A top ten list...

Of the first night I tried hitting at practice.

10. Almost getting the one-foot glide. All I need is a little more balance and practice.

9. Weaving around cones! I love cones!

8. Pace lines. I love skating with the team and I think I am almost almost caught up to where I can skate with everybody else!

7. Jumping over a little cone with both skates off the ground. Wheee! And every time I did it, I was absolutely shocked I didn't fall down.

6. Getting scared and skating out of bounds because my friend was chasing me and yelling "EAT THE BABY!"

5. Practicing hitting (and being hit by) Raven Maniac. She is fabulous and all muscle and hard as a rock when you bump into her. She did not go as easy on me as the others on my first night. But I didn't fall down!

Glad I have these photos, because now I can see how much lower I need to get!

4. Understanding the game better because I had patient people to answer my million questions.

3. Not being able to stop smiling as I slammed into the football hitting pad, because I was so nervous and I laugh when I get nervous.

2. That moment when it sunk in that I am supposed to hit people as hard as I hit the pad. I've never hit anyone before. I mean, is that really okay? Apparently it is. I didn't hate it. I think I'll get used to it.

1. Getting help and advice from Anne R. Ki, Raven Maniac, and Full Metal Arsonist, all at once. Thanks so much, ladies! You all are wonderful and helped me a ton last night.

Derby crafts

I love making stuff and so does Jordan. My creativity, his talent for DIY, and our joint frugality lend themselves well to crafts. Anytime I start a new venture, I automatically start trying to figure out what sorts of opportunities there might be to create something. I was inspired by this tutorial at Lil Blue Boo to make these leather derby name bracelets for a couple of people who had birthdays. Jordan and I did it together, and they were fun to make! Next I need to do one for myself.

Derby fashion seems full of creative craft opportunities, and I love that. I have a few more ideas brewing, if I can find time to try them out! Have you made or seen any fun derby crafts?

5 on the dot--and derby with kids

Me and Suzi after my 25 laps

Yep! I did my 25 in 5! In exactly five, as my daughter and teammates cheered me on. There is a spot on the track where I always seem to pick up speed scary fast, and it makes me feel off balance. But if I lean forward into the speed, find the "imaginary circle" of the track the vets taught me about, and try to keep doing crossovers as continuously as possible to keep up momentum, I can get around the track so much faster and easier. The crossovers really are the thing!

One of our newest fresh meat girls, Melissa, skated her 25 laps in 6:12--an eight second improvement over her last try and a great beginner's time. We spent the rest of practice working on falls and stops. For left and right knee falls, I have gotten to where I can usually just touch, pop up, and keep going.

Here I am nursing my son Robert during a break. We've figured out how to navigate practice with the kids. After the first time we brought all three of them I said we'd never do it again. For a while, Suzi (5) and Ivey (almost 3) either went to Grandma's house or I went to practice alone. But then we borrowed my parents' portable DVD player so we could show them a movie during practice. Last night we didn't even turn it on, though. Suzi and Ivey played with Anne R. Ki's daughter while the daddies supervised. Sometimes they still do go to Grandma's, but they can come with us, enjoy themselves, and behave fairly well.

For Robert, our 15-month-old, our Ergo baby carrier is a lifesaver. Jordan straps the baby onto his back, and off he goes to help with whatever. Anne R. Ki and Flashpoint's husbands also carry their little guys this way. It's Ergos all around at derby practice! Jordan enjoys helping out with derby details, and I like to have him there. I want derby to be a family affair, something we can do together. I'll have to write another post later on why I think it's beneficial for kids to see their parents engaging in new, challenging athletic experiences.

There's a home bout Saturday night! Come see us and bring the family! Kids 12 and under are free!

GET UP!

