Friday, June 10, 2011

Learning is cool

Apparently running my first ultramarathon wasn't enough of a new and exciting experience and I somehow managed to schedule THREE other new things for this week. But it's cool because I am pretty sure I when I was reading a magazine on the elliptical one day I read that learning new stuff helps your memory and you can stay sharp when you get older. Or something. Maybe it will help my memory enough to remember what I read in dumb magazines.
Speaking of the elliptical + magazines, that's been my workout the past two days. I love training for races, but I also love off times where I can lay in bed and be like "hmmm 6am and already over 80 degrees? Running  - nah. Reading about the NEW flat belly superfoods in AC? Yep".

So new thing #1 took place last night - my first softball game!

I believe I mentioned a long time ago that I joined a softball team. Here in Baltimore, we have the Baltimore Sports and Social club, which has all sorts of team sports (usually that involve drinking while you play them) and its a huge, like most people I know that are my age have played on at least one team at some point. I did broomball with them this past winter.

I have NO skills with balls (that's what she said), have never played on a team in my life (like, including T-ball) and barely even know how to hold a bat - so of course softball was the logical choice!

The team held two practices, but unfortunately I couldn't attend because I was too busy crawling through mud and jumping over fire, and running 32 miles through the woods those days.

So my one goal was not to make a fool of myself, and after having to turn the car around because I forgot my glove, I feel I accomplished that. I get so worked up in my head that I am doing everything is wrong and everyone is laughing at me when I went up to bat, but once I took myself down a peg and realized

1. that no one was looking at me
2. no one really cared what I was doing, the team  was  way too busy laughing and drinking beers and waiting for their turns to really care if I placed my hands right on the bat
3. um, this game was not about ME

I was actually able to have a lot of fun. I just joined a team randomly with my friend not knowing any of the other players, but I LOVE this team. They are totally non competitive and just there to have fun. After the game we headed to one of the sponsor bars and it was cool getting to know everyone. I've played on teams before where it's super awkward and everyone is trying to force themselves to be friends, but this was one of those times when everyone is just comfortable and it seems like you've already known them all. Maybe next time I'll even take pics.

So, I survived my first softball game in 107 degree heat - now lets see if I can survive packing up my classroom and moving all my stuff in this chilly 95 degree day.

4 comments:

  1. "Reading about the NEW flat belly superfoods" LoL. I have to roll my eyes whenever I see a claim like this.

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  2. Love that you joined a softball team with no softball interest or experience! awesome. Sounds like a fun time!

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  3. Drinking and playing sports sounds way more fun than taking sports seriously! I wish we had stuff like that around here, but people are too busy tilling their fields and shit.

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  4. My husband has been on a softball/drinking team with his coworkers for the past couple years. I just go and watch and have an occasional beer. I don't think I'm very good at hitting, so I have not volunteered to join. One time I had to step in and be the catcher (briefly) while they waited for someone else to show up. I was wearing a skirt somewhere between mini and pencil skirt and it was not well-suited for being a catcher. I should add that I throw like a girl, and that meant the ball just barely got to the pitcher. That's enough softball playing for me :)

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