Hannah Abelbeck; Mount Joy, PA 

Looking back at the "old me:"
I was really active before I moved here. I walked or biked everywhere and went for hikes of 1, 2, or 3 hours over difficult terrain for fun. But when I moved to the Lancaster area and took a job in Hershey, I had a 30 minute car commute, and 8-9 hours a day at a desk. It was brutal. After 6 months, I had gained 20-30 pounds. I hadn't made many friends either, since most of my coworkers lived in Harrisburg.

It wasn't just about fitness. It was about the fabric of my life here.

I decided to make a healthy change in my life:
I decided to join the Dutchland Rollers in December, after catching enthusiasm for derby from a friend in another town. Besides the fact that I love skating and wanted to be more active, I wanted to meet other adventurous people. I was also drawn to the derby movement's DIY attitude. It wasn't just about fitness. It was about the fabric of my life here.

How I reached my goal:
I am not completely unathletic, but I am pretty clumsy. I showed up to as many practices as I could, and I made great progress for me, feeling faster, stronger, and more agile than I had in awhile (except on those days where I was too sore to walk down stairs!).

How I feel today:
This past year has been difficult, as I've suffered a series of random and unfortunate physical events--starting with seriously spraining an ankle while dancing and a minor motor scooter accident--that kept me off skates and out of competition during most of 2012. But staying involved with the league has helped motivate me to focus on the value of serious rehabilitation. Even little things, like doing cardio drills at practice, working on league projects and events, and participating in our 6 week fitness challenge (now in week one!), have kept me active and setting new goals for myself.

My advice for others:
Pick a routine, and stick with it. Give it your all while you're doing it. Most people are social animals and motivated by others.

If you aren't achieving your goals alone, sometimes it helps to achieve them with others.

But one thing that is great about Dutchland is that we can observe these sort of stories--of goals and expectations, of struggle and transformation--in each other.

Explore other Success Stories on our site below and share your own story here!

Success stories:

• "I found my support:" Stephanie lost 84 pounds and ran 4 half marathons
• Read Janice Balmer’s success story: “Wellness means quality of life”
• Tommy Tran shares his story: "I'm being healthy for my future"
• Mike Silvestri's success story: "Saying 'yes' is my motivation"