Getting Closer!

My intent was to update this blog every other day or so to document my training journey to Wild West Showdown 2013. FAIL! Epic fail. Oh well.

The past weeks have been very challenging in my training. Not necessarily physically challenging, more so mentally. It's not a problem going to work out. It's not a problem putting on the running shoes. It's not a problem attending practice. It IS a problem finding the will power to not have a beer (or two or three or…you get the picture) when out with friends. It IS a problem convincing myself to not compare my body to others. It IS a problem to just. be. me.

I picked a real good time to change my life! Ha!

So here are the pros of my training so far:

1. I've been riding my bike an incredible amount. Pretty much everywhere I go. Why? Because we're selling the car. We're joining the ranks of bike commuters and public transit users. We're reducing our carbon foot print. We're going to save and INCREDIBLE amount of money in gas and repairs and insurance. I'm very excited. 
2. I've been running about 3 times a week on my old summer running trail. The weather has been incredible and 3.5 miles has been a challenge. Especially since there are hills. Not like super steep hills, but the kinds of hills that last forever. It feels good to breathe in the fresh air. 
3. I've been attending yoga classes (not regularly though) and ab tabatas at work. 
4. I've been eating fairly healthy, drinking plenty of water, and drinking carrot ginger juice about 3 times a week (I'm not sure why, I just like it). I've started eating carbs and grains again, and surprisingly enough haven't gained or lost weight but seem to be gaining a little more muscle tone. It's nice.

As far as the cons go: 

1. We're losing precious track time. Our venue keeps canceling our practices. It's making me crazy. There were only two practices last week that I could attend. I don't like this time off skates because it's effecting my endurance (even though I'm doing all the cross training).
2. I've been having major anxiety. I'm not sure what is triggering it, but it's there, and it sucks. It happens at random times. 
3. No matter what I do, I still can't NOT have a drink when I'm in a social setting. I really would like to quit drinking completely, but am not sure how to go about doing this. Every time I think about this I think "maybe I'm being too strict" and then I have an existential crisis with it. Why do I need alcohol and when did it become such a social lubricant for me? It's silly, really. I just want to be able to go out with people and hold a conversation without having a drink.

Oh, and I did reach my ultimate goal…I made all 3 rosters for Wild West. That's right. All 3. I'm very proud and excited to represent my team. Now if I can just pull my head game together.

Wild West Countdown

In 25 days my team, The SkATesAphreNics, will hit the track at the Wild West Showdown tournament in Washington. This will be my third Wild West Showdown tournament to skate in. The first year, I got the pleasure of skating against Pikes Peak (beating them 152-129). That was my third bout ever as an Emerald City All Star. The next year I was battling a knee injury, and only played one bout against Fort Collins (another win, 184-64). This was also one of the last bouts I played for a while due to learning that I had a torn patellafemoral ligament in my right knee. This year, I'm hoping to play ALL THREE BOUTS! I'm turning up the heat this month because I want nothing more than to play these bouts. It's important to me that I play every single bout this season. I need to prove to my team that derby IS my world, and that I AM a valuable asset. This year, we're slated to go up against Slaughterhouse from CO, Sac City from CA, and Jet City from WA. I've played against Sac and Jet, but not Slaughterhouse. I don't know what to expect from them, as I don't take bouts lightly.

To prepare, I've put together a little challenge for my team. Something to get us mentally and physically in the game. Starting on Feb 8, I've challenged my team to complete a task every day up until the tournament. I put out the guidelines for the team, and have already started to think about the first challenge.

The first challenge is to come up with 3 goals to accomplish at Wild West Showdown. I don't want these goals to be generic. I have some ideas for goals, and even have my first goal. "I want to get my jammer through" or "I want to block like a jammer and jam like a blocker" are not good goals (in my opinion). They're very generic and don't really address specific aspects of my personal game. These goals might be good for someone just starting out in derby, but I've been playing for 6 years! I'm still a youngun in this sport, but I've got enough experience under my belt to really start fine tuning my game.

So what's my first goal? Well, it has to do with aggression. I WILL hit with smart aggression. This encompasses so much in my game. It involves lower body placement, no hesitation, no whiffing. It involves using the angles of the track and staying out of "the bowels" (as coach says). It involves a strong core and strong quads. It involves relentless mental aggression. It involves wearing the other team out.

I've already started to work on this goal. I've been finding myself tapping into my aggression in a few jams. I need it to last an entire bout! I know I can accomplish this. I watch skaters on top level teams hit with such control and deliver bone shattering blows. Even a few of my own team mates finangle themselves in the oppositions tight wedges and start delivering one hit after another. Yesterday I watched my teammate Rocka Rolla do this exactly! It was so beautiful to watch. She's so relentless. Even my team mate Jalapeno blocks beautifully. She gets so low and sneaks up on people.

Hell just look at how low Sassy gets! One woman wall...

So here's to hard work and tapping in to that aggression! It's going to be a great training month!