Monday, January 2, 2012

Reporting from the B Team



I wasn't going to write today, but I am hostage beneath a bag of ice, and none of you fuckers are entertaining me on Facebook. 

I was invited out for a drink with a good friend, and I really wanted to go raise a glass to the most painful week of my life, but I am in too much pain.  Long story short, my left shoulder is mush and yesterday I had a nasty spasm in my right mid-back that has resulted in a knot the size of midget's fist.  Luckily, I now have mandatory intimate sessions with a lacrosse ball several times a day.  My life is so sexy.


I am not going to get all inspirational because that's the kind of stuff you do when it doesn't hurt anymore.  I am going to be honest and admit that I have spent the greater part of the last 24 hours talking myself into continuing CrossFit.  For the first time in 12 weeks, it started to feel "not worth it," and I really have no guarantee that it is worth it.  I guess it's just some strange faith that I have since I am not religious otherwise.   

So anyway, I am going to keep training.  I got the okay from the chiropractor that I (probably) don't have a broken back, so I guess I will just keep at it because I know I will EVENTUALLY feel better and then I will be super freakin' awesome.  Boom.  In your face, A team.

I was planning on pulling the "I'm gonna watch - too hurt to workout" card, but there was never a good opportunity to bow out.  I ended up pounding out a less than impressive "B Team" performance.  Scaled weight and slower times.  Kiss my ass.  I am here and am sacrificing A LOT for this - obviously my social life and comfort to name a few.  Forgive me for not giving you my Miss America smile.  No offense beauty queens, but Miss America wouldn't even make the Z team.  

I am in no way championing losers' pride.  Being relegated to the B team and being called pathetic when my back is exploding just inspires some mixed emotions as I vacillate between rage and motivation.  Did I get in over my head?  Probably.  Am I going to stop?  Probably not.  Stubborn, crazy, tough, pussy?  Who knows?  It doesn't matter, and I am too fucking tired to answer pointless questions.

 My sincerest apologies to everyone who doesn't understand.  If you want to worry about someone, maybe go find a smoker or someone who is lazy.  There are only a few people in the world I take advice from, so if you aren't one of them, don't waste your time.  Happy new year to the whole "team" of ten that made it to the gym at 3pm on world hangover day - 2012 - year of the dragon.

On a final note, this post is dedicated to Pearl, who says my writing gives her "warm fuzzies."  Couldn't ask for a better compliment from a girl who's "got kettlebells for days."
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About Sam

I am a writer in Omaha, Nebraska sharing my adventures in the foundations of healthy living - nutrition, being active, and being funny.

I was born in Kansas City in the sweltering summer of July, 1986. I was nearly born in the car because I was so pumped to get my life started. I have been bouncing off of the walls ever since. Growing up I hung out with the big kids who were even older than my sister (and best friend) Allie. I quickly developed an "I'm over it" 'tude toward kids my own age whose pastimes seemed juvenile - an interesting perspective coming from a preschooler. My snobbish worldview was hard earned however, as I was forced to learn both multiplication and division early to keep up when we played "school," and I was always forced to do dangerous stuff first to make sure it was okay, like eating unidentified berries and making the first run on super steep hills while sledding. We biked all day, ate wild honeysuckle, painted the house with mud, and collected cicada shells for no reason other than they stick to fabric and freaked my mom out.

I quickly realized that even little legs can get you as far as a car can, and as a young child, you really have nothing but time. My adventures were only restrained by the fact that adults do not find it acceptable for young children to explore the town on foot unaccompanied. I prematurely developed a desire to be an independent self-supporting person, so I opened a Kool-Aid/popcorn business to finance my big plans. Looking back, I would say that the only issues holding me back were my limited advertising budget and the fact that I was still too short to ride roller coasters. People just don't take you seriously when you can't go on the upside-down rides.

I was moved to Omaha in the second grade. I continued walking all over the place, exploring surrounding neighborhoods and visiting grocery stores to pick up my favorites: Goldfish, Sprite, and sugar cigarettes. I don't even think you can buy those anymore, and for the record, I never started smoking.

I never lost my hard work ethic, and I needed to increase my income to afford my new hobbies of beading and Polaroid photography. At the age of ten I mailed in a response to an advertisement for paper delivery routes without discussing the issue with my family. Sometimes you need to take matters into your own hands when people don't share you vision. The people at the Omaha World Herald must have had a good feeling about me becuase they contacted my parents to tell them that they wanted to hire me but would feel better if there was an older family member onboard. I still wonder if Allie holds any resentment toward me for pulling her into the labor force when she was only twelve.

In third grade, I followed Allie's lead and began taking dance classes at Mary Lorraine's Dance Center. For the next eleven years it became "what I did." Nowadays, I train more like an athlete, but I will always move like a dancer, and being in a studio will always feel like home.

After high school I relocated again (this time of my own volition) to study "everything" in the College of Business Administration at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. I acquired a degree in marketing and finance that I may use someday. More importantly, I became a close friend and Alpha Phi sister with a cross country runner who easily persuaded me to train for the 2005 Lincoln half-marathon. I have been running ever since. In April 2011 I developed plantar fasciitis after jumping into an intense 50-70 mile/week schedule. This is the first athletic injury in my life. Although it has been indescribably frustrating both physically and emotionally, the silver lining is my increased receptivity to more variety in fitness disciplines.

I enjoy Pilates, yoga, enjoy Zumba, plyometric interval training, running, walking, and seeing how quickly I can run up stairs without losing my lunch. When I am too exhausted to move, I read and write. I love fiction, non-fiction, cookbooks, poetry, philosophy, song lyrics, and comedy. I have been writing for as long as I can remember. I love spell check, and felt tip pens.

I am happy and optimistic most of the time. I enjoy living simply and deeply. I hope you enjoy what I have to share.







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