I’m getting older. Looking back, this has been going on for just about my entire life.
Have a think: it might be happening to you, too.
My body is not as resilient as it used to be, and there are regularly a couple of aches or strains that wouldn’t have been a problem 20, 10 or even 5 years ago. The irritating thing about with these minor injuries is that they happen more often, they take longer to heal, and they are more likely to reoccur if you’re not careful.
But I’m also getting more sensible about getting older, and so I am being more careful.
I spotted this Unspiration-style image online, this morning.
Brilliant.
And it resonated. My hamstring isn’t exactly killing me (that was last week, lol!), but it isn’t quite 100% either. Still, I want to play some football and it’s annoying that I can’t. A few years ago, not playing wouldn’t have even been a consideration. And indeed, I could go back this evening and give it a go, and it might go well. But then also, it might go twang, and then I’d be out for n weeks or even longer.
The temptation to play is strong though, and so that sensible bit of me was looking out for a way to convince myself not to. And then the call came through that the MBCC dinner was likely to be moved forward by a day, and the decision – which was 95% made anyway – was rubber-stamped, popped into a brown envelope, and ceremoniously sealed.
A couple more days looking after the leg with kid gloves (arguably the best goat-based products I’ve ever bought) will undoubtedly do it a lot of good, especially when compared to 40 minutes of 5-a-side. Add in some helpful protein molecules this evening, and hopefully (because you can never be completely sure), it’ll be absolutely ready to go for next week, and won’t choose to break when I give it a run out.
Let’s hold thumbs.
But not too tightly: you’ve got to take care of those ulnar collateral ligaments at this sort of age.