My World: Gruelling football

It’s hard to realise just how unfit you have become, until you do some exercise.

I’ve played sport to a certain degree, well attempted to, since I was around nine-years-old.

I started playing football then, and carried on in the Sunday leagues up to being around 21. At that stage, I was also playing five-a-side and six-a-side midweek, meaning I was getting a decent amount of exercise.

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But all that stopped about a year ago, when the teams disbanded mainly down to work commitments and the starting of families.

I haven’t really played since, apart from the odd kick about in the park with friends over the hot summer months.

But all that changed on Thursday night when six friends and I played our first game in a six-a-side league at Dearne Valley College.  

It was going swimmingly for five minutes. We weren’t too far behind against a team top of the league and my heart hadn’t had any major shooting pains yet.

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At around the five minute mark, my legs began to wobble, my head went all light and the stitch took over.

Agony ran through my veins as my body couldn’t take much more. The level of my fitness was here for me to see, and feel.

Safe to say we were well beaten on the night. But for a heroic performance in goal from one particular friend, it could have been much worse. A particular highlight was the save he made with his face. Bravo.

The morning after and my legs are sore,  my feet are aching but my spirit is not crushed. I’m tight all over and my current style of walking is getting some funny looks in the office.

Like I said, you never know how unfit you are until you do some exercise.

Oh well, as D:Ream once said: “Things can only get better.”