July Tryouts have been Postponed!

So after a shit-tastic 4th of July weekend. Literally!  I caught a stomach virus and was sick all weekend and the explosions I saw were not the ones I was hoping for!   Still not feeling 100% this morning. 
  
Last night I found out that tryouts for July have been postponed and I have a feeling will be cancelled for this summer.  So I will have to wait for January!  I am SO NOT a happy camper!  Not that I am surprised, I have had a feeling this was going to happen for a few weeks now.  I know, I was originally shooting for January when I started this journey but I have been working so hard to be ready for July that this majorly sucks. 

Now I have to admit the last several weeks my determination has been slowly dwindling... not just with derby but with working out and everything.  It has been harder to get my ass out the door to walk with Penny or to go to class.  I know the walks with Penny are partially to do with the heat, but more so I am just too tired to. 

I know the biggest part has a great deal to do with my sleeping, or lack there of.   I am really starting to feel the affects now.  I am feeling more depressed and no motivation to do anything other then lay around the house and watch tv!   Getting the internet hooked up at my house is already proving to be a BIG MISTAKE!   Granted this weekend I was sick and that is all I could do so I can't say it was that. 

I am just feeling really depressed right now and I hate the feeling after feeling SO GOOD for so long. I need to get my self picked back up!  I hope this appt with a sleep Dr on Thursday is a step in that direction.

Roller Derby & Sewing... the unlikely of pairs

For those following I am going to change up my Blog a little.  A friend of me has suggested I also create a blog for the sewing I have been getting into know that I have my grandmothers machines up and running.  SO Instead of having 2 blogs because keeping up with the one is hard enough I am going to tweak this one a little and use this for my Sewing and Derby!

Last week in June

Well good morning! So we are fast approaching the end of June!  And we are half way through the year!!!!    WHERE DID THE TIME GO!

Not much to tell over the last week.  Have been working on my working out.  Haven't been running but I have been getting up each morning and walking and walking in the evening so I will take that!  All my classes and my PT.

PT is going great.  We are starting to concentrate on my balance and my stability for Derby.  Squats, squats and more squats!

Yesterday I got on my skates and skated outside for the first time in weeks.  I can really tell the difference in my stance.  I am feeling like I am sitting in my heels more then on my toes.  Which is a great thing.  I had a great time skating though it was just for an hour or so.   I am planning on trying to get out at least once a week to skate and once on the weekends from now till tryouts.  Speaking of which.....

DDR still hasn't set a date for recruitment or July Tryouts!  :(  I have a feeling they may cancel them and I will have to wait till January to tryout!   I know that I was originally planning on trying out then when I started this journey but I am so ready to start it NOW!!!!!! :) LOL  We will see what happens!

Hello! I am back...

I have been bad at keeping my blog, I know SLACKER!!!! To the person that reads this I am sorry!

Just because I stopped blogging doesn't mean I stopped working towards my goal.  I continue to go to my Hula Hoop, Stretched Out and PiYo classes each week.  I have PT twice a week right now.  I have my walks with Penny.  Which (woohoo) this morning was morning #2 that I got up before work and walked Penny.  That way it isn't so hot for her as she has a hard time with the heat.  This afternoon I am also going to walk at lunch around the office.  I think twice around our building is 2 miles so we will see.  And then I will try and do a late walk with Penny (again closer to sun down when it isnt so hot).

I have finally gotten a fitbit to help with my tracking.  Though I don't know how accurate it is.  My endomondo tracking app I use on my phone says my walk this am was 1.5miles but my fit bit says is was 1.2 So we will see.  one thing I did notice though sitting at the bar and talking with my hands counts as steps apparently.... so maybe it balances itself out. :)

I have sadly dropped off my C25K training.  I need to get back on that this week.  I hate the idea of having to start from the beginning again maybe I can rewind by a week or two.  I know I can't pick up where I left off.  Maybe if I pick up and start at week 2 or 3 I will be ok. Today after class I might do and check out new sneakers. 

