Humble Beginnings *Geez, we used Myspace back then! LOL*

I was cleaning up files on my computer and trying to put together a flash drive of stuff to pass on to next year's Training Committee when I came across this gem.  It is a collection of entries I posted on my Myspace page back when I got started in roller derby.  Makes me laugh!  Hoping the newer girls on the Quad City Rollers take a look at this to really understand that I really meant it every time I said some variation of the phrase, "we've all been where you are now."  

Wednesday, November 12, 2008 

Roller Derby Current mood: adventurous  Category: Sports Thought I'd start journaling my experience with this damn fine sport I've recently taken up.  Twice a week I will be practicing with the Quad City Rollers women's flat track roller derby team.  Let's see… Helmet?                                    Check. Mouth Guard?                          Check. Knee & Elbow Pads?             Check check. Wrist guards?                          Check. Skates?                                    Check. All geared up & ready to roll! First Roller Derby practice.  I learned basics in falling and stopping (Hey!  Good to know!), walking/ running on the toe stops, skater stance and did a push pull drill.  Using the term "learned" loosely though as I have quite a way to go to build up skills, strength, endurance, speed etc. enough so to actually participate in a bout.  It is even more fun than I imagined it would be.  Can't wait to do it again!

Friday, November 14, 2008 

Roller Derby Category: Sports Damn my thighs are sore!!!!

Saturday, November 15, 2008 

Roller Derby Current mood:  adventurous  Category: Sports Practice night again.  Did some more falling.  Trying to better my baseball slide.  It sucks at the moment cuz I'm too paranoid about landing square on my butt or worse, one of the skate wheels.  Spent a lot of this session working on my cross-over technique.  I always thought that was just putting one foot in front of the other as you take a curve but I was very wrong.  You actually have to cross completely over the other foot in a way that just doesn't seem natural.  However with guidance from a very well informed instructor (Slamazon) I managed to begin to pick it up. Scary thing is that I can feel this technique causing me to use muscles on my outer thigh…muscles that just woke up tonight!  This one's gonna hurt like hell later that's for sure.  However with continued practice I should have a great ass in no time!   Seriously though this is such a blast. It is hard work but I leave practice feeling a great sense of accomplishment.  This old dog can learn new tricks after all.   But enough about me.  The really amazing thing about this is the team.  These are some tough women who are dedicated to the sport and bring lots of fun and humor to the table.  Hell anything where you get to call each other by names like Sugar & Slice, Banshee, Slamazon, Pink Taco, Levit 2 Beaver, Fannie Fracture,  Busty Assphault (I could go on but you get the picture) is all right in my book.  Not only that but they are encouraging, helpful and quite welcoming of newbies like me and for that I'm extremely grateful.

Sunday, November 16, 2008 

Roller Derby Current mood:  mellow  Category: Sports Now it's my bum-cheek muscles!  Always the 2nd day after is the worst.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 

Roller Derby Current mood:  tired  Category: Sports Tonight at practice we did time trials.  (How fast you can do five laps.  For WFTDA it needs to be 1 minute or less.)  My first time was 1 minute 14 seconds (that's including a fall and the fact that I thought I was done after the 4th lap and let up a bit).  The second time was better controlled, no falls and no letting up and I shaved off 2 seconds.  Just 12 seconds to go.   Pink Taco had some of her best times tonight at 45 seconds on one and  44.something on the other.  Go Taco!  That was so impressive.  :0)  [I love the smileys so get used to it!] Next came the hitting.  Now I wouldn't have bothered showing up if I didn't think I could handle this part.  Previous practices we'd do a little drill where the hitting was more like a nice gentle bump.  This was full on.  I dropped like a brick the first time I got clobbered.  If that doesn't teach me to keep my center of gravity low I don't know what will.  Let's just say I did a lot of falling tonight.  At least both sides of my ass got it so any swelling should be even!  Honestly I'm glad that they dealt it hard to give me a real sense of what it's like.  Now if I can just fall correctly on my pads rather than my hips it'll be all good.   The girls as always were very supportive.  I may be a little bruised but I know it's still early and I have a way to go.  My intention is to keep working hard and improving as much as I can and learning this.  No pain, no gain.

