6-4 5-7 and Then Something Else (Oh Yeah--and Spriggan!)
This morning was one of the best mornings ever!
This morning was the best tennis match I ever played. I woke up a little before 6:00 and realized it had rained. It wasn't raining more, though, and I figured it was still worth my time checking out the tennis courts instead of calling my friend and calling it a rain day.
I won the first set this morning and my friend won the second. The thing about this morning's game: almost every point was scored on a long volley, and the shots we were both hitting were the best shots we've ever made. There are two other guys who usually play tennis on Sunday mornings and they came and went before we were even halfway through the second set.
Almost every game point was scored on deuce. If you're not familiar with tennis scoring, you're first big goal is to win 6 games (that's a set--of course, there are other weird rules thrown in, but that's the basics for games comprising a set). You have to win four shots to take a game (scoring goes 15, 30, 40, and then the next winning shot takes the game). If you're at 40 and your opponent's at 40, it's called a deuce, and you have to win two shots in a row to take the game.
Almost every game was locked at deuce, with one of us taking the advantage, and the other taking the advantage back, and on and on...
In other words, it was a close match!
While it was damp, it wasn't too bad and the clouds kept the sun away (good, because the day started out at 70 and humid!!!
We were both on it this morning and trying new things that worked. We're getting better all the time and while I was ready to play a third set to decide a winner, my friend had other plans for me and wanted to call it a draw.
After the tennis match, we hit the track. I've mentioned my tennis bud was a fitness trainer in the Army and National Guard and a personal trainer after the service. He used to box, too. He's in damn good shape, and he's worked with a lot of people like me and whipped them into good shape.
Walking to the track, he said, "We're gonna get you jogging a half mile this morning..."
I've never been able to jog even a quarter mile. Even when biking 20 miles a day, running and me have never been friends. In high school, during the time I played football and worked out daily, I could still never jog even once around a track. So the thought of two times around the track was crazy talk as far as I was concerned.
My friend showed me how to run. I've been doing it wrong all this time (of course :) ). We took it easy, keeping me at a pace where I was able to talk, but if I did all the talking, I'd get just a teeny bit winded.
And I jogged half a mile!
I know for many people, that's nothing. But even as a scrawny kid always on the go, I've never been able to jog even half that distance. Sure, I can walk all day. I can bike a long way, and run pretty fast on the tennis court for a guy tipping the scales at 290. But I've never been able to jog.
The most wild thing...I could have easily done another lap, and if I pushed myself--I could have done a mile. My friend wants me to ease into things, though. His goal is to get me into shape and run a 5K race together next year.
When he initially told me that's what he expected from me, I thought he was nuts. I dream about running--those are some of my favorite dreams. In the dreams, I always wait to die out after 50 yards or so, but I keep doing in my dreams. It feels wonderful and I wake up wishing I could do what I do in dreams.
This morning--for me--I kept going and really surprised myself.
I jogged half a mile and walked half a mile...it was a good cool-down after a couple hours of the most intense tennis I've ever played.
Driving home, the clouds started breaking. I take backroads to the tennis court; nothing but winding roads and hills and trees. There was no other traffic and everything was still damp. Leaves skittered across the road and there were even some trees finally changing colors. It was just perfect!
One of the best mornings ever :)
Last night, darthcynthia and I went to see Spriggan at a new pub in Arlington. It's always cool seeing typsygypsy, youngraven, and mishajames. shaddowshoes does sound for the band, and toarthos was there watching his sweetie play fiddle.
We only stayed for a couple hours since I had to get up to play tennis, but I always love hearing the band play. youngraven's voice will never get old (she has a badass voice!), and I always get a kick out of seeing my one-time shy buddy, typsygypsy up on stage playing fiddle. There were a few tunes that showcased mishajames's guitar-playing ability more than I've heard in the past on stage, so that got a thumbs up in my book.
It was nice getting out, drinking a couple beers with my sweetie, and listening to music. Since it's a new pub, I wasn't sure if many people would be there, but it filled up rather nicely and I had a blast seeing great friends and listening to great music!
