Non-stop hockey
It was week 2 of my intermediate hockey class (I took beginner 3 times so this move, more than getting onto a EE league team, was my greatest hockey triumph to date). This class is much more intense than beginner, a lot of the same stuff but much much faster. The first day, we did the Iron Cross (can't find any links about it, so I'll explain -- on a face off circle, skate forward to the top. Stop, skate backwards to the middle. Walk, crossing foot over foot, to the left side. Walk to the other side of the circle, then back to the middle. Skate backwards to the bottom of the circle, stop. Skate forwards around the edge, pivot at the top (a bad fall at this pivot inspired me to upgrade my ass pads), then skate backwards the rest of the way, stopping at the bottom. Skate forwards in the direction you just came from, pivot at the top, skate backwards, then stop. So.. in 3 terms of beginner, I did a total of 3 Iron Crosses. On my first day of intermediate, I did 4 of these. This week, thinking that I'd go to our last day of puppy school (a largely failed attempt) I went hard through the class.

But then I decided to skip puppy school and go for the first day in the Women's League at Hockey Workout, the 3 on 3 place. Because there are only 3 teams in the league, one team always has to play 2 games back to back. This week, that was my team. Highlights included me slamming a woman against the boards, only to discover that the women don't do that like we do in co-ed and (this is my favorite) the first goal scored in the second game, me, on my own goal.

That night I was so hungry, I couldn't stop eating and was so tired I could barely stand. But I did it. 9 months ago, I couldn't skate, today I can play 3 games and take one class in 2 days and still be mobile (though quite slowly) on Monday. I think the next step now is for me to grow a mullet to complement my helmet.