Sunday, April 19, 2009

Every Single Year

I went to try out for a local co-ed softball team today. Three hours of practice today, and more on Tuesday. It was fun! No, really. I very much enjoyed myself, but I am continually amazed that I have to relive the same pain every season during the first couple of practices until my arm gets up to speed. It’s worthy of a 10 Things Tuesday post, but I'm posting it early because it's late and this is what's in my brain. Here they are: Ten things that hurt the first time in any given year that I do them.

1. Putting on cleats. Actually, this hurts twice a year--once for softball and once for soccer. It’s not the putting them on so much that hurts, though. It’s the blisters I get after the first practice.

2. Playing soccer. It used to be the running that killed me. That’s gotten better some since I’ve started training for triathlons. Now it’s the overuse of my left leg (the one that does all the long kicks). I feel it in my hip now in a way I never used to, and I get it no matter how long I warm up. It goes away after the second or third practice, but I have learned not to kick too much or too hard in the early part of the soccer season. Of course, I don’t have to worry about that for the foreseeable future…

3. Riding my bike. That first ride, no matter how far, no matter how much padding I wear, always leaves my ass sore. It’s like the calluses just melt, and quickly! A month off the saddle, and it’s like I haven’t sat in it for 10 years. What the crap?!

4. Throwing a softball. As mentioned above, it never fails that the first couple of days of intense practice will cause my triceps and shoulder to throb. It’s not incapacitating if I’m good about warming up beforehand, but I have had that uncomfortable twinge remind me some years that I am not giving adequate love to my arm during “spring training”.

5. Doing yard work. Why does turning the compost pile or raking leaves kick my ass like it does? Am I getting old? Don’t answer that.

6. Running more than 5k. [knock on wood] I’ve been doing well in the early part of the tri season on this. My last run was 3.5 miles (5.5k), and I ran it in decent time with no soreness or blistering. I’m certain that my 5.5 mile run later this week will not go so well.

7. Shoveling snow. Snow is not supposed to be heavy. It’s supposed to be light and fluffy. It should, therefore, not put my in traction to shovel it. I’ve taken this up with Mother Nature. She says life’s a bitch, and to suck it up.

8. Lifting weights. I’m sure that if I did this regularly all year long, this wouldn’t be a problem, but I don’t. I do well for a couple of months at a stretch, then move on to something else until I realize I’ve neglected it, then I go back and start my regimen from scratch, at step one (that’s where I’m at now).

9. Spend time in the sun. I never used to burn. Then I moved to Las Vegas. Now I burn, and that shit hurts! How am I supposed to get an even tan if I have to wear sunscreen all the time? All I ever get anymore on my legs is a weird looking pattern that is a combination of cycling shorts, soccer socks and sandals, all at the same time. I’m a freak! Well, ok. I am anyway, but I shouldn’t have to advertise it through my tan lines!

10. Cleaning out the mudroom. This is more of a psychic hurt than a physical one. Also included in this category are cleaning out of the basement, the front entryway and the Tupperware drawer.

2 comments:

Mrs. Chili said...

You know it's only Monday, right?

JRH said...

Aaaaahhhhh... The Tupperware drawer! I feel your pain!