Start of a new (busy) season

Tuesday was the first official practice of the Fall 15's rugby season, and it was nice to come away uninjured. Small victories! I seem to open up the same cut in the same location on the same knee, and looks like it should split nicely on Thursday when we start tackling.

After taking time off from the spring season to focus on trail running, I knew I wanted to come back in the Fall. I've been working hard the past month with Crossfit, as well as increasing my running the last few weeks, to help get me in shape. My sprinting and short speed could still use some work, and I never know how to prepare my body to take the pounding of 80 minute matches.

It's too early to make any predictions on how the teams will do (we have enough people to have a competitive Div 1 and Div 2 team as well as a 'friendly C side), or even what position I'll play, but I think we'll have another good year. It helps that a number of the players have trained with and/or played with the Eagles and others are represented on MARFU All-star team, so we're able to practice against good players. Doing that just makes you, and everyone around you, a better player and a better team.

I'm excited to get going and look forward to playing in a handful of matches this year. I'll miss the first tournament as well as the first matrix match due to a couple races and a wedding, but I'm hoping the season lasts until early November, which is when Nationals are slated to be held.

I look at the calendar of events that my GF and I have set up in Google, and just about every day of the week is colored 'blue', which signifies some sort of event of mine that I have added- Crossfit, yoga, Pilates, and rugby. Anything my GF enters is in 'red'. There isn't a lot of red there, but she does go to Pilates and yoga. The striking thing about the calendar isn't now colorless it is, but how FULL it is. The only day where nothing is listed is Friday, but that doesn't mean nothing is done that day. I'll probably run or bike in the morning, my GF will go for a long walk with her dog, and I might swim after work. And there's always weekend prep to be done on Friday - bottles to be filled, sandwiches made, hydration bladders filled, clothes packed - for weekend runs/hikes. It doesn't seem so busy until you put in on paper, but this is how we operate.

Sometimes I don't understand the meaning of "down time" or "built-in free day". It might go back to the days when I had my first job out of school in Ann Arbor, MI. A few months after starting, I picked up a PT job at Whole Foods stocking shelves. Why? For something to do on the weekends. Some things don't change. But at least I've learned the difference between 'busy' and 'over extended'. And with that little bit of clarity, I've decided not to row this fall for the head race season.

Things will really start picking up in September, but I'm looking forward to getting out of town for a few days for some R&R before things get too busy.