Today at practice, we worked on booty blocking, and I honestly think that if minimum skills were today, I would pass the booty blocking. I've gotten much more hoppy -- my lateral movement has improved a lot -- and I'm more comfortable getting my butt on the jammer. So that's really exciting!
Unfortunately, the crossover continues to vex me. (I love that word, "vex.") I just don't know why I can't get the push with the inside leg. I am doing much better at not making a big useless step over with the outside leg, so that's a good thing. But I know I'm not getting power from the inside leg.
On Monday, we did 25 laps in 5 minutes, in the opposite (clockwise) direction. I did 27 laps. There have been times when we've done 25 in 5 in the regular direction and I've made 27 laps too, recently. So, speed is really not a problem (at least, not on the CDC floor). I wish the crossover weren't such a huge make-or-break deal. But I know I'll be better able to keep up with the bout pool girls when I can get some power from my crossovers.
Today was beginner-intermediate practice. I am more than happy to skate with the beginners. I love seeing new girls get into derby. But I miss hitting. I wish I could just get the damn crossover, so I could start going to bout pool practice. I'd probably still go to the beginner practices too ... I miss the days when I was able to go to four practices a week.
Anyway, we did 25 laps as a pack, and I don't know what the time was, but I know it was more than 5 minutes. Still, it was cool being able to help the newer girls stay with the pack. Plus, I love pack skating. At the end of practice, we did 25 in 5 as a pack ... that was tough. At first, when we were really trying to keep everyone together, we were doing like 16-second laps ... and that's more like 25 laps in 6:40 (approximately). At that point, I sort of stopped trying to keep the pack together and just went for it. I don't know if that was a cool thing to do -- it was probably pretty selfish. But man, that 25 in 5 is such a big deal to me. I just had to make it.
I did. :-) Which is pretty cool, since I was starting at a deficit. A few of the other girls made it too (yay!), and several more came really close (good job!). A few had to drop out, which I feel bad about. But hey, ladies: you will get there. You should've seen me in my first few months.
Overall, it's been a week of great practices. (I went on Thursday night even though it was the night before my first Math 111 midterm. Oh, and I aced the midterm. So, yay!)
