I am cheating a little because I didn't "go for a run" today. It was the first day of our Area Tournament, and I got up at 6:30 am to take a shower, make my game plan for the girls' two games, and drive down to the fields. It was incredibly foggy outside, the same dim kind of pea soup I remember seeing nearly every day over the fields when we lived in Vermont. At 7:00 on a Saturday, not too many people are driving around, and I always feel a bit strong and brave with my black under armor and completely ridiculous bright orange hunting beanie (we always wore them on the sailing team). I got to the fields at 7:40, just in time to check in and get the 8:00 game started. The fog was still definitely present on the field, but luckily not thick enough to make me stay any closer to the play than I normally would. I knew it would be a long day, so I didn't want to use up all my energy early and burn out later-- I knew I had to be awake for twenty hours at the minimum, and that I wouldn't get any nap time. I had signed up for an ambitious schedule: ref'ing at 8:00, an hour of downtime, then warming up the girls at 10:15 for our 10:45 game. After our game, I was to ref the 12:00, then drive home, change, and head downtown for family photos with a photographer hired by my aunt, at 14:00. From there, I had about an hour to put together my game plan for the second game, at 16:15 back at the park. Then, my luck ran out: both my friend Ashley's birthday and the annual meeting of my yacht club were scheduled for 6pm. But never fear, I was prepared: putting in an appearance at the yacht club was a reasonable compromise, as was missing the first part of Ashley's birthday, dinner. I have a severely unreasonable habit of planning days like this on a very regular basis, and the more physical stress they require, the better they tend to go. I just really enjoy being busy, running around from task to task and entangling myself in a million concurrent projects. I can't say no. It's pathological. In any event, the first game went well. I usually referee U14, the same age division I coach, but I like to referee the boys, since I coach the girls-- it lets me be a little more out of the game, and guarantees my impartiality. Also, though I wouldn't tell them this, the boys are a little better than the girls, so I get to see better soccer. And finally, the boys are a little rougher, and I like the increased challenge. Generally, a competent player on a full field will run about 5 miles in a game of soccer. That makes sense when you think about it-- a full game for adults is 90 minutes, and if you are not moving at least 80% of the time, you are probably not a competent player. On top of that, nobody runs a 10-minute-mile pace during a soccer game unless they are jogging off the field at halftime. Similarly, as a referee I am probably moving a little slower, but I have to sprint some portion of the field about once every two minutes. This age group plays 35-minute halves, and their field is about four feet narrower than standard (the length, however, is the same, and is probably more relevant to the running done by the referee). My point is: I gave myself four miles per game, which I think is about right. All the cutting and sprinting and sudden stops and starts did not do much for my poor sprained ankle, which has been healing VERY slowly. I forgot my white athletic tape and had only kinesio tape on it, which is great for everyday and usually sufficient for flat paved trail running, but not for soccer or anything involving uneven surfaces. Fortunately, the field was smoother than our usual field, but it was bothering me quite a bit by the middle of the second game. Also both my calves were cramping, which is very unusual for me. I probably did not drink enough water, I'm often guilty of that when I'm rushing straight from physical activity to social events. Which is most of the time. Still not really sure what to think/say about soccer activities taking the place of normal running. I suppose we'll see what kind of results I get from it, but at this point in my life I think conditioning is conditioning, and ref'ing two games in a day while spending the whole day running around the park might be better endurance training than if I'd run six straight on the greenway. Am I a heretic? (I guess it wouldn't be the first time).
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