As of right now my goal to try out this July for the derby team is on hold... the current tot coach as decided to go back to skating and has stepped down from the coaching position.  Which means they have to find a replacement which it seems no one is stepping up to do.  So there is a good possibility there will not be tryouts this summer. :(  Which I think subconsciously has been a reason for my slowing down on my training pace.  

OH Boy! One of those AND THEN IT HIT ME moments!

So last night at derby one of the skaters came up to me and was like so your trying out for the team.  As we talked about it briefly she said something along the lines of That is great you will have a real heads up on the others trying out.  Meaning my last 3 months as an NSO and getting to see all the practices and bouts... 

AND THEN IT HIT ME!  Here I was just thinking being a member and getting to so much in advance of my tryouts will help me with tryouts but now it actually puts me in a position that because I know so much I will be held to a higher standard.  Maybe not my skating ability but my understanding of rules, bout procedures and everything else.

Oh Boy I better get my ass in gear and kick my workouts up a notch!

What am I thinking!! Countdown to Derby... 6 Weeks - and I decide to return to school!?

To add to my list of shit on my plate I will begin to resume school again.  I had started doing back to school the fall of '12 to get my paralegal license, thinking when I moved back to Lancaster I would get back into the legal field here.  Well that idea went out the window when I got my job at RRD and I don't plan on leaving here anytime soon. 

Earlier this year fighting depression (which I didn't realize till I finally went to the DR), absolutely HATING where I lived and my back pain, I fell way behind in school and the motivation to keep up with it and going so I took a LOA to get myself together.  Well now LOA is coming to an end I had to make a decision.... drop out or continue?  I will not bore you with my internal debate, since it is obvious which side I have learned towards. :)  Of course I can't ever do anything the easy way!!!!  :) But life and father time don't always work together to make things easy!

So now comes the task of balancing everything!!!    Luckily Derby tryouts aren't for another month and a half so I have time to ease into classes again.  If I get everything ironed out with my LOA and the switch in degree programs I will start classes next week!!!!!! Professional Responsibility and Ethics! 

I am trying not to look at what my potential schedule will be but it is hard not to!  Derby for 2hrs 3 nights a week and School for an hour 2-4 nights a week, that is just class time not homework time.  I will probably have 6hrs a week for tests and assignments! 

All I can do is breathe and keep moving on!  :)

Week 7 & 7 Weeks Till Derby Boot Camp!

Woohoo!  This week starts week 7 of my road to Derby!  This week also marks the half way mark... 7 more weeks till Derby Boot Camp starts!

Mon 5/26
- Cont. to help dad with his deck, also worked in my garden in the morning before that.

Tues 5/27
- Streched Out Class (after the last 3 days I needed it! It felt so GOOD!!!!)
- I decided after a long weekend of deck building I deserved a rest day.  So I took tonight off.  I will start full force tomorrow!

OK I was bad... I can say outside of some small walks and gardening I have totally flaked on my routine! 

Week 6

Was a good week... got back into the groove.  I am starting to feel a difference in my back which is great!  Still have to remind myself over and over stomach in, hips front.

I am definitely starting to feel when I skip a day or two of working out.    This weekend was a very low key weekend other then walks with Penny and my Streched Out class I didn't do much of anything but lay around the house and Sunday I paid for it.  I was stiff and sore all day. 

Mon 5/19
-  Walk with Penny 2.45miles in 47:39
- C25K Week 4 day 1 -  2.15 miles in 31.47  (3min jog, 90sec walk, 5min jog, 2.5min walk, 3min jog, 90sec walk, 5min jog)  This felt good, I really had to push the end of the last 5min jog but I did it!!!!
- Hula Hoop Class


Tues 5/20
- PT in the am.
- Streched Out.
- Walk with Penny 2.22 miles in 44:16min.


Wed 5/21 - WOW I was sore today!  I think that will be the last time I do PT and Stretched out in the same day.  My back and my muscles hurt!  I know the hurt is a good thing but man it sucks!
- PT in the am.
- Walk with Penny 1.12 mile sin 23:58min.
- C25K- Did not due this today as I had Derby Meeting this evening.


