back in training...

Man, I really miss playing roller derby.

I miss throwing fundraisers with friends.

I miss hilarious Rat's photoshoots.

How fun it is to dress up. The getup here is for N.E.R.D.(New England Roller Derby)

Most of all I miss the adrenaline rush of playing, even when getting creamed. Competitive sport matched with costuming, right up my alley!

I decided in an effort to change up my fitness routine, that I would break my skates back out and start training. I stopped playing derby years ago due to time constraints, stress, and trying to juggle grad school, work, and being League Coordinator. Clearly I realized I could not do all of that at once. Now that I am in NYC and not in grad school anymore, I am wondering if I can fit derby back into my schedule. Regardless of the logistics of it all, I am not back in derby-shape regardless...so I decided to start training!

After you play derby for years, as I did...you become so accustomed to falling and popping back up, that pads are a necessity anytime you put your skates on. True story, I was in Arizona for a tournament and went rollerskating to the bar, hit some speed wobbles and without thinking about whether I had pads on or not, did a derby fall. I have the scar on my palm to prove it, and spent a lot of pre-bar time picking rocks out of my knees. Yuck! So now anytime I strap on my skates, safety first, pads go on too!

I decided the second time back on skates that I would take Malomar for a skate around the park, in place of his walk. This worked out swimmingly well until the little dude gave up on me and I had to hold him for a mile and a half like a baby.

Of course, holding Malomar like this while skating was a highly effective workout, but since this incident I decided to skate safely without him.

My first real training session I skated about a mile for warmup and then I clocked 3.35 miles in 20 minutes skating at a moderate pace. I was on sort of smooth, but partly gravelly asphalt, and there were some inclines involved.

I loved the way I felt after skating, and I am hoping for more agreeable weather so I can keep this up and get faster and stronger!