Sk8 the State for MS Takes on Nebraska

This is the article I (Skinnerella) wrote about the Sk8 experience.

During the final week of August, the last of the dog days of summer, three roller derby teammates undertook the second annual Sk8 the State for MS. The trek across Nebraska was a grueling 216 miles from the Kansas border to Yankton, South Dakota, where the skate across South Dakota ended in 2010. After I helped out with last year’s fundraiser, the skaters invited me to be a full-fledged member of “Team Ironfeet” and skate with them this year. I was thrilled to be a part of such a wonderful event, and determined to make this year bigger and better than last.

Multiple Sclerosis, or MS, is a widespread central nervous system disease which can affect people of any race, age or gender, regardless of health or family history. Most commonly, MS sufferers lose control of their movements, sometimes losing the ability to move altogether. The mission of Sk8 the State for MS is to keep moving, skating across a different state each year, in an effort to bring greater attention and funding to the National MS Society.

In 2010, the inaugural year of Sk8 the State three Sioux City Roller Dames, Dani “Dubbs” Bock, Melissa “Mo Payne” Dittberner and Libby “PBR” Claeys skated across South Dakota. The 266-mile journey took eight days of hard skating across the low hills (though they don’t seem so low when you are skating over them) of Eastern South Dakota. The trip took a toll on the skater’s minds and bodies as well. 

“I had chunks missing from my heels by about day 3,” says Dubbs, “Every morning we had to get up two hours before we actually wanted to skate just so we could bandage up our feet.” 

Even with all of the prep, Dubbs’ feet bled through her bandages after the first ten miles.

“We learned how to take care of our feet,” says Mo Payne, “We had really nice skates from Vanilla, but didn’t realize that if you sweat through your socks, your feet are going to blister, no matter how comfortable your skates are.”

They also learned the importance of physical training and nutrition before the skate. For 2011, we took up a rigorous training regimen, which included group skating sessions on the very roads that we would skate during the fundraiser.  This was particularly helpful for me; since I didn’t skate with them last year, I really had no idea how different skating on a highway shoulder was from skating on a nice, shady trail. The asphalt radiates heat, making it feel 20 degrees hotter than it actually is. And shade is nowhere to be found.

 Potholes and gravel were expected hazards, but I didn’t know–until I hit one–that a tar patch will immediately stop your wheels, while your body keeps moving. I learned early on not to try to jump or step over every crack in the pavement; this breaks your stride and can hurt your knees and hips. We were incredibly lucky to have Atom as our wheel sponsor. They gave us all Pulse’s and their new outdoor wheel, Road Hogs, which are large enough to roll over cracks that would swallow a smaller wheel. 

After six months of training on roads, trails, in the gym, even in my bathroom, doing squats every morning while I brushed my teeth, I felt ready to tackle the highways of Nebraska. Then three weeks before the skate, after a night of strength training, I found that my left leg wouldn’t bear any weight. My doctor told me that I had torn my quadricep and would not be able to lace up my skates for four to six weeks. 

I spent a couple of days feeling stupid, thinking back over every weight, every exercise, every skipped stretch, and regretting not taking better care of myself. After some words of encouragement and support from my wonderful teammates, I resolved to remain active with Sk8 the State, going along with the other skaters as a support driver, pep-talker, blister bandager, foot masseur and anything else that they might need. It was heartbreaking watching them skate and struggle from behind a windshield, and wanting nothing more than to be out on the 113-degree road with them. But being there to support them, being ready with a snack, a band aid or a hydration drink before they even knew they needed it, helped me feel like I was still part of the team. 

 Mo, Dubbs and PBR skated  50-60 miles each day, splitting the skating into two or three long sessions to avoid the worst heat of the day. Instead of crawling into an air-conditioned hotel room and passing out after their long days of skating (which is what I would have done if I had been skating), we went out fundraising and spreading the word about the MS Society and their good work. Roller derby teams in Omaha, Lincoln and Norfolk, NE, who are usually our rivals on the track, organized fundraising events for Sk8 the State as we worked our way across Nebraska. These fundraisers accounted for some of our biggest donations, and we can’t thank our derby community enough for stepping up to help us fight MS.