Thurs 5/22
- Walk with Penny 2.59 Miles in 50min give or take.  I forgot to turn off my tracker when I got home.
- No C25k as I worked late.


Fri 5/23
- PT in the am.
- No walk and more C25K.    Had a day off and had drinks with friends.

Sat 5/24
- Helped my dad build a deck so hard labor from 10a-7pm

Sun 5/25
- Cont. to helped my dad build a deck so hard labor from 10a-8pm

Physical Therapy revolation! (Kind of a long story)

So I have been dealing with Back issues for almost 15years now.  Started when I was 23 and I was diagnosed then as having degenerative arthritis in my lower back (R-rays & an MRI).  I was even sent and checked for rheumatoid arthritis.  I was prescribed several difference arthritis meds and pain meds.   Where some worked and some didn't.  I then got the bright idea of moving to NYC, where then I fell into freelance theatre work and couldn't afford insurance so I ignored the pain, or well self medicated.  Motrin became my best friend.  So that went on for 10 yrs.

I finally got smart and decided insurance was more important I went back to the corporate world so I could get health coverage.   So I went to a DR in NYC to address my back issues and Insomnia.   They did an X-ray and told me there was nothing wrong with my back and that was it she didn't suggest anything else....  BUT she prescribed me a pain med anyway.  I took them and didn't argue.    Now I moved back to PA and again decided I would get my back looked at and try to figure out why it bothers me so.  Same thing the Dr here ordered X-Rays and nothing.  She was like there is nothing that shows wrong with your back.  BUT she re did my prescription for the pain med.  Now at this point I am pissed and thinking WHY if there is nothing wrong with my back why re-prescribe me pain meds.  I also had other issues with her that I wont bore you with the details.  So I went on a hunt for a new Dr.

I found her.  she listens, she remembers things I tell her from one appt to the next (or at least she actually reads her notes before seeing me).  She said based on the R-xay there was no real reason to send me to get an MRI.  So she wanted me to try Physical Therapy to help me manage the pain and for them to look at my spine and see if there are other causes for the pain.    Which that was more then any of the other Dr's suggested.

Well what a Revelation that Appt was!!!!!  5/15 was my first appt, and I didn't have high hopes for it but when I walked out I was amazed! So in a nut shell all my muscles are super tight in my hips and back and are causing a twist in my spin. Which causes my muscles to tight basically strangle my spine trying to protect it.   That is what is causing my pain.  He said he wouldn't rule out some issues with arthritis, but he thinks this is the main reason for my pain.  My hip flexors are so tight they pull my hips up and back  instead of down and front, which causes a curve in my back .  This also causes me to adjust and stand forward and on the balls of my feet instead of back and on my heels which could be the reason for my poor balance (which will be a major issue for derby). 

So now comes the arduous task of correcting what comes natural to me.     First task he has me doing stomach in.  I have to remind myself like 100 times a day.  I have notes at home and at my desk.  How long does it take for muscle memory to kick in and my body naturally wants to hold my stomach in?  I guess that is a question for Thomas this week!

Oh and the other awesome thing about my PT, he has worked with derby girls in the past and he knows that is one of my goals so I feel that is an added bonus in my training for tryouts in July!!!!!!

Week 4 & Week 5 - I have been a bad little GIRL!!!!!

WOW... have I been BAD!!!!!   Week 4 and Week 5... I have gotten out of the habit of tracking my walks with Penny.  Now that I have all my grandmothers sewing stuff at my place and have them in working order, all I want to do is play with them.  I have started a sewing project for a costume party I am going to with a friend, we found a perfect dress I can modify for her so I have wanted to work on that more then my exercise.

I really need to get back on the ball!  Derby boot camp and tryouts are only 2 months away!!!!!!!!  I also know I am starting to drag my feet with exercise because I know I will learn what I need to know in boot camp.  I have learned that so many of our Great Skaters on our team didn't even know how to skate till they tried out for the team!!!!    So I keeping slacking off on the practice and exercise knowing this fact.  I need to snap out of it though... need to get my ass is gear and in shape!



