Beat up

It's been a rough week, physically. Tuesday and Wednesday I felt as though I'd been in a fight. My body hurt everywhere and I could barely walk (well I could walk but with a wobble). It was all because of Monday night; I started playing soccer again. And because I've barely ran since... oh last October, my body practically went into shock. Monday night, at 4am, I woke up to find my right ankle swollen and pounding. I guess I sprained it sometime during the game, but didn't notice until I'd been off of it for several hours. That's what I get for not physically preparing at all.

My new soccer team, Ajax United, plays every Monday night at a nearby sports complex (a half hour from our apartment- that is nearby) in Glendale. The teams are all women (no more co-ed for me) and we have a coach. The coach proved to be one of the biggest challenges of all. He has a comment or an opinion about every play, every move... and guess what? I disagree with his theories and game plan. So I spent the first half arguing with him about different plays and hopelessly watching my team get scored upon. Finally, the second half, my amazing ability to ignore people came into play and I promise I didn't hear another word out of his mouth the entire last half hour. I don't know how I do it... but something changes inside my head and I become so focused on the game I can't hear anything outside of it. No matter how loud they yell. I mastered this with my father quite well. He finally gave up trying to call out advice after he realized I had no intentions of ever listening and beyond that, I just couldn't. I love that mode of play that comes over me; it confirms that I am focused and engaged in the game and that I really want to play. If I can hear you, I'll not really playing.