My Alter Alter Ego...

...Meet Black Metal Facebreaker, #0510.

She runs hills 3 times a week, cross trains 2 times a week, and skates her roller derby tail off. She's a fierce beast on the track. Her nature is quiet and mysterious and her ice cold stare is as dark as the polar Norwegian night (which...okay, really isn't very dark...but it's cold!)


Basically, she's working hard to be a bad ass. This is the season of the Black Metal Facebreaker!

This is my alter ego's alter ego. My alter alter ego.

I've been working pretty hard. I'm starting to see some results. I'm learning things about myself that I don't think I fully realized before. When I train like this, and have a clear goal in mind, I feel strong and healthy. I feel like I'm beaming. I have more energy.

My diet? Well, basically the alcohol is VERY limited. Like, almost none. This week was a little difficult, as I shared a Cowhorn Syrah from Applegate Valley with Cory, and then we had a team event at work (at which I wasn't going to drink, but then the social aspect kicked in). Other than that, I don't really think about drinking much. Instead I find myself getting excited about a Saturday night run and workout. What  a beefcake...

I would like to get a grasp on will power. How others can just do something or NOT do something is beyond me. Two weeks straight of doing something (or NOT doing something) is about my max. However, this go around I've done quite well. I'm 3 weeks in to my training schedule and haven't skipped a beat. It's nice too because I'm starting to see physical improvements. Cory even said something the other day and today. Said my stomach was getting flatter and my shoulders are more defined. How exciting! I can't wait to see results on the track and even further, in my mental game.

Speaking of, All Star try outs are coming up in a week or so. I'm nervous! I think I need to start spending a bit more time on my skates. I'm going out for the All Star team again. I realize this is where I thrive. This is where I learn the most. Playing against people I don't see every day is one of the most rewarding things about derby. I love the aw struck feeling of lining up against one of your heroes and succeeding against them! It's the best! Or when they challenge you and you get frustrated but keep pushing and then after they compliment you on it? Oh man! I can't wait. I'm going up against some tough competition in the try out, but I believe in myself and my strength. I think my alter alter ego is really going to help. She's fearless and let's NOTHING get in her head:)

Camping happens.

A film of dust dirt and grime covered my body. My hair, oily, wirey and curling in ways I didn't know were possible. There are bruises in places there shouldn't be, blisters the color of coffee beans on my feet. Muscles so sore they felt like they're going to fall off my bones. Rocks and sticks dug into my back as I laid under the stars thinking, "I just got my ass kicked by an 11 year old…in Yahtzee."

The trip started Saturday morning. We loaded up the cars, leashed up the dogs in the back seat, and drove out east! Our destination? French Peat Campground in the Willamette National Forest. We drove for 2 hours…only to realize I had led us too far east for 40 miles. We turned around and finally found our turnoff. Once we got to the campground, we scoped out a spot far away from all car and foot traffic. Nestled in a circle of old trees with a man made fire pit with the rock scattered river shore just steps away. We set up our tents, built a fire and roughed it for three days and two nights. 

Pure zen. While the boys went to the hot spring, I stayed behind to watch our things and ended up building an amazing fire by the river. I spread out a blanket for the dogs. They snoozed as I sat staring into the flames and soaking up the alone time. I spent a lot of time in solitude on this trip. Sunday, I took a hike with Roc C on the Three Sisters Wilderness Trail. Just me, Rox, and nature. We found an amazing spot full of tiny water falls and babbling river. She dove right in…and quickly swam back to shore! I got in too…but not all the way. It was FREEZING.

I also floated on the River Rat tube next to where we set up camp. Anchored the rope to some rocks in the middle os the river and let the current move me around. My spine and back were numb from the cold water, but it felt amazing to be floating. 

Then Cory and Todd started cooking an amazing steak and veggie dinner, and that's when it happened. Elijah (Todds son) schooled me in Yahtzee! I couldn't believe it. I mean, here I am, 28 years old and can't even remember the RULES to Yahtzee, and he schools me. Not only did he have to explain the whole game to me (because I hadn't played it in so long) but he also racks up these points. He was pretty strategic with some of the hands he rolled. Leaving the bad ones and holding out for the high ones. 

