Made it up the stairs

I had fully expected to not be able to walk up the stairs to my office today. Why, you ask? I had my first roller derby practice on Friday night. When I got home, I was quite achy, but it also felt great. That rush of endorphins was like nothing I had experienced with exercise in the past.

Saturday morning I woke up achy, mostly my lower back hurt. But a long soak in a warm, epsom salt bath took care of that. Sunday, some of the muscles I rarely used were a bit sore, but not too bad. I skated around my apartment while cleaning, expecting to barely be able to move today.

Let me just tell you one thing: epsom salt is magic.

I can move just fine today, considering I went from 0 to 60 overnight in terms of exercise and the type of exercise. The practice was so much fun. Okay, this deserves all caps, IT WAS SO MUCH FUN! I hadn't skated since early middle school. Practice started off a bit rough - we had to jog some laps in our pads, to build up cardio endurance and get used to wearing the knee, elbow and wrist pads. I'm, um, not very good at jogging. We then did some stretching and ab work before putting on our skates.

Wow was I wobbly. Super wobbly. The first couple of laps I was scared shitless, just staring straight at the ground thinking "don't fall, don't fall, don't fall, don't trip and fall." The coach came by and told me to look up, so I did. We were supposed to be practicing crossing over. Hah. Like I was going pick up my foot and cross it over the other one while moving! Are you nuts?? They told me to just keep skating and get comfortable being on them. I think I was the only one who hadn't been to a practice yet. They then taught me to look way down the track as I was going around the curves so my body would curve naturally. That helps.

Then came the stops. We were supposed to do a T-stop. Basically, the idea is that you put one foot behind the other to make a 'T' and use the outer wheels of the back skate to slow you to a stop. I couldn't get myself to throw my foot behind me. Wasn't quite comfortable enough on the skates yet. They had me try it next to a railing so I had it for support. That helped, I just need to keep practicing and get comfy on skates. We then learned how to stop using the toe stop, that one was much easier and less frightening on my first night.

Next was learning to drop onto a knee and slide. I'd already dropped to my knees a billion times for fun at home. Can't feel a thing with those pads on! But it was a bit different when you were on skates and moving. Suddenly I panicked, thinking of how my leg could go out wrong and tear all sorts of ligaments. But, after building up nerve for a couple of laps, I tried it. And the knee that was supposed to stay up, slid forward and extended. So glad I didn't rip anything! I'm such a klutz. But I tried it again and finally felt comfortable with that.

There were several advanced skaters there, the girls who actually bout (bouts are what they call derby games/matches). They were so supportive and helpful, skating with me to give me advice and support, telling me when I'd improved. Then, at the end of the night we had to skate 15 laps before we could leave. Obviously I was the slowest ;) But one of the girls skated right next to me the whole time, telling me I was doing good, being really supportive.

It was such a great time! I peeled off my butt pads (yeah, I bought butt pads) and damn was I sweaty. Can't wait to get in better shape! That reminds me...I need to go jogging.