I did all sorts of new things last night at derby. Things outside my comfort zone. Things that didn't feel quite right and are going to need some work. (First of all I wore fishnet, but that was fun, comfortable, and easy and from now on I don't think I want to skate in anything else.) We worked more on skating in a pack, keeping an eye out for what's going on behind us, and even a little on blocking a jammer. Remember how I've never successfully competed in any team sport before? I am more of a go-on-a-run-and-zone-out type of girl. I knew all along that I would probably progress much faster with speed and skills than I would in incorporating these skills into play. I need to do some serious work on speeding up or slowing down to stay with the pack while also keeping an eye out for what's going on behind and around me and making sure I'm working with the team to do whatever it is we need to do at the moment. It's a lot of things to think about at once! But hey--at least there are no balls!

I tried again for my 25 in 5. Practice had been pretty taxing on my legs already, so when I started out, I was having a hard time staying down in a derby position. It's a lot easier to skate standing straight up, but that saps your speed during crossovers and makes it much more likely you will fall. And in the first five or so laps, that is exactly what I did.

I am glad I fell. One of the first times I tried for the 25 in 5, Kat, one of our veteran skaters, told me I should push myself a little further. Put my foot down a little harder on the crossovers, and see how far I could push on each one. I was so afraid to fall during a crossover that I was holding myself back. Last night, because I was doing a crappy job of staying down in derby position, my skate got ahead of my body during a crossover and I fell. It was a clean fall, my feet did not get tangled up, I didn't break anything... It didn't even hurt!

I just sat there for a second, thinking there was no way I could come up with a decent time after screwing up like that, but then my teammates yelled "GET UP!!!" So I did, and once I established a rhythm again I started pushing myself a little further during those crossovers. By about lap 22, my left thigh was quivering and begging me to stop. My time was 5:11.

Next time, 25 laps. Next time. I am closing in on you!

Loosen up a little

July 18, 2012

Fresh Meat skating together while vets give advice

Tonight practice focused on us fresh meat girls. We worked on crossovers, falls, weaving, and stops. We learned baseball slides--and I did some successfully, to my amazement. It was a fun night!

Halfway through practice I mentioned that my wheels were still tightened from the day I bought them last month. I'd spent plenty of time on my skates and had been meaning to loosen them a little, but hadn't gotten around to it. We decided to loosen them up right then, hoping it might improve my speed. Con Artist, one of the veteran skaters, loosened them for me.

I asked to try again for my 25 in 5. Last time I skated it in 6:11. This time I was skating alone except for our team captain skating in front of me to set the pace. I dug a little deeper and tried to keep doing crossovers the whole time, skating a circle. It was much easier on my leg muscles with the wheels loosened! So this time I skated it in...

5:13! I know I could cut that 13 seconds off easily if I could stay lower in a derby position and lean forward more. I kept standing up too straight and throwing myself off balance when I tried to speed up. Need to work on that!

The other two fresh meat girls there tonight, who have not been skating long at all, both finished their 25 in under seven minutes. I can't remember their exact times, but they were amazing for first tries! We are all gaining skills and skating faster and faster. Getting there!

~Jenny Two Shoes~

Clueless about core strength

July 10, 2012

Last night at practice I felt a little wobbly after having been off my skates for a week (no practice on the 4th of July). I continued working on plow stops, t-stops, 180 toe stops, and other basic stuff. It's slowly getting better.

We did some skating on the carpet last night, too. The resistance is higher than on the rink, so it takes a lot more work. Skating as fast as I could up and down the carpet, I still wasn't going that fast, so it was a lot more of a workout than I can get on the rink right now. I actually liked it. If it's cardio, I'm good. What I really need to work on is core strength. Core strength helps the body support itself during all sorts of demanding activities. Kneeling and leaning to give the kids a bath in the tub. Carrying the baby on my back for hours in the Ergo. Running. Using proper body mechanics to lift heavy objects. And, of course, roller derby!

There are a couple of strength-building exercises we do that are incredibly difficult for me. Planks, for one. I also know that my form must be awful. I can't see myself doing the exercises, but it feels awful! In high school, I could do about 80 sit-ups in two minutes. Let's not talk about push-ups, but sit-ups I was awesome at! Now, about a decade and three babies later with very little rehab, my abs are pretty much shot. Over the past few years I've had a separation in my abdominal muscles (diastasis recti--google it) and while it's mostly better, my abs just aren't the same as they were pre-baby.

