Scenes from the bout

Gas City Rollers vs Cut Throat Car Hops

Final Score 150-122 for the Car Hops.

I think one of my favourite parts was I played against gals that I rookie’d with at the Edmonton Bootcamp last spring! The derby community is tight and even though we were competing against each other, I was super proud to see them play!!!

Statistically, it wasn’t my strongest performance. But playing felt good despite my aching toe. SPECIAL THANKS to the guys at our practice skate who were willing to watch my skating style and gave me some tips based on their observations.

Below is a slideshow of some photos stolen from everyone from Facebook. Ironically I think there were more pictures of me taken in this bout than any other bout I’ve been in. Thanks to all the Deathbridge crew who came to cheer me on! I heard you yelling every time I rounded the corner! <3

And thanks again Gas City! You were a blast to skate with!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Game day quickie… wheel quick (see what i did there?)

Wheels wheels wheels. I’ve resigned myself to the fact that all those fancy, hard, narrow wheels just aren’t for me.

This game I’m using my outdoor wheels (78a Radar Pures). These wheels were the first ones I ever purchased and are like my best friends. They are labeled as outdoor wheels but given the surfaces we skate on, I’m willing to throw out all labels and stick with what I know and love.

They have now become my game day favourites even though they will never be the fastest compared to harder varieties I’ve tried. But they really allow me to hug the top of the track going almost-top-speed.

Other varieties I’ve tried have me coasting to maintain control on the slippery spots, which I really don’t prefer to do.

With all these struggles it makes me wonder if my skating style is part of the problem. I’ve questioned this before. Maybe I’m too upright, maybe I’m too centre-weighted, maybe I need to muscle-up that left leg a bit more. Hopefully when I attend Rollercon in July I can corner an expert who can watch me skate and shed some light.

So I beg to ask the question… What do you lightweights (>120) use? What’s your surface like? What have been your challenges in finding a wheel and have you adjusted your skating to make it work? Or do you work with the sliding?

Time to get ready! Wish me luck!

Go Gas City!

And I ran… I ran so far a-waaaayyyyy

(Flock of Seagulls are awesome)

I always get the best blog ideas when I’m running, which explains my blogging absence as I had to take a week off of running due to work, lunchtime commitments and being super sore from practice last week.

The good news is that I DID get back on the treadmill yesterday. Isn’t it great when your gym gets new equipment but you’re too devoted to your other favourite running machine to cheat on it? I’ve eyed this new treadmill for a while now… you’re standing much higher than on the other machines, it has a touch screen… it just looked so… ominous. But due to a busy gym yesterday, I was slotted into that apparatus.

First discovery: It has a charging station for my phone. Wicked.

Second discovery: When my phone is hooked in, the touch screen has controls for my iPod on my phone. Wicked.

Third discovery: It’s not compatible with my iPhone. Bummer.

Fourth discovery: The console has a mother-effing FAN in it!

So I ran.

And I almost died.

Well, not really. But I was surprised after only taking a week off of running how winded I got. Or maybe it’s because I spent almost the entire time playing with the touch screen of the apparatus (which doesn’t respond if you have finger sweat) that I expelled too much energy directing my attention to my little appendages.

With the never-ending space issues our team faces on a weekly basis, the owness to stay in shape during down time falls within ourselves. It’s a challenge for sure.

The exciting news is that I have the opportunity to get a little extra training time in, because I’ve been invited to play here…

Isn't this a fantastic bout poster?

That’s right, kiddies… I’ve been invited to play with Medicine Hat’s Gas City Rollers at the end of this month, which means a lot of weather-permitting driving in the coming weeks to practice with the team. I’m really honoured for the invite and excited for the extra time on the track. But I’m also pretty nervous as we’ll be playing a Calgary team, the Cutthroat Car Hops.  I’ve never experienced a Calgary team before. Their standards for skaters are high and their league is fantastic. I know I’ll learn a lot by just playing against them.

In the meantime, who’s up for being in my cheering section?

Some fan signs made by Exie Cuter from our last game in Medicine Hat.