Week 14 Payoff

I haven't posted in a while, again. The past two weeks I've been kind of taking a break. I think something that is important to any activity that takes a lot of effort is to take breaks.

And I don't mean one day, I mean a week or two where you might have a practice or two, but mostly you are chillin. This gives the much needed rest and keeps you from burning out. So like every 2-3 months, take a week.

Anyways I have skated twice in the past 10 days. This is the biggest break I've taken since I started skating. One thing that is nice is that 4 months in I no longer wonder if I know how to skate. I know I can do it and may just need a warm up. So much of skating is mental.

I needed the break even though part of it was due to a brief food poisoning episode followed by a poorly chosen drinking episode. Strangely a sensitive stomach from food poisoning is not helped by tequila. Lesson learned.

So tonight we had practice with Eva Destruction. I love all the coaches we have but Eva is special to me. She doesn't take any shit, pushes hard and pays attention. If you are slow or injured she gives you good skills to practice for your level. I really like a coach who notices you are there. She has always been very supportive to me and I really need that.

Today we did worms, like always. Worms are tough because there is no getting out of them. You have to skate with the group and weave through each person.

My first worms were spent with me trying to catch the group. There were months of that. Then several weeks ago I make it a third of the way through a worm. Then Wanda pushed me through a worm, then I made it through my first worm, on my own. That was big, it was hard and I wasn't sure I could do it.

Then today happened. I'm stronger now because I go to the gym. Somehow when I step on the rink I forget that I'm getting stronger so I don't realize that it will be easier than last time.

Today I joined the worm and skated through it. Three times. No struggling, no panting, no pouring sweat. I kept thinking "Are they going slower or am I going faster?"