And now it's off to make fig cookies for the rest of the day. And tomorrow. And through the week... :)
This morning was the best tennis match I ever played. I woke up a little before 6:00 and realized it had rained. It wasn't raining more, though, and I figured it was still worth my time checking out the tennis courts instead of calling my friend and calling it a rain day.
I won the first set this morning and my friend won the second. The thing about this morning's game: almost every point was scored on a long volley, and the shots we were both hitting were the best shots we've ever made. There are two other guys who usually play tennis on Sunday mornings and they came and went before we were even halfway through the second set.
Almost every game point was scored on deuce. If you're not familiar with tennis scoring, you're first big goal is to win 6 games (that's a set--of course, there are other weird rules thrown in, but that's the basics for games comprising a set). You have to win four shots to take a game (scoring goes 15, 30, 40, and then the next winning shot takes the game). If you're at 40 and your opponent's at 40, it's called a deuce, and you have to win two shots in a row to take the game.
Almost every game was locked at deuce, with one of us taking the advantage, and the other taking the advantage back, and on and on...
In other words, it was a close match!
While it was damp, it wasn't too bad and the clouds kept the sun away (good, because the day started out at 70 and humid!!!
We were both on it this morning and trying new things that worked. We're getting better all the time and while I was ready to play a third set to decide a winner, my friend had other plans for me and wanted to call it a draw.
After the tennis match, we hit the track. I've mentioned my tennis bud was a fitness trainer in the Army and National Guard and a personal trainer after the service. He used to box, too. He's in damn good shape, and he's worked with a lot of people like me and whipped them into good shape.
Walking to the track, he said, "We're gonna get you jogging a half mile this morning..."
I've never been able to jog even a quarter mile. Even when biking 20 miles a day, running and me have never been friends. In high school, during the time I played football and worked out daily, I could still never jog even once around a track. So the thought of two times around the track was crazy talk as far as I was concerned.
My friend showed me how to run. I've been doing it wrong all this time (of course :) ). We took it easy, keeping me at a pace where I was able to talk, but if I did all the talking, I'd get just a teeny bit winded.
And I jogged half a mile!
I know for many people, that's nothing. But even as a scrawny kid always on the go, I've never been able to jog even half that distance. Sure, I can walk all day. I can bike a long way, and run pretty fast on the tennis court for a guy tipping the scales at 290. But I've never been able to jog.
The most wild thing...I could have easily done another lap, and if I pushed myself--I could have done a mile. My friend wants me to ease into things, though. His goal is to get me into shape and run a 5K race together next year.
When he initially told me that's what he expected from me, I thought he was nuts. I dream about running--those are some of my favorite dreams. In the dreams, I always wait to die out after 50 yards or so, but I keep doing in my dreams. It feels wonderful and I wake up wishing I could do what I do in dreams.
This morning--for me--I kept going and really surprised myself.
I jogged half a mile and walked half a mile...it was a good cool-down after a couple hours of the most intense tennis I've ever played.
Driving home, the clouds started breaking. I take backroads to the tennis court; nothing but winding roads and hills and trees. There was no other traffic and everything was still damp. Leaves skittered across the road and there were even some trees finally changing colors. It was just perfect!
One of the best mornings ever :)
Last night, darthcynthia and I went to see Spriggan at a new pub in Arlington. It's always cool seeing typsygypsy, youngraven, and mishajames. shaddowshoes does sound for the band, and toarthos was there watching his sweetie play fiddle.
We only stayed for a couple hours since I had to get up to play tennis, but I always love hearing the band play. youngraven's voice will never get old (she has a badass voice!), and I always get a kick out of seeing my one-time shy buddy, typsygypsy up on stage playing fiddle. There were a few tunes that showcased mishajames's guitar-playing ability more than I've heard in the past on stage, so that got a thumbs up in my book.
It was nice getting out, drinking a couple beers with my sweetie, and listening to music. Since it's a new pub, I wasn't sure if many people would be there, but it filled up rather nicely and I had a blast seeing great friends and listening to great music!
And now it's off to make fig cookies for the rest of the day. And tomorrow. And through the week... :)