Progress, no matter small, is progress

With the unintentional hiatus that I took, I wish I could come back saying that I took that time to become a SCAR Doll badass, WFTDA graduate, and bout ready derby girl. So not the case...yet.

However, I am very pleased to report that I have noticed a drastic improvement of my skating.  (Maybe some other skaters noticed too :D).  When I started this derby stuff, I didn't know what to expect.  I'm a non-athlete(unlike every other member of my family) and way overweight.  I felt like the odds were stacked against me.  So I went into derby with no expectations and just wanted to have fun and get some exercise.  Endurance is and probably will always be a problem for me. A lot of times I can't get through the warm up without stopping to take a break.  Which is embarrassing, but I always make a point to jump right back in and fight the valiant fight.

Well, I noticed that I became more confident in skating when our coach Buster conducted one of the practices.  I usually throw myself into a fit of anxiety, because...well his practices are tough.  No matter how irrational that feeling is. and boy do I know that it's irrational, but I can't help feeling some level of anxiety.  Anyways....I survived, I surprised myself and made it.  It was a huge sense of accomplishment.  If not in the progress of my skating, but the progress of mental attitude that it takes.  I completely underestimated the amount of mental struggles you go through this.  I am a self conscious skater, but I'm working on it.

For a couple of weeks we have been doing ladder exercises for warm up.  Which means, you find a buddy and one at a time, do 1 lap, then 2, etc...so you do get a breather but boy are they tough (IMO). Well I struggle, quite a bit.  But for the first time about a month ago I was able to successfully complete a ladder exercise!! Granted we only went up to 4, but still!  Me and my partner were the last ones, but I didn't care.  I was done!

The next week, same drill, but this one was up to 5! doesn't seem like a lot but it's an extra 9(i think) laps.  On the way up, I kept telling myself "I can't do it, I can't do it, I can't do it" but once I was done with 5, I though for sure I was done.  I was standing next to my sister (Evilution-AKA Lucy) and something snapped....no more doubt self talk bullshit.  Switched to a positive attitude and told myself I CAN do it, and that I won't die.  Again, I was the last skater, but I finished.  Once all the skaters were done and it was my turn, some of the girls joined in the effort and skated with me.  Derby love, it's so fantastic.

There have been other improvements, jumps, working on the crossovers etc...the future is exciting :D

Stay tuned for pictures from our first bout! it was amazing

*Auf Wieder Slayin