The North-South skate was finished in 4 days, but we wanted to skate across our “home” bridge and right into Sioux City. We found a 5-mile trail from South Sioux City Nebraska to the bridge across the Missouri River and into Iowa. For the last 5 miles of the journey, we  invited members of our roller derby team, the men’s team, the Korn Stalkers and other skaters to join us. A dozen skaters rolled into Sioux City where we met our friends, family, teammates and many of the wonderful people who we came to know through the fundraiser. After an afternoon welcome home block party, Mo, Dubbs and PBR suited up for the Roller Dames’ home opener–a bout against the Norfolk Bruizin’ Bettys. After skating 216 miles, these three ladies were the first to take the track, with Dubbs and PBR blocking for Mo Payne, who was on the jam line. Tired and sore, they still owned the track and the Roller Dames won with a final score of 31-259. 

We have already started planning for next year’s skate, which will be across our home state of Iowa. When asked if they were going to skate across every state, PBR replied:

“Ask me again when I’m 70.”

For more information about next year’s skate and 

what you can do to help, you can follow us on Facebook (Sk8 the State for MS), Twitter (@Sk8theState) and our blog (sk8thestate.blogspot.com).

We stopped in Madison, NE for a rest, where we met Niko Gronenthal

 of the Madison Star-Mail, just one of many wonderful people we met on our journey.

 

 

 

 

 

Mo, PBR and Dubbs lead the way across the border into Iowa.

1-2-3-LEAP!

 

 

And PBR still has the energy to breakdance in the street.

"What? We're doing this AGAIN next year?!"

Sk8 Nebraska: Day 1

At the end of day 1, team ironfeet has covered the first 58 miles of Nebraska! That's a Sk8 the State record! Everyone we met--on the road and off--was incredibly friendly. We got thumbs instead of fingers, and nothing but love and support whenever we stopped.

The day started at the Hebron Riverside Motel (the nice hotel in Hebron) where the proprietors gave us a sweet discount. We drove 15 miles to the Kansas line, then skated back to Hebron for lunch where we met Tony and Lonnie at Subway. They made foot-longs for everyone, took some pictures and sent us on our way.

After the first 25 miles, we stopped to freshen the camel backs and met some more folks who wanted to learn about the cause and donate. After that, the mercury started to rocket, peaking at 113 degrees. The skaters kept skating and knocked out another 14 miles before we stopped for some much-needed ice cream.

We decided to take a long break and plank some stuff in the Geneva park (you haven't lived until you've planked a tank!). Once we got back on the road, the pace slowed a bit, but the skaters were still averaging 12 miles per hour. We rolled into the York Super 8 around 6 and immediately jumped into the ridiculously cold indoor pool, where Dubbs gave her road clothes an old-fashioned pond washin'.


Some showers were had by all, then we hit the only buffet in York and filled up on egg rolls and crab rangoon. We're all toes-up in bed now, getting rested for tomorrow's trek. We plan to make it to Columbus, maybe a little further, depending on how day 2 is treating the skaters.


Running Tally Bonus Round!!
Dead frogs: 4
Banana peels: 2
Bugs inhaled: 1
Miles skated: 58

It begins!

Skinnerella here, on pins and needles waiting for the van to pull up outside my house. Tonight we will drive down to Hebron, Nebraska, about 12 miles north of the Kansas border. The lovely lady at the Riverside Motel called a few minutes ago and, though she had planned on waiting up for us to arrive, when I told her that it would be 2 am (if we make good time), she decided she would just leave our room unlocked for us.

Why the late start? Why, the love of our lives, roller derby, of course! Mo, PBR and Dubbs were in Cedar Rapids last night bouting on a team of 7 against the Cedar Rapids Roller Girls. And our 7 Roller Dames came away victorious! Tonight the intrepid trio of skaters is reffing and coaching a Korn Stalkers' bout, hence our late start. The skaters will hopefully sleep in the van, then get a solid 4 hours before we get up and get skating tomorrow. If not sleep, I'm hoping that bristling excitement, a banjo-heavy ipod mix and granola will be enough keep them going. What more does a person need?