Week 4- (5/5/14)
5/5/14
- Walk with Penny .59 Miles 14:15min
- Hula Hoop Class

5/6/14
- Walk with Penny 1.61miles in 32:57min
- Streched Out Class
- C25K Wk 3 day 1 - 1.80miles in 30min

5/7/14
- Walked with Penny but forgot to time it.
- Derby Practice

5/8/14
- Walk with Penny 1.38miles in 32:23
- PiYo Class

5/9/14
 - Walk with Penny 1.22 miles in 25:58
Was a day off garden shopping all day

5/10/14
- Walked with Penny but forgot to record it
- Worked in my Garden all morning till it was time for Derby Day

5/11/14
- Walked with Penny but forgot to record it
- Worked more in my garden and went to my dads

Week 5 (5/12/14)

5/12/14
- Walked with Penny but forgot to record it.
- Hula Hoop Class
I had a DR. appt this am and talked to her about my back.  She is starting me on Physical Therapy to see what we can do.  Thurs is my first appt. so we will see how it goes. 

5/13/14
- Walked with Penny but forgot to record it.
Skipped Stretched out because I didn't feel like going (the whole Dr appt yesterday had me down and thinking why) also wanted to work on the dress!  Have to nip this in the bud before I start skipping all my classes!

5/14/14
Back in the swing of things!  I joined my companies 8wk fitness challenge to keep myself motivated and accountable to someone other then just myself.  C25K Week 3 day 2 - Though last time I did this was a week ago, I picked up right where I left off.  2 Reps of  90sec Jogging, 90 Sec walking, 3min jogging, 3min walking.
- Walked Penny 2.24miles in 47:09
- C25K Week 3 day 2 - 2miles  in 33:49minutes

5/15/14
- Walk with Penny 1.41miles in 33:54
- Piyo Class

5/16/14
- First day of Physical Therapy in the AM - Went well but it was the first day so we will see how it goes.
- Walk with Penny 2.28 MIle sin 47min
- C25K - 1.85 Miles in 30min (2x 90 sec run, 90 sec walk, 3min run, 3 min walk)

5/17/14
- Walk with Penny 2.34 miles in 48:08min

5/18/14
- Walk with Penny 2.24 miles in 44:28min

Week 3 Wrap Up

Week 3 (4/28/14)

Monday - C25K Week 2/Day 1 8x1's 90sec running and 2 min walking (with 5min Warm Up & Cool Down).
- 1.8 Miles in 30.43 minutes (I didn't pay attention to see what my Mile time was.)
- Hula Hoop Class

Tuesday - C25K off day
- Stretched Out class.
- No Walk with Penny (was rained out)

Wednesday
What a horrible rainy day Wed was!  I didn't get anything workout wise done.   No walk with Penny and derby practice was rained out because the Roller Rink's roof was leaking!  :(

Thursday - Week 2/Day 2 - 8x1's 90sec running and 2 min walking (with 5min Warm Up & Cool Down).
Back one track
- Walk with Penny 1.56 Miles in 28.47 minutes
- C25K 1.70 Miles in 26.51 minutes (had to cut my 5min cool down to 2 minutes or would have been late for class!)
- PiYo Class (boy did class kick my ass tonight)

Friday -Was a bust day! Was really a BUST weekend!.... I didn't do squat!  Was very very bad!

Sat
- Helped a friend clean her house and a 2 bout day at Dutchland.
- Walked .62 miles with Penny

Sun
- Scrimmage at Dutchland
- Walked .62 miles with Penny

I HAVE TO GET BACK ON TRACK THIS WEEK!

What's in a Name

Coming up with what will be my derby name or stage name has been a very difficult process.  Though there are very few Amber's in the world, there are a lot that play Derby.  Or maybe that it isn't that a lot play derby but it is just that there are very few "Amber" driven names or Puns and all the good ones are taken!

