Well Hello Sore Muscles!!

Yesterday was another repeat of the day before.  Another grueling afternoon running around the playground playing frisbee football with a bunch of rambunctious Jr. High kids that don't hold back for anything.

When I woke up yesterday morning, I was a little sore.  Nothing major, but I could feel that I had done some kind of activity the day before that my muscles weren't used to.  By the afternoon, I'd worked out all of the kinks from my system, and I was ready to go for another round.

Being that the kids had learned the rules and were ready to get straight in to the game, there wasn't as much time for me to relax during yesterday's games.  Throw that in with the class times being 45 minutes instead of 30 minutes a piece, and I got a darn good work-out by the end of the day.

So good, in fact, that by the time I got home, I had to slowly get out of the car and very carefully walk to the nearest chair... because my body was screaming at me.

I hobbled my behind inside to put on my bathing suit, and to the pool I went.  Although, this time, I just knew there wouldn't be any swimming.  My arms, legs, and back were all in major need of ice.  The next best thing was my pool.  I got in, painfully pulled myself on to a pool lounger, and floated around semi submerged letting the cool water take away my pain.

It did a really good job of it, too.  Once I got out of the pool, I felt a lot better and a lot less sore.  

Of course, once I got out of bed this morning?  Yeah...my body is telling me that I'm doing something right.  

I know the difference between pain and sore muscles.  I have sore muscles... lots of them.  Arms.  Legs.  Back.  

It's a soreness I remember all too well.  I've had this type of soreness before... back when I put myself through a gym boot camp.  I worked muscles I didn't even know I had back then...and it's all coming back to me now that I'm living through frisbee football.

Even though I'm not spending my evenings going through a tough obstacle course of climbing and jumping, frisbee football offers it's own version of an obstacle course.  Six foot tall 7th and 8th grade boys.  While most of them are a little apprehensive about being so rough with their teacher (and a woman to boot), they still give me a pretty good run for my money.  They won't tackle me or try to throw me to the ground (most of them, anyway) but that doesn't mean I won't do the same to them.  Trying to run through a wall of Jr. High boys is like trying to run right through a brick wall.  

I know that my arms are screaming at me this morning because of the boys I tried to push myself past yesterday.  I know my legs are screaming at me from running up and down the field.  I know my back is screaming at me from ducking and diving to avoid these giant children or to get around them....and from actually being tackled to the ground by the few boys that don't see anything wrong with taking their female teacher to the ground.  

And regardless how hard the game is - I haven't laughed or enjoyed myself this much in so long.  I definitely don't look at it as a work-out.  It's just pure, invigorating fun.  Which is exactly what I was looking for in an exercise.  

I found myself staring at the clock all morning yesterday, just counting down the minutes until I could get outside and start playing.  And when the afternoon finally did arrive, I found myself feeling disappointed when the time was up with one class and I had to stop long enough to go fetch my next class.  I also got pretty frustrated if it took too long to pick teams...because all I wanted to do was to just get out there and get the game started.

I think the last time I had this much fun or felt this excited about being active was when I did the boot camp.  And, honestly, I'm more excited and I'm having more fun with frisbee football.  

It seems weird that a week ago I just kept telling myself I only had to put in 2 weeks...and that I could get through it regardless of how much I wasn't liking it.  Just one week later, I'm disappointed that we only have a week left.  I could do this all summer long!

As sore as I am this morning, it won't deter me from getting right out there today.  Once again, I can't wait.  

In fact, it's time to get to getting right now...

Till next time!

Joanna

a/k/a Mad, Fat Woman