My legs were really aching last night, well specifically my right one, and it’s all over kind of aching, the quads, the hams, the calf (upper, lower), around the knee. I think that gimp leg has just been pushed to its limit. I took some ibuprofen and managed to sleep by around 1am. I didn’t walk much at all on Friday- just to the train and back, out a little at lunch. Trying to stay off it and do some stretches but let it recover. Well that paid off – this morning it felt like new. Did some tip toe stretches and bends. I have to keep doing phys. therapy until it’s really back up there with the left leg.
Cool link re: stretching
http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_1/126.shtml#wallpush
Incredible inspirational story… this woman has really done amazing things!
http://www.wwdiva.com/
Thinking of my game – I think I get judged a little harshly (harsher?) than other players because since I’m tall I’m in situations that other players aren’t in. Usually my temmates preface things with “since you’re tall…” you should do XYZ. It’s an interesting situation, at once you’re resented because you have a physical attribute that is such an advantage in the game, then you’re promoted to situations/opportunities that are way beyond your skill. My big play that I want to get (and related to the personal fouls) is knocking the ball out once it’s left the shooter’s hands- I’ve seen some of my teammates do this by jumping right at the point of release. I have seen it miss more than make it of course! First order of business is getting stronger legs- hopefully if I have shin splits I can let them heal and strengthen the leg, it’s a tough gambit.
Thinking a lot lately about how we used and abused our bodies as adolescents. Talking with 2 guys on the team – kean and karl- about misspent youth. There were tons of time sitting on your bed staring at a rock poster commisserating with the depressing Smiths lyrics, instead of going to basketball practice. A couple of things come out of this for me: as one of them said (Kean?)- that was important time spent doing unimportant things, but that’s time well spent in a way, you need your angst/reflection time as a teen. Then, if I did go full into it I may have really busted knees and would not be able to enjoy the joys of adult jockhood. Lastly, you can’t really resent or regret the past, as it got you to where you are now. Deep thoughts, from Jack Handy.
Guy at work, Steve, and I were joking about how we would do things as kids, like play basketball all morning have a candy bar, then go back to playing all night. He said he had a recovery time of 24 hours. No matter how you bang yourself up, you could just spring back the next morning. Recovery time, if I’m in shape, is more like 2 days. It’s hard becuase with work and everything, I have to drag myself into the gym to do workouts. I also lose muscle mass quicker (as I age). I remember a friend in college played basketball one morning, threw up, then continued playing. Ah, the joys of youth. At least in my advancing years I appreciate what my body does, whereas as a young’un I just had this expectation that of course it could do all of these amazing things, why couldn’t it?