Narcoleptic Knights

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Sunny Saturday

While my body is exhausted, I have had a wonderful day. Today was day two of the annual WAFC Fools Fest. We still have not won any games, but we staged a remarkable comeback in our final game. We were down 8 to 1 at the end of the first half, but only lost the game 14 to 10. I even played a couple of key points in the game. We also had a glorious time just being together.

One of the things I love most about ultimate is that so many excellent people play the game. One of our pick-ups is an incredible player and person who goes by School. He plays regularly with some of our Drew Alums, but he fits the team perfectly. While I connected with him yesterday, I had a stellar conversation with him today. It is moments like that which I will miss the most, talking to a quality person while also have a grand time chasing plastic.

The good thing is that I can still play ultimate periodically. Perhaps a pick up game here and there coupled with a few more Fools Fests will tide me over. At the same time, I know that coming to this tournament only underscores why I can't continue to play club ultimate. My narcolepsy does not directly impact me on the field, but the lack of exercise time is a secondary factor. Without the chance to work regular exercise into my limited schedule, I know that my body can take no more than the handful of points that I am playing. That said, I am likely even trying to do too much as it is. In our first game, I played two points in the first half. During the second one, the disc turned over many times. By the end of the point, I struggled to walk off the field. It took me about an hour to recover from that one point. Talk about humbling!

Still, I know that I did the best I could today. I also know that some of my sideline cheering helped others to play with more fire and energy. I do hope that I can find a modest exercise routine, but I also know that the process of establishing it will come with time. Narcolepsy can be so frustrating, but it continues to help me to appreciate patience and grace on a daily basis.

1 comment:

Dana said...

Yay for playing outdoors! i'm so glad you got to indulge in a bit of your sport! *hug*