I need to do something about regaining core strength and building upper body strength. It's the one thing I miss about the YMCA. I was using all the fancy machines and getting better, but because it was so hard to go with the kids and also expensive, we cancelled our membership. I can't do the Y and derby at the same time anyway, but this is still something I need to work on. Now I'm considering yoga at home and maybe trying some free weights, but it seems so complicated and overwhelming. I need to start small and build up, but how? Did I mention that while cardio is fairly easy, any strength-building exercise is pure torture? Well, it is.

I could really use the encouragement and accountability of a group, but it looks like I'll be working on this alone at home. Maybe I'll get my husband to do it with me. Or just sit on the couch and cheer for me/yell at me. Later today I'll see what Netflix has to offer in the way of yoga and exercise videos. Got any advice for me? Please leave a comment!

~Jenny Two Shoes~

Roller derby and mental health

Me skating and not worrying about anything

We went out of town for a somewhat stressful trip last Thursday, arrived home Sunday afternoon with a van full of assorted frack and laundry, and Monday we jumped right back into our normal routine. Or at least we tried to. Jordan went back to work, and the children and I stayed home with the giant mess. It was an awful morning. Every time I tried to accomplish anything, there was a baby bumping his head or a sister screaming about some toy-stealing injustice or a poopy diaper to change. The kids generate mess faster than I can clean it. By the time Jordan had come home for a few minutes at lunchtime, I was the one screaming. I just couldn't take any more of the eardrum-buzzing screeches, fighting, stubbornness, and chaos.

Lots of my days are like that, and when you're a stay-at-home mom, especially of all little kids and no big ones, you don't get a lunch hour or even a pee break. But when Jordan came home he could see that I was done. He told me to just keep the kids alive until he got home, and then he'd make dinner and clean. While I went to roller derby.

Yes, I thought. I have roller derby. I NEED roller derby.

I know some moms who do not work outside the home are satisfied spending practically all their time cooking, baking, homeschooling, cleaning, and momming. I think that's wonderful. I've spent a significant amount of time reading and trying different techniques to become one of these people. But it's not me. Even on a great day, when the kids have all taken a three-hour nap and I've got the laundry and dishes done and the house is sparkling from top to bottom (okay, so that's never happened exactly) I am not happy as only a mother. My potential does not rest solely in my ability to turn out offspring who will contribute favorably to society. I am my own valuable individual person. I am still not sure what my entire lifetime purpose will be. But I do know that roller derby feels right, right now. I skate, and forget about all the frustration and anger of my day. I skate, and claim a little something for myself.

I also struggle with OCD and anxiety. These, when combined with incurable social awkwardness, create a perfect storm. I've tried to tell myself that I'm getting worked up over nothing; that I'm just hard on myself. But unfortunately, I've had experiences that have confirmed I am right to worry. When you get the cold shoulder and silent treatment from a friend, it hurts. When you aren't sure why, it hurts worse. You worry that your children will suffer because you apparently suck at friendship, even though you are trying your hardest. You know people are probably talking about you because you've seen it happen before to someone else. It just hurts. I would rather someone cuss me up one side and down the other. I would rather be punched in the face, even, than have someone leave me wondering what I did wrong.

The thing I've noticed about most derby people I've met so far is that they will tell you. They'll put their feelings right out there. Also, many of them have strong personalities. It's a diverse group and they've been kind and accepting of me. They all live very different lives, but they all love to skate. I love to skate. Skating feels like flying. When you're flying you forget all that other crap.

...............................

