Softball Season Comes to a Close

There are a couple stories I would like to share leading up to the end of my 2013 softball season.

1.
This week I finally got back to my regularly scheduled walking with Sparky after an on-again, off-again month of ankle sprains and uber blisters.

As we strolled through Springdale earlier in the week, I saw the orange cones that mark the Illinois Valley Striders running route. I thought maybe they had already finished their run because I didn't see them until halfway through our walk.

Then it hit me, the "Prancercise" incident was happening all over again! I rounded the bend and saw the runners heading towards me, the sidewalk of doom was off to my left... what to do? The runners were looping around in front of us, so do we walk down the middle of the road and watch them fly by on either side or off-road it?

As I was trying to make this near split second decision, Sparky made one of his own. His feet came to a screeching halt, butt lowered, and an embarrassed look came over his face. Yes my friends, he was dropping a deuce right in the middle of the road. Naturally, no where close to a garbage can. We charged down the road in search of the nearest can to deposit the doggie doo bag without any care in the world for the runners that were downwind.

2.
Last year someone on my Easter Seals softball tournament team mentioned our team color should be tie dye next year. To my surprise, I received a text a couple weeks ago with any invitation to a tie dye party. How cool is that? I hadn't tie dyed anything in 20 years! It was a messy and fun process, but if I do say so myself, they came out looking awesome. No need to change the team name to Hot Mess.

I was looking forward to today, minimum of 3 games of softball with some fun teammates on what promised to be a gorgeous day. My cooler was packed with water, gatorade, and snackage to help get me through the day and by 7:30 I was at Peoria Stadium's softball fields ready to sport my tie dye shirt.

Not exactly awake, but ready to take the mound, we started our first game of the day around 8:00. I pitched two innings and had a line drive out that almost sneaked up the middle... then I heard the pop. I pitched the ball, it was hit to 1st base, I took off to help cover and POP. My softball season officially came to an end at that moment.

I fully expected to come away from the day with a resprained ankle, bumps and bruises, and overall, just being worn out. I refused to sit at home and wallow in my bummed-outness, and heading back to the diamond to root on my team while keeping my leg elevated and iced would have been difficult for many reasons. I opted for the tour of family around town. What should have been a fun day of softball turned into an enjoyable day with family.

Much has gone through my head and I plan on healing up this offseason with the hopes of an injury free next year. To be healthy and help my team repeat as champs next year would be awesome! One can dream, right?