Cross-training for derby

When I joined the Denver Roller Dolls, many of my running buddies asked if they thought it was helping my running. Actually, I think it’s moreso that my running has given me some great advantages in derby!

1) Killer quads. After 24 marathons, my quads don’t mind “speed skater position” for 2 minute drills!

2) Endurance. Again – I can sustain a 174bpm heartrate for close to four hours. Our practices are “only” two hours!

3) Awareness. I realized this benefit during the Boston Marathon. When you’re running in a crowd of 20,000 runners, you’re watching for those gaps, and accelerating, decelerating and moving laterally to move forward. I think these are the same skills that help a jammer move though the pack!

Photo credit: Kansas City Star