August 2007

1st Practice. Well actually it was the 2nd but first for me of the season. I woke up early and but felt keen to get out and play. Like always I underestimated how long it would take to get myself and Eric going. Eventually we got on our way with help from Satomi driving us to the station. A quick 40 minute trip where Eric was particularly well behaved, and we arrived at the station out side the practice area right on time. We walked down to the practice area, and immediately HEAT fear kicked in. I changed into my boots and drank some more water and tried to get ready. I could feel how hot it was and I was fearing just plain old passing out. That would be embarrassing. Man we started out "warming up" if that was really necessary I was already sweating then did some stretching. Then it was time for our fitness exercises, SUICIDES. In the heat that is what it amounted to. 5 cones spread equal distances apart. You started at one line and then ran to 2nd line turned around and ran to the first. When you got to the first you turned and ran out to the 3rd and so on. We did that 6 times each time throwing in some variations like you had to land flat on your stomach, get up and run back to start line. When we hit the first line I flopped down on my stomach even though I was only in contact with the ground for a second I could feel the heat radiating off the hard crisp brown grass. I knew the fun for the day was over. On our last one one we only had to touch the ground with our hand and I felt a surge of energy as I made my way back from the third cone and really started to pour it on. I past a couple of guys, OK maybe one or 2 who had been in front of me all during all previous exercises and felt pretty good. I touched the start line for my final run out to the 4th cone and poured it on a little more. I bent down to touch the last line and that is where things started to go wrong. I came back up dizzy but OK and kept running I past the 3rd and 2nd cone but with less then 10 meters to go my consciousness was fading. I was seeing stars sort of and felt very unsteady. I could tell if I didn't come to almost a complete halt I was gonna hit the dirt. I kept a running stance but was almost motionless as I got my brain back in control of my body.