You have;
Amber Skates of Pain
Amber Wavez of Pain
Amber Graves of Slain
Amber Alert
Amber Dextrious
Amberosia
Amber Etta
Amberetta Pistol
Ambergeddon
Amber Lager
Amber Block
Amber Ail
Amber Slam'er
Amber Zerker
Forever Amber

So you can see it is has been VERY hard to come up with a cleaver and witty name that is not take, using my name.

Now I have come up with a few, some with the help of freinds...

Amber Curves of Pain
Am-burglar (like Ham-burger, thank you Stomppin' Lizzy)

Butt'er Scotch (this one due to my love of scotch.... Thank you Thistle)
and there were more but they are bastardization of those that are taken which would probably cause them to be rejected)  Like .45Amberetta or Amber ALE, but nothing really grabbed me.

Then my very good friend Terry suggest I step away from my name and going with something of a sewing theme.  To go along with my love of sewing and my tattoo.  Which was a great Idea as the ideas came a following...

Stitches N' Lace
Sew Tawdry
Lady MacStitch (The lady duth' sew to much)  a nod to not only sewing but my past life in theatre.
Lil' Miss Stitch
Bust-A-Stitch
Stitch Shocked
Bobbin Weave
Buxom Bobbin
Stunning Stitches

It is the last one that the ones that I consider my closest friends and shared my ideas all picked as their favorite.

Then I shared it with my Derby Sister Thistle who suggested a more derby spelling of it....that is referenced sewing and being a bad ass!!!!!

Stun'n'Stitches

I Think I finally found my Derby Name!!!!!!

Week 2 - Wrap up!

So Week 2 (4/21/14) Has been better!!!!  However the idea of getting up early and doing any walking or running I don't think is EVER going to happen!

Monday
Was an off day of the C25K training I started doing on Sun. So it was an easy day.
- 75 Squats
- Walk with Penny 1.43 Miles in 27:42
- Hula Hoop Class

Tuesday
- 120 Squats
- Day 2 of C25K 8x1's 1.50 Miles in 25:30 (on treadmill)
- Stretched Out Class
Was storming so no Walk with Miss Penny 

Wednesday
I stopped doing the squats I was doing during the day as I am going to TRY and start an Arms, Bust, waist and butt routine on my off days of the 5K training program.
- Walk with Penny / 1.51 miles in 31.35

Thursday
-Walk with Penny / 1.50(ish forgot to turn on my GPS) miles34.01
- Day 3 C25K 8x1's 1.50 Miles in 24.56minutes (on treadmill)

Friday
Rest Day - Drinking Day!

Saturday
1.64 Miles walk with Penny
Stretched Out Class
Officiated my FIRST BOUT woohoo!!!!

Sunday
- Walk with Miss Penny / 1.55 miles in 31.17
Then a lot of house cleaning and FINALLY getting my sewing machine from my dads storage over to my place.  Thise things were heavy so I think that counts as exercise!  :)

Over all I Walked/Ran 9.13 Miles this last week! As well as Each C25K session I see I go a little farther in less time!!!!  So over all fantastic!  A very good week!

Learning something everyday!

So I was a Dummy, when I ordered bearings for my outdoor wheels I only got a box of 8 thinking one for each wheel... When in fact I need 2 for each wheel!  OH and I need spacers!  So I haven't been able to try out my new wheels after all.   Well Saturday after my class I figured I would check out the Sports Authority thinking they would have quads skates for me to try on and some of the basics (like bearings).....  BOY was I wrong!  They had noda, zero, zilch!  No Skates to try and no basics.  The guy suggested I go over the the Castle to their Pro Shop, so I did and WOW can we say WAY over priced! 

I think an email is in order to Sports Authority suggesting they keep the quad skate basics in stock seeing there is a Roller Derby team within a MILE of their location!

Now to try to find the closest skate shop!

Week 1 Wrap Up!

Wow...I still have the issue with pushing past my "But mom, 5 more minutes!"  I did not make the morning walks like I hoped.  Though the weather is still not cooperating.  Was in the 30's every morning last week so that doesn't help.  Still working on making sure my ass actually gets to class each week. 

