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To all who are reading this,

Welcome to the first post of 2016! The months have flown by since I did a last update - in fact that was during reading week in October! Since then, I've had so much university work to be cracking on with - from forums, to presentations (group and solo), to essays. It's certainly kept me on my toes, but I'm enjoying every minute of it! I technically go back on 1 Feb, but I've got hand-in dates up until 18 Jan, but I'm on top of that.

If you can remember that update post, you'll also know that I was on a partial break from roller derby. Guess what?

I went back to the first training session last night, and I loved every second of it! Going back and seeing all those people so enthusiastic about the sport did my heart some good. I got to see my friends, and sort out that pesky Secret Santa business - I had a touch of food poisoning and couldn't go to the Reavers Christmas Meal.

Helmet hair!I paid my fee, glugged some water, and decided it was time to get kitted up. Cue untangling the Velcro of my Airwalk wrist and elbow guards - like normal. My brand new Anarchy knee pads (on sale from Amazon) were really comfy once they were on. There was a fuzzy feeling of pride as I secured my pink helmet, probably because I've started to cover it in stickers from The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Assassin's Creed: Syndicate. And then I strapped on my Viper skates, and felt sick.

I hadn't been on my skates in ages, and I felt like Bambi all over again. Bearing in mind that the last time I put my Viper's on, I had problems with the tightness and grip of the wheels and spent some of the time like Cinderella, with a foot in the air, the skate being manhandled by fellow derby lads and lasses.

Sod it! Swallowing all my fear, I edged into the sports hall, and sort of hovered around the edge until lovely Erin aka #22 Bjorn to Hate, directed me over to the newbie corner for Stuff and Things with the others! I started off slow, remembering my stance, and as Erin went through the very basics again with our newest recruit, I started to feel more confident. I didn't do much in fairness, but I still felt good doing it! We'll forget about landing on my left butt cheek twice though, shall we? 

I managed to get my speed up a little more (confidence is key), remembered left and right knee taps, rockstar's and a Superman with a great jiggle, apparently! I felt more confident on track, until I had to pull out with an aching joint.

(I had an accident involving my bike and a sixteen-wheeler lorry when I was eleven. I fractured two bones in my right leg, and in bad weather I still get a lot of cramps and aches).

When it was time to call it a night with the rest of the guys and girls, I was leaving the track with a smile on my face. I want to do this - I want to build my confidence, get fitter and have fun doing it! Seeing two of the guys pass their level two and receive their certificates was great and it's so inspiring! That will be me - I will get my minimum skills passed. Level one, I'm coming for you!

I'm aching in my legs from the derby stance, I've got twinges around my elbow, and my ribs for some reason are absolutely battering! Is it going to stop me going back? No, it bloody isn't!

I want to thank Erin if she's reading - she's a doll, a diamond, and whilst she's already someone's derby wife, she's definitely my derby mama! 
 

Yours, with eternal ink,

Zoe

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Currently reading: The 100 by Kass Morgan