Sean and the roller derby - three skates to go
Tonight I went to check out the roller disco at the Renaissance Rooms in Vauxhall along with some of the girls I've met who are starting the new intake in a little over a week (eek!). It's the biggest roller disco I've been to so far - there are two large rooms (one with smoke!) and sofas and booths around the side.
It wasn't too busy at 8 when we got there, but certainly got busy later on. It was student night, and there were loads of students with the same rag week T-shirts from Kings. The cloakroom was outside the venue, so we had to pad up inside and walk back out in our socks to drop our bags off! The floor was wood, but panels rather than floorboards. And even in the skating area the panels were variable and not always smooth or smoothly joined.
I felt I didn't get anywhere with my skating particularly, after feeling much improved on Monday. I felt I was back to trundling around rather than skating smoothly. I'm wondering if the soft 78A wheels I was on weren't suitable for the floor. Maybe next time I'll bring my Tuners as well. Or I just haven't got the technique down yet. I know I need to push off as well as transfer my weight from wheel to wheel, but I don't really do that.
On the other hand, I only fell over once, so balance is improving, and confidence on wheels. Perhaps I just need to relax a little. And be less worried when I find myself going fast. And know that if I fall over it will be fine.
Anyway, I have a one-to-one lesson with a coach on Sunday (if it doesn't rain) so he should be able to show me how to improve my posture/basic skating technique. And hopefully show me how to stop properly as well. There's a basketball/5-a-side court next to my flat which should be good for skating on - and it'll be larger and have fewer people on it than a roller disco! There's space for getting a good run in a straight line anyhow.
So three skates left before the big day. If the weather doesn't deteriorate, an outdoor skating lesson on Sunday, followed by Monday night at Manor House, and probably Renaissance Rooms again on Thursday.
Then it's a three hour introductory session on Saturday morning at Earl's Court, where the new LRG recreational league trainees will be inducted. And then after that I'm spending the rest of the day penalty box timing for the two bouts at the LRG game all afternoon and evening! I expect I will be k-tired. Mustn't forget lunch that day. And make sure Danger doesn't have the NSO meeting at 2pm like last time.
So yeah, a combination of excitement, dreadment, and oh-my-god-I'm-going-to-be-knackered-ment. But it's all good!
It wasn't too busy at 8 when we got there, but certainly got busy later on. It was student night, and there were loads of students with the same rag week T-shirts from Kings. The cloakroom was outside the venue, so we had to pad up inside and walk back out in our socks to drop our bags off! The floor was wood, but panels rather than floorboards. And even in the skating area the panels were variable and not always smooth or smoothly joined.
I felt I didn't get anywhere with my skating particularly, after feeling much improved on Monday. I felt I was back to trundling around rather than skating smoothly. I'm wondering if the soft 78A wheels I was on weren't suitable for the floor. Maybe next time I'll bring my Tuners as well. Or I just haven't got the technique down yet. I know I need to push off as well as transfer my weight from wheel to wheel, but I don't really do that.
On the other hand, I only fell over once, so balance is improving, and confidence on wheels. Perhaps I just need to relax a little. And be less worried when I find myself going fast. And know that if I fall over it will be fine.
Anyway, I have a one-to-one lesson with a coach on Sunday (if it doesn't rain) so he should be able to show me how to improve my posture/basic skating technique. And hopefully show me how to stop properly as well. There's a basketball/5-a-side court next to my flat which should be good for skating on - and it'll be larger and have fewer people on it than a roller disco! There's space for getting a good run in a straight line anyhow.
So three skates left before the big day. If the weather doesn't deteriorate, an outdoor skating lesson on Sunday, followed by Monday night at Manor House, and probably Renaissance Rooms again on Thursday.
Then it's a three hour introductory session on Saturday morning at Earl's Court, where the new LRG recreational league trainees will be inducted. And then after that I'm spending the rest of the day penalty box timing for the two bouts at the LRG game all afternoon and evening! I expect I will be k-tired. Mustn't forget lunch that day. And make sure Danger doesn't have the NSO meeting at 2pm like last time.
So yeah, a combination of excitement, dreadment, and oh-my-god-I'm-going-to-be-knackered-ment. But it's all good!