Training for Endurance

Prior to the current foray into roller derby, I have only ever been an endurance athlete.  I've run distance my whole life, I swam distance in high school and I worked in a lumber mill during the summers in college.  OK, so working in a lumber mill isn't exactly a sport but literally throwing around 2x4's for 12 hour shifts 4-5 days a week definitely counts for endurance.
I love endurance for a couple of reasons.  One is paradigm.  For instance if I were to say, "hey!  I can run 11 minute miles!"  You would probably think to yourself, "wow.  That is neither fast nor impressive."  However if I were to say, "hey!  I can run 21 consecutive 11 minute miles in 85 degree weather!"  You would probably think to yourself "wow.  21 miles is really far.  That's kind of amazing," and forget that whole 11 minute mile thing.  Not that my entire purpose in sports is to impress other people but since prior to derby I never considered myself to be particularly fast, agile, reflexive or coordinated I always contented myself with the knowledge that I can outlast anyone. 
I also love endurance because I think it's dramatic.  Most people would disagree with me on this point and instead use the word 'boring.'  I guess the way I think about it is that there comes a moment when you don't feel you can continue, but you do.  And then that point comes again... but you keep going.  The mental battle prevails in distance events.  It's the ability to weigh your body's wants versus it's needs and to be able to discern the difference between when you're just hurting and when you're injured.  If you can find the edge or that sweet spot where you're pushing at exactly the right intensity then you can ride it all day and it feels amazing.
So, how do you train for endurance?  A lot of ways, but I'd start with asking an Ironman.  In case you didn't know, the Ironman triathlon is a 140.6 mile race consisting of a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and a 26.2 mile run (marathon).  These are people who know how to push their bodies without over training or repetitive use injury and if you happen to know one, pick their brain about what they do.  The general consensus seems to be that endurance isn't just about what you can do today.  It's about what you can do today, and tomorrow, and next week, on and on and on. 

This is an example of what an Ironman's mileage buildup looks like, week by week. 

While we aren't measuring miles in derby and can't quite do the same thing, if you want to improve your derby endurance, or just skate more in general, this might be a good plan to follow.  When I was building up to skating 7 sessions a week I would add one session a week, drop the intensity for all the sessions and then build up that intensity over the next couple of weeks before adding another session.  At some point you will hit your maximum amount of skate time (or cross training time) at which point you can work on increasing the overall intensity of your workouts.
Be patient, start with less than you think you need, and pay attention to your body.  Any injury you feel now will only get worse with more exercise so address it as soon as it presents itself.  If you find that you're exhausted all the time or that you have a whole week or more that you really just don't feel like skating, fuck the schedule and take a break.  It takes a long time to come back from over training and skating should feel like fun, not like work.
In Other News
<sigh>  I hate Seattle when it snows.  4 days of cancelled practices is bad news bears.  So, no skate report today but...
X-Training
Carmen Getsome DVD
2 X 30 Pushups
<originally posted on 1.19.12>