New Muscles?

I have to say that my current level of sporting activity is pathetically low. It was not always so. At one point I was super-fit. I swam for my county, played football for my school and a local team, and was decidely head of my class during all sporting events. I could turn my hand to anything.

Even when I changed schools I carried on playing football outside, had tryouts for the rugby team (which I didn't make due to the fact that they decided to play me as a winger during the trials, I'm not a winger, I like to get in the centre of the park, an outside half, number 10, around that area, somewhere where I can burst through the middle with a little schimmy, but alas, it was not meant to be), and almost made the county cross country team. A good all-rounder was I.

Then came glasses. At first I didn't need them all the time, so it wasn't so much of a problem, now, I can't focus much past 10-12 inches away without them. As my dependancy on them increased, my sporting desires decreased. Contact lenses just aren't the same, especially when you're trying to clear 16 litres of sweat from out of your eyes while moaning what useless things your eyebrows are.

I haven't stopped excercise entirely. I have always managed to find people playing football at my various places of work, usually five-a-side. This has continued with my current job and I've been back charging around a five-a-side pitch (well, for the first five minutes, then I do an impression of a zombie with a heavy sun tan who's just walked through a shower) for the last couple of months. The benefit with five-a-side is no over head height balls, so no headers, and so the disadvantage of glasses is lessened.

It was with some disdain, however, that despite my weekly playing, I actually feel far worse this evening than I have before. I thought it was supposed to get easier!