Feeling the burn.

...the good burn, I mean.

Man, I used to dread going to football practice. The thought of running around in the cold and rain twice a week really didn't appeal to me. So for the first few weeks, I pushed myself to just get to practice. That was my battle. "Get to practice, Aimee. Do the damn running and go home." So I did. And now I am LOVING going to practice.

I love my damn teammates. They're awesome. I love playing football. Even in practice, while we're not allowed to put on the pads just yet (league rules), we play some hard-hitting ball. I come home from practice every night bruised and battered, and it feels awesome.

So yeah, I'm feeling the burn. Football twice a week, plus personal training, plus dance lessons. Man, I am going to be a beast. I am one right now.

Salsa for football players.

This third-year rookie has been sick for quite awhile. Over a month. I finally sucked it up and went to the doctor, who gave me the lovely prescription of "take the week off." As a self-employed person, it kind of feels like every day is a day off, but really, being told to take the week off has made me force myself to not think about work. All I'm thinking of is liquids, rest, and the hope of getting better.

Now, the downside to being sick is that there are some obligations I have that I have had to miss. I haven't been able to practice at football in weeks (although I am going to defy my doctor's orders and try to hit a practice or two this weekend), and I haven't been able to get back to yoga or any of the other things that keep me "in shape." The number on the scale at the doctor's office was enough to make me cry a little bit inside. But yet, I continue to get my liquids and rest. Because I am sick of being sick.

I did, however, defy my doctor's orders last night by going to my first salsa lesson. Back in April, for Mrs. Awesomebutt's birthday, I offered to take dance lessons with her. For me, I always like trying new things, but also knew that dance lessons certainly wouldn't hurt me in my progress as a budding football player.

Remember the 1985 Bears?



So I drugged myself up on cough medicine and headed down to Viscount Dance Studios with Mrs. Awesomebutt for our first Salsa lesson last night.

And let me tell you... that was a step in the right direction.

See, my problem has always been a lack of coordination when it comes to my feet, but already I feel lighter on my feet. The way that you are supposed to lower your core in Salsa will most definitely help me in my upper leg strength and in my agility.

It was only week 1, but I already feel the results. Maybe someday I will be that football superstar, after all. But for now, I'm going to get back into bed and drink some more liquids.

Aimee the bench sitter.

So the truth is, I have always been a bench sitter. All of my life.

I've been so used to it that I just stopped trying. At everything. Even fun stuff.

I see joining the Fighting Fillies as a way to press "restart" in my brain. Before I started football, I tipped the scales at nearly 375 pounds. I spent my nights at home, doing nothing except for stuffing my face. My first two years playing football were spent just trying to get into good enough shape to actually play a sport.

But now... now, I'm ready to play. I am faster, tougher, stronger, and leaner than I've ever been. I am on a team where I have to prove myself all over again, and this time, I'm ready.

I have taken away my option to quit. That was what always stopped me in the past. If I knew I could quit, I would. But I found my inner strength in the try-outs for the Fillies when I was one of two people who were able to complete the strength test. Body builders couldn't last 90 seconds, yet I could. That really opened my eyes to who I could be.

I'm ready to knock in some heads and do some damage. Are you ready to watch me?

Day ??? : I'm not numbering posts anymore.

How quickly I abandoned this blog... it wasn't because I lost interest in the Fillies, it was because I got SO BUSY with them (and my "day job") that I didn't even remember I had this blog. Then a few ladies from my team started blogs and I then remembered that I had this and that is where we are right now.

I am officially a Filly now. And I have my hat in the ring to be on the board of directors, since the Fillies have been set up as a 501(C)3 (that's means we're a non-profit, which makes it easier for our sponsors to donate money). I have also ramped up my workouts quite a bit.

Aside from the 2 nights a week of practice (that alone can kill me... I have yet to actually make it to the second night of practice in a week, because the first night has rendered me useless). I started taking Bikram Yoga classes, which has helped me work on my flexibility, strength, and focus. It also literally melts off the pounds, as 90 minutes of intense exercise in a 105-degree room tends to do. My girlfriend finally got her way and I started taking water aerobics with her, which, while not as intense as my other workouts, helps loosen everything up and gets the blood pumping. Soon, we will start our salsa lessons (footwork) and I am still considering doing the kettlebell thing... I just don't have the time!

I'm having a riot on the new team... getting to know a whole group of new people is always exciting for me. There are some tough-ass girls there, and I'm getting pummeled. I'm pretty sure I might have fractured my thumb, and yes I will go to the doctor before next practice. Mostly, I'm just excited all of the time.

Well, I have to get back to work on getting the Fillies web site up. So, more later... if I write more, someone will inevitably say, "yeah, but what about the web site?"

Workout achievements: Finishing a Bikram yoga class, going to water aerobics, a 3-mile walk with the dog
Resolutions: Stay active, sucka!

Day 3 : September 21, 2009

Welcome to Day 3. I think I'm getting sick. My day job is very frustrating, and stressful, and usually makes me sick after a harsh deadline. So yeah, swollen glands, achey body. Bleh.

Workout achievements: Staying in bed today.
Resolutions: Eat better when I'm stressed.

Day 2 : September 20, 2009

Hi, I'm Aimee. I run my own publishing development company by day. By night, I play football. Yes, real knock-em-on-their-asses football. Did you know that women's full-contact football actually existed? Most people don't.

When I started my football career, I weighed over 350 lbs. And my first year, just by moving around and wearing pads, I lost close to 100 lbs. Now I'm back up to, well, an estimate of 290. I haven't been on a scale in quite awhile, though. It could be more, it could be less.

I have played women's full-contact football for 2 years with the Portland Shockwave. This season, the Fighting Fillies came to town, and because I like a challenge (and because they pay for most of the expenses), it seemed like a good choice to move. Due to the crappy economy, a lot of girls were having to make the same decision... play for the Fillies or don't play at all. Football is an expensive sport, and semi-pro football is even more expensive, because of the cost of traveling and lodging. But most of us just love the game, and so while it was hard for me to say good-bye to the team that meant so much to me, I knew what my choice would be.

I do not have an aggressive gene in my body, BUT football is the only sport I have found that a big girl can play and succeed at. I have decided that this will be the year that I really put everything into my game. I want to be a force to be reckoned with, and I will be.

First, I will be joining a gym. The Fillies have a certified kettlebell trainer on the team, and discounts at her gym. The kettlebell training regimen seems VERY intense, but that's kind of what I'm looking for. In a strength test in the try-outs, only two of us were able to hold kettlebells out with our arms extended for 1:30. Most people pooped out at :30 to :45. I think I only lasted 1:30, because I was the first to go and the coach told me that we were supposed to last for 1:30. So even though it hurt like hell, I did my time and was surprised to find that only one other person could finish that test of strength.

I should mention that I actually can write words in an eloquent way. And really, I'm just sort of pooping out words here so I don't forget anything. My intention is to add in an introduction, rewrite this info, and so on. But I might not do it.

For now, I am going to use this blog to document my second rookie season. I'm treating it as if I have a lot to learn, because I do. And I'm writing it down so that maybe someone else can find some sort of inspiration in what I'm doing.

I am also using this to write down goals. I am goal-oriented, and that's how I roll.

So here's the listing:

Workout achievements: Contacted possible gym for working out
Resolutions: No more soda, learn how to drink water