I have a new training program. I'm skating outside in my 26 year old skates. Yes, you read that correctly......26 year old skates. At this point, ANYTHING is better than my R3s.

Last night, I took out my old boot skates that I got for my 12th birthday......don't do the math........and put my outdoor wheels on them. Also, I had to use a Vise Grip (literally!) to loosen my trucks. After I got the skates adjusted, I went outside to the street next to my house and started skating. The cool thing is that it's downhill going away from the house, and it is slightly uphill on the way back. After getting my legs under me on the strange terrain, I discovered that the best way to go down the hill was to slalom while throwing glances over my shoulder looking for cars (but practicing looking for the other team's jammer!). When I got to the bottom of the hill, I would plow stop and do a few crossovers as I turned around to start back towards the house. At that point, I would sprint as hard as I could back up the block.......which I can definitely use a lot of practice doing. Sprinting, that is. Hell, I can use a lot of practice doing a lot of things. Heh. I did this slalom down/sprint back pattern about 10-15 times.

I figure that by skating outside I will 1) challenge & strengthen my muscles in a way that will make skating indoors easier, and 2) avoid the humilation of skating like a big ole dumb ass (aka B.O.D.A.) at the Ranch until my new skates arrive.

I'm certainly not planning to *not* show up at the Ranch at all in the coming weeks, but I'm really tired of going to practice and taking 1 step forward, only to take 5 steps back. Regardless of how hard I try to fight my all my negative feelings (insecurities, self doubt, frustration, etc.), I've just been miserable with my derbiness over the past few months. I need something positive. I need to see some improvement in my skating before my little heart breaks.