Softball Doom!

Well, the sport finally got the best of me. After arriving at the field last night while the first game was finishing up, I stretched (which I NEVER do!) in preparation for game 2. Nathan stuck me at 2nd base and I was hoping to see some action. Much to my demise, while going to the base for a play, I felt a burn in my upper thigh. "Just stretched it a little", I thought, and went on playing. During the second inning, the burning got a little more intense. Now, John, my loving husband, was saying, "You need to sit out, you are going to hurt it more, tell Nathan to put someone else in to bat for you". "ARE YOU CRAZY????!!!!!" My competitive heart was saying to just 'shake it off', so up to bat I went. Can I be honest with you before the painful start comes? . . that was the WRONG move to make. Hind sight is 20/20 though, right? OK, up to bat. If I walk, they can put a runner in for me (which, again, my loving husband had already arranged with the coach) First pitch, STRIKE! Oh no, I have to swing, I absolutely WILL NOT be struck out. Second pitch, ball; o.k. this is good. Third pitch--it's a good one, I gotta take it--HIT to the short stop. As soon as I put my foot down to run and took that lunge, it was over with. I didn't even wait to see if he caught it or not, I headed straight to the dugout. I was officially done. I have never had such intense pain and burning in one part of my body that lasted with absolutely no relief. It felt like my upper thigh was on fire and it radiated to my hip and down to my foot. It hurt to touch, move, LOOK AT! I would rather birth 3 more children. . .at least that pain gives a few rest periods and you have a reward at the end. John, being the great doc. that he is, helped me get around, brought me ice for it and was my 'moral' support (i.e.-sit and don't get up--act your age!) Today has been a little less painful. I definitely still know that it is there, but I'm trying to 'shake it off', be a good sport about it--even though at some moments I just want to cry. Needless to say, I guess I won't be playing next week, but perhaps the week after that I'll get to go back on the field **don't tell John!** :-)

Frisbee Golf

We went to play frisbee golf (disc golf) at Jenny Wiley State Park last Saturday. It's not quite as easy as it looks. . .very challenging, but we had fun. The course even takes you through the woods! It's worse than real golf! If you haven't had the chance to try this sport, I recommend it.

Kickin' in to exercise mode. . . .

Our church, Fitzpatrick Baptist, put together a softball team a few weeks ago and somehow, we (John and I) found our way on the field. After doing some math, I figure it has been a good 10 years since I've swung a bat or thrown a softball. Nonetheless, I was excited to be able to relive some youthful years. My body on the other hand, didn't take to kindly to the news that it was going to be stretched in places that haven't even THOUGHT about stretching in years. The first practice wasn't too bad. . .it was the aftermath and the next morning. John and I both sounded like two feeble old people trying to crawl and wiggle ourselves out of bed. The moans could have been heard on the West Coast they were so loud and agonizing. The first game that we were able to make it to was last Thursday night. We had FINALLY gotten all the soreness worked out of our tired bodies, only to be going back for more punishment. Our bodies were yelling "NO!", but our hearts and minds were yelling "YES, I CAN DO IT!!!" We ended up winning one game and losing one game (not bad for a bunch of ol' amateurs). The pain this time was not immediate. It held off until we at least got home. Sitting in the truck for the 30 minute ride home, we got stiff, so we moaned getting out of the truck and made our way into the house, took showers and went straight to bed--visualizing how painful getting out of bed would be the next morning. I mean, you always play harder during a game than practice, so we were sure to be in more agonizing pain this go around than before. Not necessarily the case. It wasn't quite so bad the next morning. Not that we were hopping and skipping around the house or anything, but our morning moans could only be heard maybe in Missouri this time, rather than the coast of California. We decided we did so good after the game we would try frisbee golf on Saturday with the kiddos. It was fun. . .challenging, but fun. Gradually we have been working out all of the soreness from our muscles that have long awaited their awakening. Although I might not be able to run as fast as I once could, or do flips in the air. . . I can still hang with my age group on the field :-)