Love hurts. So does derby.

Well, I'm sat in my living room with my leg up and an ice pack on my quad. I've told myself over and over that I need to be prepared to fall and get right back up again. This evening, that theory was put to the test.

Ok, first: the velodrome.

It is an awesome, AWESOME place to skate! The tarmac on the main stretch is lovely and smooth, and the roundabout is perfect for practicing cross-overs. The banked track on the side looks scary, but I've decided that by the end of the summer I WILL conquer it! Sian managed to skate quite a bit of it and I was very, very impressed. I was skating quite confidently, just getting my pace up when I hit a bit of rough ground. I didn't fall, and thought 'phew, that was close!'. Then I hit the second rough patch, and went down like a sack of spuds. I know falling is an inevitable part of skating, but I managed to fall awkwardly and somehow pull my left leg underneath me, pulling my quadriceps in the process. OW! I got back up and tried to skate it off, but it hurt too much so I got myself on to the grass and rested it. I can't feel too sorry for myself though: one of the Brawlers managed to go over on her ankle and had to be carted off on a wheel chair - hope she's ok, it's the first official injury! Although I was gutted I missed out on skating time, I did get to chat to some of the other girls and I have to say they're all absolutely lovely. There is a plan in the pipeline for a trip to London to watch the London Rollergirls, which will be cool and mean we can spend time bonding (drinking)!

Time for a hot bath, deep heat and rest. No skating until Sunday (which sucks) but Sunday is the day we train with Kelly from Rainy City Rollergirls, which is going to be amazing! As long as my leg is better by then, I'll be happy.