I pull into my driveway, a little sore and a lot sweaty. I couldn't be much wetter than this if I'd been swimming with my clothes on. I used to spend this time in the evening stressing out, reading an email ten times before sending it, and mentally replaying various interactions I'd had recently. But now I change clothes, tell Jordan what I did at practice, eat dinner, and think next time. Next time I'll do those 25 laps a little faster. Next time I'll push myself harder, be braver, take more chances. Next time... Then I fall asleep on the couch, a tired and happy mama. A better mama and a stronger mama. Because of roller derby.

25 laps... in 6:11

July 3, 2012

I'm learning a little something new at every practice. Last night was the first practice after our bout with Cirque du Pain, and the veteran skaters helped us girls who haven't passed assessments yet. Con Artist taught me how to turn! It was one of those skills that was easy to learn with just a bit of instruction. Now that I can turn so much sharper and faster, I can't wait to try a drill that involves weaving!

I continued practicing 180 toe stops, plow stops and t-stops, and tried to do them at higher speeds. Those are slowly coming along, especially the t-stop, which is feeling more effective and less scary every practice. 180's are my favorite to do, but they feel scary to me when I'm going fast, so I'll have to gradually get more comfortable with it.

Last night I and three other girls tried for our 25 laps in five minutes, which is one of the hardest assessments for many people to pass. Two of the girls made it. Flashpoint skated it in 8:08, much faster than her previous try, and I finished in 6:11, a slight improvement over when I skated it with the team. I'm kind of annoyed at myself because I know I can do this. I'm having a hard time staying down in derby position (squatting as low as possible and leaning forward) because my legs are getting tired. Skating these laps, you use your left (inner) leg to support your weight and the right leg does most of the pushing. When I go for a run and my legs feel like they're going to give out, I push myself. When my legs get tired and I'm skating, it feels risky.

Me and Flashpoint after our 25 laps. Sweat was running in my eyes.

I am struggling with a fear of falling during a crossover. I know how to do a straightforward double knee fall, but during a crossover I worry that my skates will get tangled up and I'll twist something. This is a hangup I'm going to have to get over! I wish I'd just fall already and get it over with so I'll know what it feels like.

The thing I most want to work on is shaving 1:11 off my 25 laps. I need to do squats at home to strengthen my leg muscles so I can stay in derby position. I need to get more comfortable on my skates so I'm not as afraid to fall. I really need to get back out and run! I thought about running this morning but I was just. Too. Tired. There's no practice tomorrow (4th of July!) so I'll definitely be able to run then. Even though I love skating, I miss running. It's so straightforward. I'll also be putting my skates on and rolling around the house a bit before our next practice. Someday I want my roller skates to be as familiar and predictable to me as my favorite pair of shoes!

~Jenny Two Shoes~

A terrifyingly awesome night at derby practice

June 25, 2012

Saturday night I went skating with a couple of friends to break my new skates in. It was open skate night, so I didn't wear pads. However, I did get the crossover! It felt great. I also came to the sad realization that I can no longer stop effectively. Plow stops and t-stops are both very difficult with my new skates! I'll have to work on that--a lot. Overall, though, it's amazing to skate in something comfortable and familiar. Yay, new skates!

Sunday night I went to practice again. First, I did my 25 laps in 6:15, skating with the pack. It was harder than skating alone, so I know if I can do it with them I can do it by myself a little faster. I need to get that down to five minutes. And you know all those weaving, skating in a pack drills that were scary to watch? I did them! The team went my pace and helped me along. There were still a few things that went completely over my head, such as 180 turns and some of the falls, but I've only been at it a couple of weeks. I will get there, and I think I'm going to love derby. I definitely love the people; they are wonderful.

I didn't realize quite how effective derby skating is for exercise until I got home and stepped out of the car. Owww. And it was so exciting and fun, it didn't feel like work at all while I was doing it. It's hard. But I love it.

~Jenny Two Shoes~

Washing stinky derby gear

Anybody that knows me personally knows how much I hate hate HATE BO. I have 10 sticks of deodorant laying around everywhere, take multiple showers in the summer, am constantly asking my fiance if I stink (he gets annoyed with this question), I hate to stink.

