Training, Injury and football

One of my readers made a comment that I shouldn't train to hard and get injured!

Well, I was feeling good so I thought I would do a slightly longer run. I kept it slow but did 5 miles. During the run I felt a niggle in my leg and back but nothing serious.

When I got home I sat down for a cup of tea, but when I went to get up my back was locked!

Time for the Ibuprofen.

The following day my back was so stiff and I was really hobbling around. I was watching my son playing football when the organisers came over and asked me to referee. I advised them that could hardly move but they insisted they were short and I was needed. "Just stand in the middle and blow the whistle" they said. I reluctantly agreed but advised them it would only be for an hour whilst my sons match was on the next door pitch.

Did I draw the short straw, have you ever tried to referee 24 six and seven year olds?

At the end of an hour of debate with these six and seven year olds and when my sons match was over (they won 6-3) I needed to collect him and go home. The boys on my pitch were supposed to be playing on for another half hour so I spotted a parent on the side of the pitch and told him, he was either taking over as referee or the football was over. After he got over the shock he took the whistle and got on with it. Delegation, the art of good management.

A week later, many Ibuprofen and a trip to the physio and I am still walking like an 80 year old. The anxiety of the financial markets isn't helping. I think the cross country running is a no goer.