During the recruitment night, we were told "You get out of this what you put into it."
These are very important words. If I want to improve I have to keep practicing, keep trying, make changes to the rest of my life to assist me in becoming better at this.
So far that has meant that I have adjusted my work schedule to allow me to still get a functioning amount of sleep on two of the three nights of derby practices, I've begun to eat healthier and am trying to go to the gym more.
I'll be honest here, I know I'm overweight, I always have been, but I thought I was in relatively OK shape considering. One thing derby has taught me is that I was dead wrong on that front.
My abs and thighs and calves get so sore after each practice, but I know I need to do more to help strengthen them.
On Thursday night, we were practicing walking sideways in our skates. We walked across the width of the rink and back side stepping, and the next drill was side stepping but crossing your leg in front of your other leg one one step, and then crossing it behind the leg on the next step. Now for me, walking in skates is pretty awkward. I was the slowest of the group, but I kept going. I tried to keep my head up, looking at a point on the wall across the rink, although I admit I did occasionally drop my eyes to the floor. I kept my knees bent,(for balance) and didn't worry about being fast, I just worried about getting it done.
By the time I began my crossover steps, the other girls were on their way to being finished with theirs, but I kept going. My calf muscles were shaking. As I started to make my way back, I felt tears come to my eyes. I was frustrated that I was having so much difficulty with a seemingly easy task, but I took a deep breath and I made myself finish.
I could've given up, skated over to the group, and continued on to the next drill, but what would I have learned from that? I'm sure there are going to be much tougher things ahead of me on this journey, and if I give up on a drill how does that prepare me for the real tough sports situations??
It doesn't! And that's why I will never give up, even when I am crying and my legs are shaking and I don't feel like it, I will keep going.
Love your blog girl! I’ve been there too – crying on the track, legs shaking, feeling like I am NEVER going to be able to play roller derby. It took me 6 months to make it to the big track and almost a year to bout. I’ve lost 30 pounds since I joined derby: it becomes a healthy cycle as weight loss helps you skate faster, and skating fast helps you lose more weight. A lot of the other girls could tell you similar stories of success and struggles. The pain of training builds mental toughness as much as it builds strength. We’re happy to have fighters like you on the team!
ReplyDeletePS – if your husband is my brother, does that make you my sister-in-law? :P
~Sally
Aww thanks Sally.
ReplyDeleteI know it might take me longer than some of the others, but I am definitely not going to give up. And, I am definitely getting mentally tougher, even though I thought I was already pretty tough mentally.
and to your PS- you can be my sister in law or brother in law. lol.