These girls don't play

I attended my first derby practice today. (I just watched; you aren't allowed to actually skate until you've attended 2 practices and 2 open skates.) Their coach (and let me tell you, he's pretty hard core) had them do body conditioning/cardio for the first hour or so--things like pushups, situps, lunges across the entire length of the rink, etc. (That part alone is going to get me buff as hell.) THEN they put on their skates and basically did laps around and around the floor for the next hour, practicing speed and endurance. (On Wednesdays, they do more derby-specific exercises and drills.) Apparently, they had their "asses handed to them" (the coach's words) in their away game last weekend, so they're going to be stepping things up.

If I do this, it'll be a pretty major commitment. Practices will now be on Sunday, Wednesdays AND Fridays. Plus, I'll have to put in extra time at first to attend to such little matters as, oh, learning how to skate (which is where the Monday open skate nights come in). Luckily, I am coming up on summertime, so I'll have lots of time to devote to it, which is cool. And I'll NEED that time, since I have to pass a skating test before I can even participate in the bouts (now that I've watched them, it's entirely possible that I wouldn't even be able to bout this season--this first season may just be a time for me to focus on becoming a strong skater).

Still, if I can DO something like this--really do it--two things will happen:

1) I will get into SHAPE. And I don't mean just losing weight, although after talking to the other girls, that will be a natural byproduct of skating 3+ times a week. I've lost weight before, though. I mean, I'll become TIGHT--and strong. I'll be an athelete!! Whoot! But even more importantly...

2) My self-confidence is going to shoot through the roof, if I can walk in as I am now, stick with it and actually do this. I've never been particularly tough (physically, I mean), although karate definitely helped with that. Taking a punch to a stomach from a 5th degree black belt--even at 50%--can show you that you're stronger than you thought. Karate also helped with my self- esteem. Frankly, without karate, I don't think I would ever have even DREAMED of trying something like this. But even if I don't get to play this season--even if I'm on the sidelines, cheering them on, while I work on becoming a stronger skater and player--I can still show others, and MYSELF, that I can do this. Plus, "derby girl" will be another experience that I can add to my list of things I've tried.

And who knows? Between my raging PMS, my craziness and my natural, everyday bitchiness, I may have found my sport!