So when I joined derby, I didn't realize just how much I was going to start stinking. Holy crap!!!! My friggin gear smells worse than a landfill. Especially now that not only am I lasting longer in practice (more sweating), our a/c went out at the rink and we're enduring 100+ days until we get it replaced later this month (sh!t tons more sweating). My gear is smelling pretty friggin gross. I was also being pretty lazy and leaving my gear in my car (READ: BIG MISTAKE), even my fiance who knows how self conscious I am about stinking said to me "honey, you smell awful when you put your gear on". Oh crap! For Charlie (derby name: Moonshine) to say something to me about it means it really really really stinks. So I'm taking advantage of this holiday week since we have no practice, and washing these nasty things. But how?....

Good 'ol trusty google, you always come through for me. I came across this great blog post by Short Temper with Hellions of Troy on washing her gear (check out her blog here). Thankfully I have a mesh bag from the padded shorts I bought after I fell and broke my tailbone. Which no longer fit me BTW, whoop whoop! So if any followers need a pair of Triple 8 padded shorts in a size XL, hit me up.

Ok, enough with that crappy sales attempt and on to washing my pads.

So I couldn't find my mesh bag :(

Short says you can soak them in a tub of hot water with some color safe bleach, but I'm gonna go her route and chunk them the the washing machine. If you got a mesh bag, put them in it so they don't get tossed around too bad. and VELCRO your pads, so you don't have a stretched out pad train when you take them out. If you're like me and have the Killer 187 Pro pads, you can actually remove the plastic front of your knee pads (what are those things called anyways?) and put them off to the side.

Pretty neat huh?

Short says you can use your clothes detergent or color safe bleach, but in true crunchy mama fashion (shameless crunchy mama blog plug riiiiiight ... NOW), I decided to go with the cloth diaper detergent I use for my son's dipes and a few drops of tea tree oil (naturally antibacterial). If it cleans pee and poop, it should clean derby stink right? Make sure you wash in hot water and if you have the option for a soak, go for it.

Do not, I repeat, DO NOT throw your pads in the dryer (pretty obvious in my opinion). Hang them up to dry, outside if it's warm and sunny. It'll probably take a couple days to dry, so don't do this the day before you need them. I simply placed them on the chest freezer in the sun room in front of a window.

And that's it! Yummy smelling pads so you can stink them up all over again :/

Welp, since I'm a cleaning mood, I figured I could clean my mouthpiece. Especially after seeing the links on Short's blog, yuck!

You could soak it in mouthwash, or just give it a good brushing like I did. No picture, sorry.

How do you clean your gear?

Trying to Motivate Myself

Derby is hard! Especially when you've never skated before. I know I've come a long way, but I'm now getting to a point where it's getting super frustrating. When I first started in February, I made myself a goal to be bout ready by our upcoming bout on July 14th. Guess what? I'm nowhere near ready. I feel like I'm taking 2 steps forward and 3 steps back, which is causing me to suck at practice, thus causing me to question WTH I'm even doing in this sport. It's a vicious cycle and I have no one to blame but myself (whine whine whine). While I love seeing all these new girls come in and get on the track, it sucks to see myself still on the sidelines. So what do I need to do to get my motivation in check and get my name on that roster?

Time to bust it!!

I've decided that simply skating on practice nights isn't enough. I need to incorporate some cross training or I'm just going to continue holding on the wall, sipping my gatorade because my feet hurt. I need to quit being a baby and bust my ass both on and off skates. I'm starting my couch 2 5K program again and actually making use of the weight cable machine collecting dust at work. No more excuses or days off, I'll get nowhere with that mindset.

Get out of my head!!!

The biggest thing holding me back is myself. I have the strength, ability, and support from my team and fiance. I just need to get out of my head and quit telling myself I can't do it.

I'd love to hear what other skaters are doing to keep their skills up and motivation in check.

Loving my new skates!

