My Family

My Derby family never ceases to amaze me! Just when I think I am the worst skater, the girl that will never "belong" to the team they open my eyes. Time trials SUCK ok I have crappy stamina and a serious problem with believing in myself. But we do them usually every other week so I was preparing for them all day ( i.e making myself more nervous but the minute)! My lovely derby wife made sure I got to practice by trapping me in her car though I surely would have chickened had she not.

To ensure her place in best Derby Wife Ever history she paced me too, after doing her own trials, along with one of my other derby crushes!

We stand in our line and go in groups, and I do my damndest to cheer my teammates on! I love them all! Yet somehow when my turn was up I was honeslty suprised at them screaming...FOR ME!?!

Now I have NEVER been able to make my trials, I feel highly incompetent and slow as a snail in that situation. But I was able to add over a lap to my best time.

To me this was just another defeat but my family proved me wrong! As I rolled off the floor collapsing from exhaustion I found myself in tears, but before they could start to fall my family was surrounding me. Hugging me, slapping my helmet, kissing me (you KNOW who you are and I think we may be engaged now!) Saying things like "I am so proud of you", "You looked so great out there" and a million other supportive things!

Did I make it..NO but only on paper! Last night I "made" an even bigger discover, I have a family! A family of hard core ,kick ass sisters that will lift you up without a second thought! And I am more than proud to be one of those sisters and can only hope that one day I can be as supportive to a new sister as she starts this journey of self discovery and true woman-hood!

Derby's Concentric Circle

I don't know if its just DDG but there is definitely a Concentric Circle in our league! Just today I learned that one of my derby sisters is my boss's neighbor. I already skate with a friend I had lost contact with for awhile and a friend who brought me in.
There's no end to the friend of a friend, and just while sitting around at lunch last week three of us figured out our grandfathers worked together on the Moon Shot.
I have a theory that most lives run in a circle until you figure out where you are suppose to be in life. Derby is no exception.
Not only do we share a common bond with the sport we play but we almost all have a common bond OUTSIDE of derby! For example one of my other derby sisters reads the same obscure fantasy novel series.
It just never ends.
Bottom line...if you ever find yourself wondering if derby is for you, look to your concentric circles. If there they're you've got your answer. If they aren't look harder!

Life and Derby Collide

Ok so this week has been Crazy!!!! It's Holy Week at Church which has taken me away from Derby for two practices but it's ust has to be that way! In light of knowing I couldn't be there I got with my running coach and we started skating outside. This week I logged 18 miles outside on skates! I'm getting much faster and less afraid.

I am so involved in Derby and Church and Work and Home I was starting to feel overwhelmed but I've been able to sit back and just take a breath. I am only one kitty and I can only do what I can do.

Tonight I'm missing time trials which is my last stumbling block to scrimmagable...will I ever get there : ) Ehhhh when the time is right I will! Until them I just gotta keep livin' dead and rollin' hard!

HUGE Breakthrough

Ok so its like this...every once in awhile the Kitty has a breakdown. Not sure why, not even really sure what brings it on. But every once in while I get so frustrated during a pratice I literally feel like crying. It happened tonight.
I just couldn't catch the girl at the front of the blocking line and it just broke me down. And you know what...its totally ok!
I cried...so what...a little frustration tears can go along way! Kind words from team mates go every further! My derby wife successfully talked me down and I took a moment then got right on to the next drill.
Now a month ago I may have given up, taken my skates off and gone home just sure I was never gonna make it. Not tonight! Tonight I took my moment, brushed myself off and got right back too it!
This is what will make me a force to be reckoned with when my skates finally catch up to my heart! I love this sport, I love this league, it's a piece of my heart now!

There's no place like home!

Got home from Europe late last night. Vacation was great but it seems like as soon as I got home I started thuinking about derby again. I am so addicted it hurts!

Met up with some of my girls today and skated, between the sea legs and the jet lag I totally blew HOWEVER...I still went and I did my laps I even managed to slip in a Cha Cha Slide and a race! I didn't win but I didn't give up either!

It totally Ok to have a bad week!...Right?

OK so I was just OFF this week! My speed is getting better but my mind was just not there. It must be the impending vacation. But that's ok! I know I love derby and this just wasn't my week. But I didn't give up I just kept going and that's what counts!
Keep Going Roller Babies!!!!

Addiction to Derby

Ok so you know you're addicited to Derby when:
You actually call the cruise line to see if you can bring you're skates with you. Stupid NCL, the answer was no. COurse the hubby, while sweetly saying he'd lug them all over Europe even tho he didn't want to, was slightly relieved.