VERTICAL PAIN

I'm guilty. I fooled myself into thinking I was in great shape.

...after all, I run 5+ miles every other day. I lift weights. Watch my diet...

Surely I can go play a few games of basketball without any problems right? In a 35 and older league where, being 35, I'd have to be one of - if not the - youngest person. Some of the players had gray hair. Others had more braces or wraps covering different parts of their bodies than NOT covered.

Nah, shouldn't be a problem.

Right?

Except...I'm in pain this morning. Hell, I was in pain the moment I left the court last night and limped to my car. I feel like that kid in Shel Silverstein's 'Sick' poem. You know, the one with the litany of problems spelled out as to why she can't go to school:

"My hip hurts when I move my chin,My belly button's caving in,My back is wrenched, my ankle's sprained,My 'pendix pains each time it rains."

My back is most certainly wrenched. And the back of my legs haven't been sore like this in awhile.

This is my first experience in a 35+ league and here is one observation that jumps out: there is a lot more leaning that takes place. By that, I mean, generally speaking, men this age aren't as spry and,when you come anywhere near the basket, like to lay their elbows on you, apply body weight, and try and pin you to the floor. The basketball equivalent of the sleeper hold. And that is tough on the back.

The other observation last night is that you cannot take a year off from playing and expect to JUMP again. I could not even jump high enough for simple lay-ups. They were a struggle. I hit the bottom of the rim on a couple which is pretty embarrassing. That's why a lay-up is also called a "gimme" or "bunny". You're supposed to make them. Easily.

Basketball is a game of quick spurts and quick stops and turns. Running, obviously, involves continuous, almost static, forward motion. And no jumping. It is very horizontal.

My horizontal is fine. The vertical, well, that's another matter.

The 5 miler tonight should be interesting.