Saturday, November 22, 2008 

Roller Derby Current mood:  determined  Category: Sports Timing is everything. I'm learning how to land a hit but it just isn't as simple as I'd like to think.  I lost count of how many times I threw a shoulder or hip to completely miss.  Just laughing it off but it personally it is a tad frustrating.  Also I gotta keep the focus on the positive.  Coach and others have commented to me that I'm coming along pretty quick and that is always good to hear.   Banshee worked with me on booty blocking and hitting.  After that Coach had her & I go round the track just the 2 of us.  He wanted Banshee to lay into me real good to see how I handled a nasty hit & fall.  After last practice, I can say that the message of keeping low is sinking in and it paid off really well during this exercise.  Took some hits where for a change I actually stayed up.  I did go down hard enough to knock some literal snot out my nose (I'm a bit sinussy lately) but at least fell on my pads like I was supposed to and got up quick...and sought out a tissue!  Poor Banshee got a little crap too for having to clobber the newbie.  It's so funny, one minute your chitty chatting getting to know someone and the next minute your out to land each other on their rear. Gotta love this!

Saturday, November 22, 2008 

Busy Derby Day Current mood:  tired QC Rollers were in the Festival of Trees parade today.  That was cool.  Got new hoodies with the logo on them.  My daughter walked with us.  Eware and our son watched from the crowd.  I love that my little guy was so excited waving & hollering at me as I rolled by.  Makes a mommy's heart melt!  We passed out lots of flyers hoping to spark more interest and round up more girls to join up & build this great team.  Got some good photos from the event but will upload them later. In the evening while Eware practiced with his band, the kids & I rode out to Cedar Rapids to see them play the Big Mouth Mickies.  Lambs, meet the slaughter.  The Mickies just recently got a big enough team not to have to borrow players from others and this was their first bout as such.  Poor girls got creamed in ugly fashion 250+ to 24.  The digital scoreboard for Cedar Rapids actually had to reset to 0 after 199 points because it didn't go up that high.  That's gotta hurt.  I know I'd be pretty bummed if that were QC.  The announcer at the bout mentioned that some of the girls playing for Cedar Rapids were from the Mid Iowa Rollers in Des Moines.  I wonder why that is since I thought that Cedar Rapids had enough players at this point.  Odd. But what do I know, I'm still FNG!

Monday, December 08, 2008 

QC Rollers Demo at Skate City Current mood:Jazzed  Category: Sports Had the demo tonight at Skate City.  Mild public turnout but I sure am glad to see anyone new to help us achieve our team goals. It was a good time. LOVE skating on that nice smooth floor!  Prior to starting the evening coach Creepy asked me to give a new time trial.  A couple weeks back when I first did them I clocked in at 1:14 (included a wipe out) and at 1:12 (gave in after the 4th lap thinking I'd already done 5). Tonight on that wonderful floor I dropped to 1:04….HELLL YAAHHH!!!!  I can't believe how happy a freekin' number just made me.  Maybe the floor had a lot to do with it but damn it I'm gonna take some credit too for personal improvement. We did a few jams to show everyone what this whole thing actually looks like.  I hold no illusions; I've got lots to learn in this area but am feeling more comfortable with it than previously.  It's hard work just staying in the pack, but then trying to keep in bounds and not stick out your elbows, know where the jammers are and when they are coming to try and land a hit on them without penalty. Funny thing happened on the way home.  After crossing the bridge, I was trying to figure out what to grab to eat.  Decided to stop at HyVee, eat some Chinese food and then grocery shop.  As I walked in, I noticed on their security camera that I still had all my derby clothes on.  It was kind of funny…not my usual shopping attire!  Didn't take long before I saw others in their sweats or jammy pants so I figured fuck it…I'm better dressed than them anyway!    Think I've finally settled on GoGo Berserk for my derby name.  I REALLY liked Effie Bomb but it's already taken.  Thanks to all who gave suggestions & input on this.