June 23, 2012

I have my own skates now. Yesterday Jordan took off work and my mom kept the girls so we could drive two hours to Atlanta to buy them. After talking with them three times on the phone, we visited Skate Escape and this really cool guy named Baby helped me find the perfect skates. I am so glad I didn't order them off a website, because my feet are very particular and I needed help and to try several different pairs on. I didn't end up with the ones I had in mind. The ones I got, Riedell Sparks, were a little more expensive, but I think they're worth it because they fit me better (firm, narrow heel but soft in the toes) and the soles are sewn on rather than just glued so hopefully they'll last longer. Also, they lace all the way to the toes. This will allow me to lace them looser or tighter all the way down, so they aren't falling off my feet and also aren't cutting off my circulation. Numb toes and hurting feet have been a problem for me with rented/borrowed skates. Either that or the skates one size up were slipping and wobbly. But no more.

I got knee and elbow pads and wrist guards, too. Had to wait on the helmet. Baby adjusted my skates and showed me how to loosen the wheels a bit when I'm ready. If we'd ordered online we would've had to pay shipping anyway, so I highly recommend making the trip to Skate Escape if you need skates and are even sort of nearby Atlanta. They are great!

Last night I had fun skating around our house, doing laundry and stuff in my skates. (I didn't go upstairs, though!) They feel so awesome. I love them and am looking forward to skating in them for a long, long time.

~Jenny Two Shoes~

Practice #3: Dreaming of new skates

June 19, 2012

Last night was kind of a drag because the rental skates I borrowed at the rink didn't fit right. I've skated in a different pair of skates every practice--sometimes two different pairs! The problem is that I'm a half-size. The eights feel floppy and wobbly, and the sevens make my feet go numb and hurt like hell. Also, every pair of skates is a little different, so I haven't had the opportunity to get used to any. I was offered two different pairs to borrow from others on the team, but they were both too small.

Last night I tried to do sticky laps and practice stops at the end of the rink while the others practiced for the upcoming bout. The skates didn't feel right, though. Then my feet went numb after a few minutes, so I had to keep taking the skates off to let the blood back into my toes. Anne R. Ki's husband, who played hockey and worked in a skate shop, told us that having your own skates is probably the most important thing you can do to improve your skating. I definitely believe it!

The good news? We are going skate shopping on Friday! We had a yard sale Saturday and are going to use the money we made to help pay for my derby starter package. Jordan is taking the day off work, the girls are staying with my parents, and we are going to Atlanta to buy me some skates. Friday cannot get here soon enough! I truly hope I can find some in our price range that fit. I'm going to be very disappointed if I can't!

When I get my skates I'm going to just wear them around the house. Yet another reason I'm glad we got laminate floors last fall! This will help me get comfortable with them, and I'll have plenty of time to learn how to stop, change direction, and all that. With skates I know personally and have the freedom to adjust to my liking, it'll be a lot easier to build on my skills from practice to practice. Yay! Can't wait!

~Jenny Two Shoes~

Roller derby practice #2

June 15, 2012

I went back to roller derby practice Wednesday night. Jordan and I took all the kids with us. Other than that it was mostly the same as last time--I skated around the outside of the track (the derby track only takes up the middle of the rink) and hung out at the ends practicing T-stops and plow stops. I had a bit of a breakthrough with these, realizing that it's not only the placement of your feet but rather a change in your entire body's position that gets you to stop. One of the veteran skaters helped me with this and it made a big difference. I can still only stop when I'm going slow, though, and it takes a long time.

I'm still working on crossovers, which I will need to master in order to complete the 25 laps in 5 minutes. This is one of the many assessments one must pass in order to participate in a bout. I'm hoping to find a little time next practice to do 25 laps and see how long it takes me. That'll give me a starting point and I'll know how far I need to come.