Mon 4/14
- Walk With Penny 1.2 in 23:17
- Treadmill running 1 mile in 15:58
130 Squats
- Hula Hoop Class for 45 minutes

Tues 4/15
No Walks as it was raining
100 Squats

Wed 4/16
- Walk with Penny 1.51 Miles in 31:14
- Stationary Bike 3.85 Miles in 15:00
- Treadmill running 1 mile in 15:59
120 Squats

Thurs 4/17
70 Squats
No motivation to do anything
Didn't run or walk OR go to class

 Friday 4/18
50 Squats
Walk with Penny but didn't track it.

Sat 4/19
- Walk with Penny but didn't track it.
- Stretched Out Class

Sunday 4/20
- Walk with Penny but didn't track it.
- Running Out side 1.28 Miles 18.45 (1mile at 13 minutes)
- Running with Penny - Started the 5k Training program (8x1 - 1:00 of running 1:30 walking for 20 minutes)

I have been wearing my skates around the house.   I am getting more comfortable in them.  I have also been watching a lot of YouTube, a group called SkateTruckNYC for tutorials on how to Stop, Skate Backwards and Spin.  So Here's hoping Week 2 goes better!  Though with it being 34deg when I woke up, we didn't get up for the AM walk so there goes that one!

So half way through Week 1 - Check In!

Good morning!  So it's Wednesday (no worries, you wont see me write the other "thing"!)

What a week so far;

Monday started out GREAT.  One thing with upping my water intake I can't believe how much I use the bathroom (reminder I set a goal of 10 squats every time I use the restroom at work)!  I ended up doing 130 Squats Monday!

Left work late and was determined the get my mile walk in with Miss Penny, did that in 23minutes before going to my 6pm hoop class.  Which was a good and bad thing, I didn't stretch so I hurt my calf (which I found out later that night).  Flew to my Hula Hoop Class at Studio Spin with Katie Hinderdeer.   Man did I get a workout!  I am still just working on keeping the hoop around my waste but getting better.  By the end of class was able to get a few rotations of the hoop around my shoulders!  I am finally learning to loosen my body up and get out of my head.  Which Is hard for me!  Then after class I made it to the gym where I ran my mile in 15:58!  This is when I learned I hurt my calf as sadly I wasn't able to run the whole mile as my calf started cramping up A LOT!  So I had to slow down to a walk for at least half of it! :( So more stretching next time.  Got home and put my skates on and rolled around the house for 15minutes.

Tuesday was a BUST was to cold to do anything outside and wet!  The gym was packed so I couldn't get a treadmill the two times I stopped by.  So I ended up just going grocery shopping and taking Tuesday as a rest day.  I didn't even do as many squats as Monday, only 100.  So need to up my water intake. 

Today,  Sadly I didn't get my morning walk in as it was too cold.  I hope to get  back up to 130 squats.  I don't know if I will get the mile walk in with Penny tonight because of temperature but I will make it to the gym and get on the treadmill.  Will also get my skates on for a little while tonight. 

Side note: check out my friend Jenny Dixon's Blog at www.Hoopinions.com.  I met Jenny through a meetup group trying to start a Burlesque group here in Lancaster (which Jenny I still want to do, I talked to Rachel about maybe a class at the studio!)  She is REALLY into Hula Hopping and is GREAT at it.  She started a blog about her hooping experience!  So Check it out.    PS. Jenny thank you for the mention in your blog post Monday!

My outdoor wheels arrived!

I am so excited my pretty new outdoor wheels arrived!  Now I dont have to use my indoor wheels and tear them up outside!

Out Saturday for a little skating!

God after 10minutes did my feet hurt.  I could stake always then had to rest and stand still for a minute before skating back.  Lasted about 20minutes.

Workouts to date and Week 1 Goals!

So it has been 3 weeks since I started working out.  I have not gotten in the full momentum yet.  Let me just say the truth I have been lazy!  I still have a lot of dragging my feet and wanting to sleep in or lay and cuddle with my dog Penny.  The warm weather that is coming is helping.  I say I have been lazy but I am starting this from a completely sedentary life style.  My favorite joke use to be I only run when chased, or it was running to get the train before the doors closed!

