That Was, In a Word, Stupid.

My body is revolting against me, and for good reason. First, some back story... When I was in high school, and during summers when I was in college, a large group of us from Big Horn and Sheridan would get together once, sometimes twice a week, to play Ultimate Frisbee. The games at home usually took place on the high school’s football field, the local polo fields, or a city park. There wasn’t ever a whole lot of strategy, and strategy was generally looked down upon and the games lasted for several hours. For Christmas one year brother-in-law P and his sisters made the regulars Big Horn Ultimate Frisbee sweatshirts. I liked playing Frisbee a lot; it is one of the only sports I feel like I’m decent playing.

This past Sunday was a beautiful day: sunny, a little breezy, and warm…bordering on hot at times. Sister J and brother-in-law P are in a competitive Ultimate Frisbee league that plays every Sunday. When I was their tenant, I used to go with J and P to watch the games, and during the summer league I subbed for some of the girls on the team a couple of times. Early last week J had asked if I wanted to sub in one of their games. The spring and fall leagues are harder than the summer league, so I was a little weary, but because I had been to so many games and knew enough of the team I didn’t feel completely uncomfortable subbing for them.

As I previously mentioned, Sunday was gorgeous, and probably the hottest day of the year so far. I should also mention that I’m not really in-shape. I work an office job. I no longer have access to free rec centers. My running shoes are very old. All of these are excuses, albeit poor ones, for why I haven’t been exercising at all lately. Frisbee requires a surprising amount of running and agility, both of which I’m very rusty.

With all of this in mind, here’s what happened to me on Sunday and why my body is still making me pay for my lack of common sense. I ended up playing not one, but two games, back to back, during the hottest part of the day. There are two key things I should have done before I started playing Frisbee. 1.) put on sunscreen 2.) warm up a lot. Because neither of these things happened my arms and upper back are sunburnedbeyond belief and my legs are more stiff and sore than they’ve ever been. I hurt…everywhere. My skin hurts, I was forced to sleep on my stomach last night to avoid my back from feeling like it was on fire from making contact with my sheets. Even though I’m walking to work, my muscles are still swimming in lactic acid when I sit at my desk during the day. I hobble, limp and try to avoid letting my back and arms make contact with anything. In short, it’s pathetic.

I really can’t figure out why I neglected to put on sunscreen and do a few more stretches or do a couple laps around the park before I took on competitive Frisbee again. I’d like to think that I’m smart, but sometimes I really have to wonder where they hell my brain is taking a vacation, because it’d be nice if I was there with it. If it’s in Fiji or Bora Bora sipping Mai Tais I would like to be there enjoying it too. Sitting on my couch with my bottle of aloe vera and ibuprofen close by is no day at the beach. I want my Mai Tai!