Right after the steak and veggie dinner, we all loaded up in the car and headed down to the hot spring.  Probably not the smartest idea but it felt good. When we got back to the camp site, we made smores (next level style…with pop tarts!) and I crashed on a towel by the fire. Cory woke me up and sent me to the tent. I layed in the tent, in complete darkness. I've never experienced a pitch black darkness. I layed there with my eyes open for quite some time. 

I thought about a lot on the trip, have a lot of ideas for the 29 before 30 (including a trip to Hawaii). I'm pretty zoned out and tired still…maybe not the best time to write a blog entry. Until next time...

Long time no post!

Sitting here watching Dawn Harper crush the women's 100m hurdles. Distracted by athletics once again.

It's been a while since I last posted! I've been thinking about blogging these past couple of days. Not sure why or where or how reliable I'll be with the blog, not because I don't want to blog, but simply because of the lack of time and the lack of ideas for topics.

What have I been up to that has taken up so much of my time? Well, it should be no surprise. Roller Derby! I began coaching a full contact junior team, I pulled myself from the ECRG All Star roster, I got a new job, and I've begun exploring new hobbies. 

The name of my junior team is the "Executies". I coach along side Mamaskatrixx, who is one of THE MOST incredible women I have ever met. I'm very inspired by junior derby. It's so much more exciting than watching adult derby. They skate harder and with more passion. Their game is a lot faster and their nimble and flexible enough to pull off moves one can only dream of pulling off. This team has quickly turned into my favorite part of my derby career. To be able to pass along my knowledge of the game while learning new techniques from younger skaters is the most amazing and gratifying feelings.

As far as removing myself from the All Star roster, well that was due to a few things. I've been dealing with knee issues for quite some time, and this season has been the worst. I tore my medial patellofemoral ligament in my right knee (now now this is nothing new!) and it's given me more grief than ever this season. I felt it was only fair to the others that I drop from the roster and focus on healing. However, I didn't focus for long enough. I returned back to derby after two months of being off skates and jumped straight into full contact again. During our last bout of the season, my knee cap slid out of place and pulled right back in, but my knee swelled to epic proportions and I couldn't walk for days. Needless to say, I'm refocusing on the healing. I'm returning to skating without contact next week. I also experienced a bit of burnout, which I assume doesn't help the injury.

I also started working for Symantec! I left the doughnut business and took a job as a Sales Development Executive (fancy, huh!) I now have killer health insurance and a M-F schedule. It feels nice to not come home covered in flour and sprinkles every day, but I do miss the heavy lifting. Symantec is a great company to work for! Plenty of room for growth, wonderful co workers, and free gym membership and fitness classes! I now take Yoga, 3 times a week! 

Last but not least, I've been exploring new hobbies. I've learned that I'm quite the little nature bug! I've been camping, hiking, and exploring river paths close to my home. My team mate, Medusa, is going to take me backpacking (for my first time) in September! I can't wait. I've been looking at backpacking equipment and reading articles on backpacking adventures. I love the feeling of reconnecting with nature and bringing out the survivalist in me! 

It's basically been a nice ride, these past months. I'm growing and changing, but my love for the sport of derby keeps getting stronger and deeper. I'm coming up on 6 years of playing! This season I'm really focusing on my mental game and my teams (I forgot to mention, I am putting a lot of time and energy into our B team right now! I love it!) I've begun my pre season training and have been slowly changing my diet in an effort to maximize my performance. So far, so good. 

I hope to post more during this pre season. I'm just not quite sure what to post about. I have tons of ideas floating around in my head, including:

tracking my training/diet

goal setting

hiking/camping adventures

and a special project I'm working on, 29 before 30 (just you wait! It's not what you think!)

Maybe I'll even link my instagram and give you all some better photos of what's going on in my little world. 

Until next time (whenever that may be), I leave you with this:

"If you go as far as you can see, you will then see enough to go even farther." - John Wooden