Monday, December 15, 2008 

Death by time trials Current mood:  accomplished  Category: Sports Holy roller skates, Batman!  I'm getting faster.   Friday at practice we did "death by time trials".  Sarted with a 5 lap trial, followed by a 7 lap, 10 lap, 15 lap and finally a 20 lap...and 20 push ups as icing on the cake.  My endurance really sucks too but I made it through.  Reaching the end of a practice like that feels like such a huge accomplishment.  It is awesome. Crazy thing is the 5 lap trial.  I could have swore I was draggin' ass on it just having been worn out in general from the work week, all the running around I did, and my nasty habit of staying up too late too often.  I bettered my time even from Skate City.  I got 5 laps down to 1:01!!!! I still suck at hitting & need to improve lots in this area.  Maybe the girls should piss me off somehow to make me really want to hit them!  Perhaps if they hop in a semi and follow me too close down a slippery highway at night.   Received some encouraging remarks about my falls though.  Getting better about using the pads to my advantage when I get knocked down.  There's my consolation...if I can't hit I will be hit and at least I'll know how to fall well!   With as much as I have yet to learn and improve on in the world of roller derby, I'm loving every minute of this and am extremely proud of what I've accomplished since November 11.   Finally hooked up, Go Go Berserk 40 as my derby name & number.

Monday, January 12, 2009 

Yea, I'm talkin' derby again... Current mood:  mellow  Category: Sports I had the jammer panty on my head at practice last night.  For those not in the know, a panty in derby is not what you think it is.  It’s the nylon cover that is worn over your helmet designating you as the jammer (star) or pivot (stripe).  What a strange feeling to put the target on your head like that! It was an awesome practice though.  We had a larger than usual turn out and it was so cool to have a big group together.  Lots of endurance building and a bit of jammer girl stuff. Practiced hitting a little too.   This is frustrating me.  They tell me to step into my hits and as bad as I want to do that, my feet seem to refuse at times causing me to deliver more of a nudge than a hit.  It’s driving me crazy.  The shoulder hit is getting much better…just the hip and full body checks that screw me all up.  I’d hate to be a one trick pony. All in all I’m pretty proud of what I’ve learned.  Seems like a lot but I know full well there’s lots more.  It has been since about…oh 1990, since I last had routine exercise anywhere near this level of intensity.  That I’m doing this at all is truly gratifying

Saturday, January 24, 2009 

Red, White & Bruise - ROCKED!!!! Current mood:  ecstatic  Category: Sports Great job to the Quad City Rollers for one hell of a production last night!!!!!!  I’m so proud to be on this team I can hardly put it into words.  We pulled off an awesome bout.  If you missed it I’m quite sorry for ya!  Many props to all the skaters from The Rage, Stateline Derby Divas and Cedar Rapids Roller Girls that came all that way to help make it a success. I may have only tended the penalty box for this bout but it all makes me so anxious now for February in ....Sioux City.....  I’m gonna do my best to lay the smack down out there!

Monday, February 09, 2009 

Finally broke 1 minute!!!  Current mood:  stoked  Category: Sports Did another death by time trials night at practice.  I'm extatic to announce that I finally killed that elusive second. (I was last stuck at 1:01)  Best time last night was 52 seconds on 5 laps.  I'm not the fastest by a long shot but just knowing I can move my 35 year old bag of bones around that fast is a really big deal to me.  Especially considering my 1st time trial to be 1:14.  The time is flying. So my first derby is coming up on February 21st in Sioux City.  I'm so excited already for that day to come.  It should be such a riot!!!

Wednesday, February 11, 2009 

As if I needed another reason to love derby Current mood:  amused I'm not normally a big observer of my weight but about 2 weeks ago I stepped on the scale and discovered I had lost around 5 pounds after this few months of derby practice.  Now that I'm aware the pounds are shedding, I'm stepping on the scale a bit more out of sheer curiousity.  Last night it was at 129 bringing the total weight loss to date to 9 pounds.  I haven't seen the 120's since before my last pregnancy!