Closer Than I Think?

Last night at practice, one of the drills we did (one of many -- it was a tough practice!) was minute time trials. Here's how it worked: we counted off into 1s and 2s. The 1s lined up at the pivot line (there are two lines on the track -- the pivot line is where the pack starts from at the beginning of a jam, and the jammer line is 30 feet back from it -- ?? -- and is where the jammers start from), and skated for one minute, with the 2s counting our laps. Emily and I were partners.

I must digress for a moment to say that I just love Emily. She's so positive and nice. We've gotten to be training buddies -- we were in beginners together, and now we're intermediates together. It's really cool to be able to encourage each other.

OK. Anyway -- I made five laps in the first minute trial, which is the minimum for minimum skills. So, I can do better, especially once I figure out how to do a crossover. But on the other hand: I am AT the minimum skill for speed!

Then the 2s skated for a minute while we 1s counted their laps. (Emily did great. She did great on all the trials -- she is going to be a real asset to the team when she passes minimum skills.) Next we skated 2 minutes, then 3, then 4, and finally, FIVE.

Here's the really amazing thing: I did 21.5 laps in five minutes. (Some of the OGs -- that's the girls who are on the team, who have been doing this for much longer than I -- got into the 30s. They are amazing.)

Again, I can do better, once I get the crossover down. BUT: I skated fast and hard for FIVE MINUTES. I didn't give up and I didn't slack off. The requirement for minimum skills is 25 laps in five minutes, and I should be able to push myself and get up to 25, especially when I learn to do a crossover instead of coast on the curves.

I also must mention Kant (one of the OGs). She was a 1. After we were finished skating our five minutes -- and she had done like 34 laps -- she got up and did the five minutes with the 2s, and did another 34 laps. She's awesome!

Today is my first non-skating day since Friday. It'll probably be good to rest my legs a bit, and then tomorrow I will be ready to bust my ass on the track again!