Post-Conditioning Condition

Conditioning for rugby has started. Now, I knew it would be hard to get back in shape.

I just didn't know how much pain I'd be in.

All in all, I'm not doing too poorly as far as running and whatnot goes. Force of will and muscle memory from my distance track days tends to keep me in front of the middle of the pack. I'm not up near the front of everyone, but I'm in front of the pack on the run-as-far-as-you-can-in-such-and-such-a-time things. Stairs are another matter, mainly because I forgot my knee braces the first time we did them. Ouch to the fourth power. I didn't walk so well after that. But today when we did them, during the last set I was beating my partner, who whupped my butt last time. We've also done some intense ab work, core body work, and arm work (the arm work tends to turn out well; at least I've retained something of my shoulder strength).

What this means is not that I'm making a pitiful showing as far as conditioning is going. What it means is that I have been without a fully functional muscle system since Tuesday. More or less any movement causes pain, my walk after sitting for long periods is very jerky, standing still and upright for more than a few minutes hurts my back, I can't kneel down--or even crouch--without collapsing, my shoulders ache, and I think my Achilles tendon is hurting (it seems too low to be my calf muscle proper). Laughing hurts, climbing stairs when not at high speed REQUIRES a handrail (mainly so I can lay on top of it), and stretching is my new favorite pasttime.

So see, it's not that I can't do what is being asked of me. It's just that my body greatly protests what my mind and will are putting it through.

The good news: I go to bed at a reasonable hour because I crash early and I have scheduled all my homework to be finished, or nearly so, before practice. And the weekend starts after eleven o'clock tomorrow (practice is from 9-11:00 :D). I can start recooperating then.