Friday morning I stumbled out of bed at quarter to six, slogged through another cold downpour in Atlanta, and joined the first 5-on-5 pickup game of basketball I've played since probably high school. I got asked to be a body on the faculty team playing against the seniors next Friday, and so I suggested we get a group together for a shootaround or some such. Little did I know that a group of faculty used to play regularly, twice a week, in the mornings before school. The group got itself back together, with the addition of myself and another new teacher, and we rocked a good hour-plus of full court basketball. The head trainer is a 6'5" man-mountain that could just not be stopped, and our Reverend is a little athletic dynamo, leaping for every loose ball. There were all skill levels playing, and I was nervous joining in an established group of players but found I wasn't the worst player. I even managed to knock down a few shots and get some nifty fast breaks. And I won't lie, it was nice to have a couple of the guys tell me "nice play" or something similar. I haven't played a team sport in a long time, so I was glad that I could hang with them.
He died so that we may dunk
My hip did great! I figure this about settles the issue - if a full hour of actual basketball doesn't aggravate it I'm probably 90% healed. Thursday afternoon for my legs I did lunges, calf raises, squats, and step-ups on a two-foot bench with 20# weights in each hand. I could feel the joint get a little squirrely during that last exercise, but I concentrated on my form and was able to avoid too much wobbling. The outside of my ankles and my back are actually the sorest parts of my body today, and I'm still trying to decide if I want to go back in later today and shoot some, or just take it easy. I haven't yet set up a measuring post on my wall, but I hope to get that done this weekend and start getting some data on my jumping. Ever onward!
He died so that we may dunk
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