Meet and Greet Us!

Saturday, July 30, 7 pm, Dalton's Office: that is where anyone who is anyone who is skating across a state this summer will be! Our good friends at Dalton's (who are also hosting our kick-ass homecoming block party) are opening their bar to us for a night of fundraising fun. We'll be selling our day-glow t-shirts, orange wristbands and showcasing the Vanilla skates that we will auction off later this summer--it's all the swag you'll need to skate across your own state!

We'll also have info on our route, future sk8 events, skating the final 5 miles with us and, of course, the EPIC afterparty! So please come down to learn more and show your support. Find this event on facebook HERE.http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/event.php?eid=230370083647524

Free Comics @ Acme

We would like to thank the folks at Acme Comics and Collectibles for letting us set up an info table at Free Comic Book Day this past Saturday. We had a great time, met some lovely droids, storm troopers and Sith lords, and at the end of the day, Acme donated all of the funds raised from photo purchases to Sk8 the State for MS. Thanks again, Acme!

I swear, Libby talked to this droid for like an hour before she realized he was being remotely controlled by Darth Vader. Ooh, the Dark Side and their tricks!

How to Train to Skate a State

...or just be in better shape. The Sk8 the State training regimen will whip any body into better shape (seriously, I've got the man-arms to prove it). Most of the Sk8 team attends roller derby practice twice a week, which is a great full-body workout. In addition to that, every day we are doing 200 crunches, 200 squats and 100 push-ups, and also skating at least 40 miles per week outdoors.

I realize this sounds like a lot, but if you spread the activity over a full day and incorperate my patented Twizzlers-and-ice cream-based reward system, it goes by really fast (for obvious reasons, I'm going to get someone else to write the nutrition blog entry). I start my day with 10 push-ups on the side of my tub and 40 squats while I brush my teeth. Then after a healthy breakfast (Butterfingers and Mello Yello) I do a set of 50 crunches and 10 more push-ups.

Now, being that I'm a writer and not a "productive" member of society, it is easier for me to work crunches, squats and push-ups into my daily routine. What if, for example, you work in a law office? Well if you have a three-walled cubicle, the squats are easy; simply stand periodically and say: "Did a fax come in for me?" then bend at the knees, keeping your back straight, until you are in a position similar to sitting in a chair, stand again and say: "How about now? Did the fax come yet?" And repeat.

After just a few weeks, you'll notice a dramatic change in muscle tone and strength. And, if you follow the above procedure for working squats into your workday, your coworkers will stop asking you to lunch, which will help you shed some of those unwanted pounds.

Vanilla Skates and Bones Bearings Join the Sk8 the State Team

We're all on pins and needles waiting for our shipment of Vanilla Skates and Bones REDS bearings! You may remember, last year Vanilla sponsored the three skaters with brand new Brass Knuckles. Mo Payne, PBR and Dubbs not only sported those skates on the trek across South Dakota, but are still rocking them for roller derby. This year, most of us are going with the Vanilla Curves, which still have the custom b/d fit (narrow in the heel, wider in the toe) and some more cush and padding. These skates should make for a nice, comfy glide across Nebraska this year.

And what is going to keep our wheels rolling through the road dust and grit? Why, Bones REDS bearings, of course! Bones has offered to send each skater two sets of bearings to carry us across the state. I use REDS for derby and LOVE them! They roll just as smoothly as some ceramics I've tried and can withstand a ton of rough use (even if you aren't exactly diligent about cleaning and lubing your bearings regularly).

We couldn't be more thrilled to be working with these great sponsors! Our goal is to be able to give every cent donated directly to the National MS Society, which means that we need our gear, food and lodging and other such necessaries to be donated. Thanks to Vanilla and Bones, we're much closer to our goal! If you would like more info on becoming a sponsor or donating to the cause, you can comment here, look us up on facebook or email sk8thestate@hotmail.com.

Hugs and Kisses,
Amelia "Skinnerella" Saint