I have been going to this great new studio in Lancaster called Studio Spin for 2 months now.  I take 3 classes a week there.  Hula-hoop, PiYo and a Stretch class.   I have also been walking a mile each night with my dog then occasionally going to the gym at my apt. complex and getting a mile run in on the treadmill.  Occasionally being the keyword, I would accomplish that a few times a week.

This is my GOAL this week We will start this out as WEEK 1!

Wake up and do a mile walk in the morning before work,
An evening walk after work,
Gym to run a mile (solid no walking partway!),
Class 3nights a week,
10 squats every time I have to leave my desk to use the ladies room.  I am at 40 today already!  Let me tell you doing squats in heels isn't easy!  CORE!
I have also started doing calf and feet strengthening exercises at my desk.  Because I can't put my skates on without my feet killing me in 5 minutes after I start skating.
Put my skates on for a 15-20 minutes each day and just skating/walking around the house to help get accustom to them.
Sat & Sun do atleast a half hour skating more if my feet can take it!

That is my personal goals for the week!!! Lets see how I do!!!!

The beginning...

I am 37 years old and a year ago (April 1st) I moved back Lancaster, Pa after living in NYC for 11 years.  YES!!!!! I survived the first year!  That in its self has been an adventure!  That is a story for another time...

January of this year ('14) I decided I needed an activity that got me moving and being healthy and as I had been a hermit and finding it hard to reconnect with people I grew up with here.  Least I forget my happy hour meetup group I started to meet new people WHOM I LOVE!  They get me the socializing and drinking I much needed but not the activity I needed.  So I started looking for volleyball groups and the like but found nothing that I didn't have to start up a team myself.  In doing a search for sports groups in Lancaster I came across the Dutchland Rollers website... WAIT, WHAT Lancaster has a Roller Derby group!  Why yes they did!!!!

Now my love of roller derby and a desire to tryout of a roller derby team did not start right there and then.  Several years ago a girlfriend, AMY K. and I wanted to do just this when I lived in NYC. Dont ask me how or why we came up with doing it. However, sadly our work schedules at the time DIDN'T lend itself to having time to get inshape let alone LEARN to skate and tryout.  Even though we did buy skates and go to several open skates, and took our skates to the theatre thinking between shows we could skate a little in the alley in front of our theatre but that NEVER came to be. 

So now back to February/March 2014,   I saw they had just had tryouts in January so I thought perfect that gives me about 10 months to get in shape and try out.  I emailed Dutchland about volunteering and I thought what better way to get to know people and get an inside track.  Josie Cuervo was the first person I spoke with from the team and she was wonderful!  Very welcoming and asked what I could do and what I wanted to do with the group.  I told her that I haven't skated in years but I was happy to help out in anyway I could.  She got me in touch with Head NSO (non-skate official) Mariah Scary, who was also WONDERFUL!  I went to their first home bout (Season opener) that same day and I was at the next Wednesday practice which started me on my roller derby journey!

I am now 2 practices away from become a league member, April 23rd can't come fast enough!

I have also since learned they have a second round of tryout in July which has moved up my personal goal for trying out!

So this starts my Roller Derby Tryout Journey!

Lets start...

Welcome for those that are following this (if anyone is) I am starting this blog as a journal for my roller derby journey.  I am starting this for several reason;

As I get older I have noticed I tend to forget certain aspects of what I have done in my life.  I know people that can recount stories from HS that apparently I was there for but I don't remember at all.   I don't feel like I remember as much as I should.  Maybe that is just common the older you get the less clear things in your past become because it was so long ago and other memories take their place in the line of what becomes more important to remember in our life but I don't want this experience to pass into a fog.

This is also motivational for me.  To help me track where I started, how far I have come and where I still have to go!  I can tend to get discouraged easily if I don't feel I am where I should be without motivation.  I also tend to be WAY to hard on myself!  So I hope this helps me relax and learn from what I have done.

So I hope you enjoy.  Feel free to post if you want because encouragement is always a good thing.