Sore!

OUCH!

Halfway through the workout, I knew I was in trouble. I was feeling that intense muscular fatigue that you know will only get worse. As I left the gym and felt my legs spasm and collapse slightly on the TWO steps out of the gym, my brain sighed in resignation. I tried to avert it.  Yesterday (the day after) I  worked out  but took it easy, in the hopes of flushing out my muscles and avoiding the inevitable. But it's, here, the day after the day after and I can't move.

For those of you who don't exercise, a metaphor. It's like getting a cold. That first day you have a sore throat and you're a little tired, you don't feel too bad, but you know you're going to get sick. You can't do anything to stop it and you know there will be days of suffering. Intense muscle fatigue is like that. With Crossfit, I have various muscle aches and pains throughout the week. Fatigue moves around my body as the week progresses and we do different exercises. But usually it's just dull aches. This movement limiting soreness is a different beast.

At various times in my athletic career I have decided to run stairs. Running stairs is great when your body is adjusted, but when you first start it's hell. It always feels okay that first day, while you're doing it, but you know, two days later you won't be able to sit or stand or walk up and down stairs. You'll want to use the handicap stall in the bathroom so you can lower yourself with your arms not your legs.  Even if you try to take it easy that first day, you can't stop the inevitable, there will be a couple days when regular day to day movement becomes impossible! That's where I am now.

So today, I'd love to do some yard work. Vacuum. Walk the dog without looking like Frankenstein. Hell, I'd even like to get in and out of the car. Instead, all I can think about is lying flat on my back completely still. I suppose I should look at the bright side, think of how strong I'll be - tomorrow (or the next day)!