Roller Derby kicked my butt.

I've been out since Dec 17th, when I had my foot surgery. Actually, I had been out since the wednesday before that, Dec 12th, when I had last worn my skates.

Let's see, how long was that? 10 1/2 weeks.

During this time, I wasn't working out because well, I had a broken foot. Kinda of takes out most of my work out possibilities. Doc didn't want me to do anything more than brisk walking until the 8 week mark from surgery which was 2 weeks ago. I started out on my little mini stair climber i have here at home and did 30 minutes a day while watching tv at night.

Last night was obviously my first day back at roller derby and I started out the night like I hadn't been away.

First up was warm ups where we skate at regular pace and our coach blows a whistle every few seconds (that seems like forever) and we squat to the ground. Up and down, up and down.

Next is simple stretching which is taken very seriously.

Now comes actual practice. Sprinting drills are first. We skate at normal pace and then the whistle blows. Sprint! You skate as fast as you possible can. At this time you also work on your communication where you let people you are passing know where you are. There are about 40 girls so it can get to be quite a cluster. Push! Push! Push! I hear my couch yell at us. And I push it. I'm not the fastest by far, but fortunately, after 10 1/2 weeks out, I'm not the slowest. I skate my ass off and I want to shove that whistle up his ass.

Water break. And now I realize I am actually limping while skating. My surgically improved foot is shooting knife pain throughout the front. By the time the next drill starts (skating a skinny coned in course through many twists and turns for speed) I realize I can't push off my right foot. That means no turning. I try to just sprint and instead of going inside the course, I go on the outside and have to hold my right foot off the ground completely.

I'm done. I have to sit it out for the rest of practice with an ice bag on my foot. I'm pissed and I feel lame. I'm finally back on the team and I can't add anything of value.

I sit it out until strength training at the end where we do ab work and push ups. Then we all have to do squats up and down the rink which no one likes. Especially after a hard workout.

I'm sore today and I'm pondering my options. Of course I will quit as soon as I get pregnant. Of course I'll have to take some days off while I go through my bed rest surrounding IVF. But until then, I want to be a part of my team. I don't want to let them down - even if I'm there just to help them practice and become a better team. And I can't. And that sucks.