Not “not bulletproof” literally. I think I knew that already, without the need for any risky experimentation.
But since I got training again after that dirty foul mistimed tackle at the end of November, I have been working hard and feeling good. My Discovery fitness age is down into the 20s, my running speed is back to where it should be, and my stamina is definitely on the up as well.
Yesterday morning, I cycled 10km uphill on the static bike, did a HIIT workout, some resistance work and some weights. All went well and I would even have done more, had time allowed.
Then, about an hour later, I BENT DOWN IN THE KITCHEN and my back was like:
…and seized up completely. Cue a lot of pain, some lying down and some good drugs.
Thank goodness the football was good, or it would have been a truly awful day.
Mark Twain once told us:
Do not complain about growing old. It is a privilege denied to many.
But I’m not complaining about growing old. I’m complaining about the things that happen as I grow old.
Technically, this is a completely different thing.
Look, I’m already on the mend, but while my back has clearly taken a bit of a metaphorical hit, that’s nothing compared to what it’s done to my confidence. Because I am about as fit as I have been for the last n years, and if I can temporarily paralyse myself by just stooping to pick something out of a pot drawer, then what happens when I actually do something actually energetic? Yeah, yeah, I’m aware it’s just an age thing, but when you’re actively taking every step to protect yourself and it still happens?
That’s concerning.
And – just to confuse matters – why didn’t the back thing happen while I was lifting or bending or bouncing (or whatever) in the gym? Why wasn’t that a problem? Because it really wasn’t. In fact, it felt great. There wasn’t even a hint of a sign of a twinge or pull or anything.
Nada.
Dololo.
I was (metaphorically) bulletproof.
And then suddenly: pew pew, and I was completely broken. [sad trombone]
So. A couple of days off, and maybe a visit to the physio to get an all clear to exercise (or get something out of a drawer) again. Because we’re supposed to be just a fortnight away from getting back to football, and I really can’t be doing with this sort of thing happening again.