What a difference some wheels make

I just got done skating outside on my new Route 70 wheels. Oh. My. God.

I can't believe I've been skating on those Sure-Grips for so long now that I have these. I suppose the old wheels were safer since these babies are fast. I probably wasn't ready for them yet.

So, yeah, I skated for 10 mintues before my calves started hurting and my legs started shaking. 10:50 seconds, to be exact. I'm starting over. Well, instead of being totally out of shape and not being able to skate, I'm totally out of shape and I can kind of skate.

I just went back and read a bunch of posts from my first few months of training. I need to find that chipper, humorous, hopeful girl again. I'm still all of those things, I think, they're just not coming to the surface right nowl. Perhaps I've become to serious after my injury?

Oh, one thing I know for sure. I am afraid to fall. My body tenses up like a dead squirrel when I even waver a bit. I need to get over that and fast. Falling + being stiff = big ouch. I need to stay loose. To go with the flow of it all. To love the feeling of skating again instead of waiting for the big fall.

Yowza

In the hope of starting on a positive note, I went skating. My new skates were awesome. A bit slippery, but smooth. And they fit oh so very well.

I am so out of shape. It's almost laughable. I've been pretty much off exercise since June 6th. I had a week or so in there post-ass break/pre-mono, but nothing consistent. It was rough. My shins hurt and my legs were wobbly.

But you know what? I went skating, dammit. I'm not letting an injury or sickness stop me from achieving this goal.

Here's what's going to happen:
I will do roller derby.
I will get in shape.
I will have a strong, healthy, and most likely smaller body.

I have this confirmed healthy heart and it's time to start taking care of it.

Homecoming

I can't explain how happy I was to step out into the un-stifling Portland air today. I am so silly happy to be home.

I'm looking forward to writing in the blog a bit more, since I'm all ready and approved to get back to exercising. I'll be back in my workout program on Monday, and hope to skate a couple of times this weekend.

I started traveling from the east coast at 11:30 pacific time last night, so I'm a bit whooped today. But I'm going to rest up, get some quality sleep in my own bed, and get back to training to be a kick ass skater.

Reporting from O-Town

I'm in lovely Orlando, Florida for work this week. That's my hotel over there. It's quite fancy. Too fancy for the likes of me, but I'm appreciating the silly luxuriousness. I got upgraded to a fancy floor that comes with all day champagne and a ridiculous amount of treats. I am savoring every minute in my fluffy white robe. When I'm not working, that is.

I have some great news. Along with my other ailments the past few weeks, I had some testing done that I haven't been writing about. I was having some weirdness with my heart, and wanted to make sure all was well before I mentioned it. After a barrage of tests over the course of a month, it has been confirmed that my ticker is in wonderful shape. Best echocardiogram my doc has seen, as a matter of fact.

I haven't been able to do any exercise besides walking because of the potential heart issues. But I am happy to report that I'll be back on skates and on an exercise routine when I arrive back in Portland. Again, the reality check of a potential illness has made me want to take really good care of my body.

I am a very happy and fortunate girl.

Derby day!

In a little while, I will be primping for derby day.

I have my home-made ref shirt with the pink skull painted on the back all ready. I wish I was ready to wear skates for the night, but I think my converse one stars will be my footwear for the evening.

I am so excited for the bout tonight. I think the matches are going to be really intense. The Heathers are fighting to be undefeated and the High Rollers are fighting to be not completely defeated. I have a feeling it's going to be pretty damn tough and scrappy. And that I'll be pretty damn busy keeping track of penalties.

It makes me sad

That I have so little to write about in the realm of derby training.

I'm feeling better. The mono symptoms are receding, and staying awake all day is becoming less of a chore.

It's really driving me nutty not being able to exercise or skate. And I won't see my doc until the last week in August to get my go-ahead to be active again. I'm not saying that I have enough energy to do anything right now, but the fact that I CAN'T is unnerving.

There have been so many gorgeous evenings that were made for parking lot skating. To add insult to injury, I have new outdoor wheels and new indoor skates that I haven't been able to try yet. To tell you the truth, I put them on last night and just sat there. Pathetic, I know, but I had to see my feet in skates.

And in the midst of crummy news...

I get some really cool news. I get to do the penalty position again at the bout on the 19th! That means I'm out on the floor in the middle of all the action. I am SO excited.

I seriously teared up a little bit. I needed a shot of happy right now and this totally did it.

I gots the kissing disease

Mono. Yep, I have the sense of humor and now the favorite disease of 15 year old boys.

Well, it's technically a case of relapse mono. I had my first round when I was 22, the old virus hung around, and is back for seconds. Apparently I'm special, as only 6% of people relapse.

Upside, I'm relieved to know why I've been feeling so craptacular for the past few weeks. I believe the doc called it "general malaise". Yep, that's it.

Downside, it's going to be a while until I can skate again. I can walk for exercise but that's about it. Right now all I want to do is sleep and sleep a little more.

Tomorrow

I'll get all of my final tests from my doc. Hopefully all good news and I'll be back on skates in no time.

It's a damn shame

When you get your ass handed to you by one tiny infected tonsil.

I will get off the couch eventually and be awake for more than 8 hours a day. I will become a semi-interesting human being again. I swear.

Illness #1 has been named

Tonsilitis, ladies and gentlemen!

I was given a nice pack of antibiotics to hopefully knock it out of my system.

I have a few other random symptoms that we're still testing, but I'm glad that we have malady #1 named.

Doctor visit

I went to the doc today because I've been feeling under the weather.

My doc is very thorough, and so over the course of three hours I took a barrage of tests. I have a variety of symptoms, so who knows what tomorrow will bring.

I hope it brings me the energy to get back to life as usual.

You just never know

I was leaving work today and headed to the parking garage, as I typically do. Only today I was carrying a box with my new Route 70 wheels from Sin City Skates.

Turns out my favorite parking lot dude has been skating for 30 years. He's a jam skater. Spends lots of time at Oaks. Thinks the resurrgence of roller derby is the coolest thing ever. Lost all of his front teeth in a skating accident. Offered to help my tune up my skates.

I'm quite tired and not completely lucid right now, but I'm pretty sure that all the world's problems could be solved if we all wore roller skates.