last week due to TMI crap. Went to practice anyway, so I could get credit for attendance, therefore bringing me closer to active Bettie status. Drag that I had to sit out, because lots of girls were absent since HRD tryouts were finishing the next day so they took it off, and the trainer / newbie ratio was awesome. RATS!
On the plus side ... tonight we worked with Russian Cleavage and Princess Prozac, and we worked the hell out of turnaround toe-stops. I mean, like 45 minutes of our 2½ hours. We did one round, RC and PP conferred, and they decided that we needed to work on the turnaround aspect of the move. Well, damn if that wasn't what we needed. I won't say we all nailed it, but all nine of us were measurably better at it by the end of the evening.
I'm looking forward to next week. Hell, I'm looking forward to cheap skate Thursday night! If no one else comes with me, I might just hole up in the star corner and turn around until I get dizzy.
On the plus side ... tonight we worked with Russian Cleavage and Princess Prozac, and we worked the hell out of turnaround toe-stops. I mean, like 45 minutes of our 2½ hours. We did one round, RC and PP conferred, and they decided that we needed to work on the turnaround aspect of the move. Well, damn if that wasn't what we needed. I won't say we all nailed it, but all nine of us were measurably better at it by the end of the evening.
I'm looking forward to next week. Hell, I'm looking forward to cheap skate Thursday night! If no one else comes with me, I might just hole up in the star corner and turn around until I get dizzy.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
week 12: so much for the pattern
Tonight was tough. That stupid turnaround toe-stop is still the boss of me. I did so much decently ... I stayed down, I crossed over, I followed the leader and did the obstacle course and spun out on one knee in awesome fashion ... but this damn stop I have got to get on top of. It's one of the basics, and I cannot work around it or do without it.
We did a little more contact tonight - booty blocking, which resembles the bump and/or the hustle, and shoulder blocking, which is easy if you're skating with someone your height but otherwise not so much.
I'm starting to think I need nothing but turnaround toe-stop. All the time, every time, until I get it.
We did a little more contact tonight - booty blocking, which resembles the bump and/or the hustle, and shoulder blocking, which is easy if you're skating with someone your height but otherwise not so much.
I'm starting to think I need nothing but turnaround toe-stop. All the time, every time, until I get it.
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