I enjoyed a decent workout this morning with my tennis buddy, M.E., at the Crosstown LTF. We cruised through a set (I played OK, but got clobbered 6-2) and then shot some hoops for about a half hour. Then it was back to the courts for another 45 minutes of whacking the ball around (I think I lost 5-3, or something like that) before we knocked off for the day.
This sort of cross-training works way different muscle groups, and I’m really feeling it tonight in my knees and back. Tennis doesn’t generally do that to me, but basketball is another story.
You may recall an earlier post in which it appeared that whole competitive basketball thing had been left for dead. Well, M.E. now is talking about re-joining our old basketball buddies for their weekly two-hour game (the first of which convenes tomorrow night), thus the sudden interest in hooping it up this morning. Unlike our earlier shoot-around, this morning I really felt pretty good. I was hitting those little 18-footers like the old days and feeling pretty comfortable with the ball in my hands. Still, I’m a little ambivalent: On the one hand, I haven’t played competitively for seven years. On the other hand, I haven’t played competitively for seven years. You get the idea. So I thought it might help if I listed the pros and cons:
Pros:
• It would be interesting to see if I can still compete after seven years of retirement.
• It’s always a great cardio workout.
Cons:
• I could sprain one or both
of my ankles.
• I could wrench my back.
• I could blow out my one
gimpy knee.
• I could blow out my one
good knee.
• I could dislocate one or
more fingers.
• I could break my nose.
• I could develop some great
new blisters.
• I could really suck.
So, of course, I’m leaning toward heading over to the gym tomorrow night and letting it all hang out. Getting back on the court holds some allure simply because I’d like to see how much I’ve lost as compared with how much these other old guys have lost. And I do like the game. It’s just that, well, it could be the dumbest thing I’ve done in a long time (and that’s saying something).
I guess I’ll just see how I feel tomorrow night. Maybe the universe will give me a sign. Like if I can’t walk or something…
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