I found a pair of skates, borrowed from the rink, that work for me and I'm hoping I can use them again next time. There is a small chance I could have my own skates by then anyway. We're having a yard sale Saturday and I'm hoping to make enough money to buy them! I also need knee pads. The ones I've borrowed are not very thick and because of this it's been hard for me to commit to falling on them over and over. In roller derby, falling--and falling correctly--is required! The best way to buy derby equipment is in a rookie package that some retailers put together at a discount for new skaters who need almost everything. Skates and skate accessories, possibly a set of outdoor wheels, knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards, helmet. Getting the package also means spending more money all at once though. Luckily my birthday is coming up soon!

The only piece of equipment I have of my own right now is a mouth guard. The first one I had made it so I couldn't close my mouth or talk. Then I got a Protech Dent. Love it! Now I can protect my teeth during practice and communicate at the same time! Teeth protection won't be much of an issue until I start participating in drills with the team, but now I have it just in case.

Last time I spent a little while watching the experienced skaters skate in a pack and do drills that required precision as well as speed. I long to jump in and join them. I am not ready to do these; I'd be a danger to myself and others. Soon, though. Soon.

~Jenny Two Shoes~

My first night at derby practice

June 12, 2012

First, let me quickly review my athletic history...

Picked last for PE class teams my entire life, sports were nothing but nerve-wracking, confusing, and embarrassing for me. I was afraid of being hit by the ball, which was never where I expected it to be. For dodgeball, I hid behind people. One time I broke a finger attempting to play basketball. Volleyball, I never could seem to get under the ball and if I tried, some boy was probably already diving into my space because he thought I wouldn't get it. They put me way back in the outfield in softball, except for when I tried to play catcher and I think I might have actually caught the ball about twice. Gymnastics and swimming scared me. Tennis, I couldn't even hit the ball if I bounced it myself. My dad tried to get me into golf. Nope. Geez, what's left?

Oh yes--I did run cross country for one season when I was 14. Slowest person on the team. I did enjoy running, though, and have recently picked it up again with First Flight. The funny thing is that when I joined First Flight, I wasn't really sure why I was. It just felt like something I needed to do. But last night, as I skated on and off for several hours and sweated buckets, it became obvious that my running with First Flight was and is an incredibly important part of my journey. Derby skating requires endurance that I did not have before. This is yet another gift that First Flight has given me, and I'm so grateful to them.

I loved skating as a child, but I didn't get to do a ton of it. My parents didn't drop me off for teenage skate night once a week or anything like that. I skated on quad skates like everyone else during my occasional visits to the skating rink until I was about 13 and my parents got me rollerblades for Christmas. I skated a few times with my friends at the rink. It's hard to skate on the street around here, because it's too hilly.

In my adult life, I have skated three times.

1) One day when we were about 21, after marriage but before kids, Jordan and I thought it'd be fun to go skating on a Friday night. Friday is teenager night. Some of these kids get dropped off at the rink weekly. A lot of them are super fast. A kid jumped in front of Jordan and caused him to fall flat on his back. We left in a huff and didn't darken the door of the rink again.

2) Until this past Saturday, when we decided to take the kids. My mom, who also loves to skate but hadn't gone in forever, met us there. The kids liked it okay. Suzi preferred skating on the carpet, and we had fun eating pizza and hanging out with my mom. But as I took a few laps alone, on the rink of my childhood that still looks and smells exactly as it did in the 1980's, I felt at home. The feeling of rolling, gliding, is a sensory experience that speaks to me the way nothing else does. And as I glided around the rink, a little wobbly and unsure, I knew I needed to do this again. I remembered how just two days prior I'd told my roller derby friend, Anne R. Ki, that I could never do derby because I don't like anybody touching me during sports. But then I thought if I did roller derby I could skate all the time. Without being tripped up by teens or dodging small children! I could get my own skates, be part of a team, make new friends, and maybe later on I would have a good excuse to wear fishnet... Sold! I slammed into the grubby carpeted wall next to my family's table, smiled, and told them I thought I'd give roller derby a go.

