The FMDG Award Masquerade Ball was held last night & it was so fun!  I love getting dressed up occasionally & I especially love it when my husband agrees to play designated driver so I can get tipsy!

It was amazing to come together & celebrate with these great people who have affected my life so positively this year.  It is amazing to see how teamwork comes together – whether it’s at practice, putting on a bout, actually playing the game or planning an event like the one last night. I can’t help but think about what all went into this event:  the girls pitched in to make the centerpieces, the food, the pimp chalices(!) & the music list among other things.  Anya Dixon (the bad-ass president) & Coach had a great photo montage made up for each of us of photos from the past year.  It’s really great – I need to find a frame to fit it so I can hang it.  Then next year’s will go in on top of it – kind of like what Mom did with your school photos.

It was major fun to see everyone else dressed up in their dresses & suits & masks.  It was a total success!  I can’t wait for the pictures to come out on Facebook but in the meantime here are a couple my husband & I took before we left for the event.

I got new outdoor wheels for my old skates & am loving them!

I will be keeping track of all skating & other workouts on my profile at mapmyfitness.com.  Hop on & join me!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!  I hope everyone is having a fun time with their families & eating delicious dinners & goodies!

Here’s the weekly update:

Monday – wore the boot to work  and then attended practice wearing it & iced my foot for a bit.  Also got to do some score keeping.

Tues, Wed – also wore the boot all day – foot is starting to feel better.

Thurs – Thanksgiving day – went up to the canal on my skates.  It’s not far but I wanted to see how my foot would feel.  Also, re-tried my heavy orthodics in my skates.  When I used to try to skate with them my feet would cramp up & I decided it was because they wouldn’t allow my foot to flex.  Now I’m thinking that it might have been just typical beginner skater foot cramps.  I’ll have to try them during a longer skate & in my other pair as well.

Last week I skated on my road on Sun, Mon & Tues 1 mile each time.

Skated at the rink on Wed & stayed for practice.  I think we ran 2 laps to start with & then 25 sit-ups & 25 push-ups.  The goal was for everyone to finish in under 6 minutes.  I (as usual) was lagging behind but with the coach’s encouragement I made it in 5 min 55 seconds!  After that I seem to recall some punishing exercises – hopping, squats, push-ups, sit-ups, skating form drills for all of us Minnows.  Overall a good workout.

Saturday was the 3rd Minnow class. They split us up into Level 1 and Level 2 towards the end of class.  I am in Level 1.  I have some things to work on.  Thank goodness that all our teachers are extremely patient.

After that I spent a bunch of time on my feet, shopping, for Christmas gifts and a dress for the upcoming Derby Awards Ball.  Totally found THE dress as well as wrapped up (pun!) my seasonal shopping.

As of Saturday night my foot was killing me so I determined I needed to stay off it & wear my boot.  I am hoping that by Thursday I will be able to skate so I’ll have some in before next Saturday.

A lot has happened lately & I am going to try to write daily from now on -  IF there is anything to talk about.

November 1st was the Assessment for anyone signing up for the team.  I was nervous even though I knew they had to let me in LOL.  After I signed all my forms & paid the dues I was official!

Last Saturday was the first Minnow class for the 11 new girls on the team.  It was really really hard & I’m still surprised that at no time did my legs simply give out.  But I loved it!  The Coach & teachers (derby girls Anya Dixon, Bellicose Blondie & Little Debbie Smackcakes & speed skater Brad Wallace) are amazing & so encouraging.  I look forward to the next one.

I finally came up with a new schedule for workouts.  I will be taking a couple workout classes during the week & I’ll be missing Sunday & Wednesday practices to accommodate that (for now). I know that with the classes & continuing to skate I can only improve!

Last night was the first team practice I attended as an official Minnow!  We did some stretching & then did 5 rounds of: 15 sit-ups/crunches, 10 pushups, 8 squats, 5 burpees for time.  I was last at 13:33.  Then we watched the scrimmage & tried to come up with questions about it.  A nice first night.

So, what has happened since last update?

I remember trying to come up with a workout schedule & it just didn’t work out.  I’m really being lazy under the guise of still figuring out how to fit it all in.

Monday: At practice they scrimmaged.  If I’m remembering correctly I got to be the Jam Timer.  (I am getting better at my whistling skills finally!)

Wednesday: Got a couple compliments on how much better I’ve gotten (squeee!!) and practiced changing direction.  I felt pretty good about it.

Saturday: Even more changing direction practice.  It didn’t come as easy on Saturday morning.  Also, bought myself my very own whistle on the way home.

Last Sunday was an invitational scrimmage & I got to keep score.  It was pretty cool.  Quite different from the normal practice with just our team (obviously).

Monday night: 1 lap then 10 burpees, 10 calf raises, 10 air squats, repeat.  I made 3 rounds.  Everyone else made 5 to 7 but that’s OK, I’ll get there.

Tonight: staying late at work & then going to skate, then practice.

There wasn’t a lot of skating in my week this time.  It’s been a rough week.

Sunday was the Pride Festival (see previous post).

Monday: 30 minutes on the elliptical at lunch time, workout at practice: ran 2 laps around the rink, 25 pushups, 50 squats, 100 bicycles.

Wednesday: skipped practice – just way too tired.

Saturday morning: skating class.  Spent more time practicing switching directions.  I’m pretty sure I’m getting better at it.

Today: skipping practice, figuring out a workout schedule so I get one in almost every day between now & November 1st (Skating Assessment Day!)

I’m feeling really down this week & I’m sure that only working out a couple times this week is a major contributing factor.  Also, I ate like crap this weekend.  (Actually I eat badly every weekend.  It’s one of my many terrible habits that I intend to break.) And my feet hurt – tendinitis is acting up in my right foot & something else is happening to my left foot so there have have been a lot of epsom salt baths & RICEing.  I’ve even pulled out my boot & started wearing it around the house again, it’s that bad.

The foot issues make me wonder if I really can do this.  But I see no other option.  I HAVE to.

The coach gave me a workout last Sunday & my muscles only really recovered on Wednesday despite major stretching after & a 30 minutes Monday on the elliptical at lunch time.  I have GOT to get better at recovery!

The workout was: 200 step-ups onto a normal chair, 100 sit-ups, 50 push-ups & 5 minutes per leg of a single leg squatty balance-y thing.  When he gave me the instructions I thought, “No fuckin’ way” but I’m proud to say I finished.

Signed back up for the gym.  Discovered Epsom salt baths.  New foot pain in my left foot led to the discovery of ice bath (for my feet).

Saturday morning at class I was working on something when I fell & overstretched something in my hip/groin area.  I iced it when I got home & I think it’s better now.  At first it didn’t want to support my weight & that step up off the rink was excruciating.

So to sum up I basically whined or wanted to whine all week LOL