Roller derby has steps like most things. There is raw meat, which was what my first day was. Raw meat is a free practice. They will show you derby stance, how to fall, and how to stop. That's pretty much it. Now that was on Wednesday...Sunday morning I was finally able to walk up and down stairs without too much pain. Here's the kicker, fresh meat started Sunday.
Fresh meat is where you start to pay. My league it's $35 per month. (That, of course, if after paying for all your gear and your $70 WFTDA insurance) . However, you're not just paying with money.
Fresh meat, from what I have seen so far, is faster pace with less mercy. Eighteen weeks of nothing, but learning everything one would ever need to know about playing roller derby. Sounds easy enough. The girls that I've watched before make it look easier enough...until I got up on skates.
My sister told me by the end of practice I was looking better and more confident. (such an ego boost!)
I felt pretty good this time...it wasn't a cry day. Of course, because it wasn't a cry day, I'm thinking Wednesday I will be flat out down with derby once again.
From 10-noon is practice. Grab some food. Relax for a moment. Then from 2-5 was open skate. I didn't fall during practice, but I fell during open skate. I found out what wheels really do and how they stick differently to different floors. My skate stopped and I fell. GOOD THING--I fell forward.
By the end of it all, my body was finally giving out and I was feeling weak (not to mention how smelly I was)
- Side note: You will smell A LOT playing derby. Your pads will smell, you feet and skates will smell, and you in general will smell. Places you didn't know could even sweat will sweat. You will become gross. Your everything will become gross. In general, plan on being beyond disgusting. It may not happen right away, but it will happen.
I was getting down on myself listening to some of the girls around the room. They were talking about how they didn't feel any or much pain after Wednesday. Now, you're told not to compare yourself to any skater, but let's face it...it's hard. After getting a bit down, some other girls starting talking about how sore they were! It sounds like a weird thing to be happy about, but it was pretty nice knowing I wasn't alone.
However, the first practice was much like what we did in raw meat...other than the whole five minute endurance thing. I was group B so I got to do the following: down on one knee--put the other knee down--get up again and do that 20 times, do 20 bicycles, five push-ups, all on skates, as much as you can get down in five minutes. After that it was time to skate. Skate as many laps (safely, seeing as being safe is a huge part of derby; no matter what people think) as possible in five minutes. I was proud of myself--I did a little over ten laps! Ten laps is not bad for someone who never wore quad-skates...not to mention my last time on roller blades was middle school!
There are all different body types that join derby. There's tiny to large people. I feel like I'm somewhere in the middle; however, I am extremely out of shape. It'll get better...that's what people keep telling me and that's what I keep telling myself.
It will hurt.
It'll be okay.
Don't compare yourself.
Focus on your own improvement.
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