My mom with Suzi and Ivey

3) I could hardly wait for my first practice, which was last night. The floor was painted concrete and felt different than the wood at my old rink, but I managed to mostly stay on my feet. I met some really cool people and watched the experienced skaters do some drills, timed laps, and skate in a pack. In my borrowed helmet, elbow pads, knee pads, and wrist guards, I stayed at one end of the rink and practiced falling forward. If you're going to fall, it's best to fall smoothly to your knees and slide so you can get back up faster. It was harder than it looked and I ended up falling on my butt or doing awkward splits several times instead. I also worked on stopping, turning, and just barely started trying to do the crossover (placing one foot in front of the other to skate the circle of the track and using both feet to propel myself and move faster). All of this needs a ton of work, of course, and it will be a long, long time before I am ready for an actual bout. I am taking it slow because I don't want to get injured before I've begun. I mainly want to get used to being on skates first. Buying my own skates will help, too. I'm very excited about ordering them soon!

Our next practice is Wednesday night, and there will hopefully be some other new girls there then. I look forward to getting faster and steadier so I can skate with the team!

~Jenny Two Shoes~

The first bout I ever attended

It must have been 100 degrees inside the Skate-a-Round last night, and the sticky wet air hung heavy around us as we prepared for the bout. My husband carried our 14-month-old on his back as we measured and taped off the track on which my teammates would compete. Volunteers, my husband included, learned how to help out with scoring as non-skating officials. The visiting team prepared in the party room, and both teams took a few laps around the track to warm up.

I was not competing, and I was glad. I am fresh meat, having just begun my derby training less than a month ago, and will not be competing in a bout for a while now. I still have a lot to learn and will have to pass assessments before that happens, but it was a memorable night for me nonetheless. I had never been to a derby bout before. I've done my first crossover. I have skates and pads and a mouth guard. I love skating and being with the team. I even have a derby name--Jenny Two Shoes. But last night, I still wondered... When the time came, would I have the courage to go into a bout?

My friends looked beautiful yet intimidating in their fishnets, short shorts, and dark eye makeup. They laced up skates and strapped on knee pads, and I got nervous. Envisioning myself in their shoes made me feel a little sick, and I had to keep reminding myself that we were not sending them into the Hunger Games. My friend who introduced me to roller derby, Anne R. Ki, was competing for the first time and I was excited and nervous for her. I had watched some bout footage online, but I still wasn't sure what to expect.

They introduced the refs and the players on each team, ran through a short demo, we all stood for the National Anthem, and then it began. Raven Maniac flew around the track in her sparkling twirl skirt, graceful and powerful, racking up points as jammer. I saw most of my team members take a turn jamming, including Anne R. Ki, who scored eight points and got to call off a jam early as lead jammer in her very first bout. The blockers worked together in the pack and did a great job of making a hole for the jammers. I realized what a great job our coaches had done preparing the team. By halftime we were leading by about 100 points.

It was also confusing and took me a while to learn how to follow the game--partly because my sweaty baby was squirming out of my arms as I tried to watch. It was hard to hear and understand why people were getting sent to the penalty box, which happened frequently. There were also a few falls and collisions that necessitated a pause in the game and attention from an EMT. It was a little scary, but scary turned into awesome when Anne R. Ki recovered from a fall that hurt her knee and went back out to skate a few jams later. The bout ended with the URGE having won by nearly 200 points. One girl on our team, Full Metal Arsonist, skated the victory lap holding an ice pack to the side of her face. Hardcore! Inspiring. I knew I wanted to be part of it. And then there was the after-party. And the after-after-party.

Over the next few months I'll post about my journey from brand-new skater to learning skills and passing assessments to eventually competing in my first bout. I'll share why I decided to join derby and the reasons I love it, along with how we make it work with three small children. I know there are people out there like me, longing to be on the inside of an adventure like derby, but perhaps a little scared to get started. Don't be afraid! You'll miss out on so much. Stay tuned for my next post as I share what made me decide to do something no one, including me, thought I'd ever do: Lace up some borrowed skates and hit the rink for my first derby practice.

In the meantime, come skate with us!


~Jenny Two Shoes~