Soccer Monday

For as long as I can remember, I have played soccer. Grade school, soccer. High school, soccer. University, soccer. So when I moved here in May 2005 I did what I knew would allow me to meet people and stay fit all while doing something that I loved. I immediately joined 3 soccer teams and fell in love with the idea of being able to play both indoor and outdoor soccer year round. Not exactly possible in the harsh Ontario winters! :)

Then I swung my focus to running and triathlon training. I no longer enjoyed the 10 pm games when followed by a 5 am run. Traveling for work also put a damper on soccer. So by March 2006 I have pretty much stopped playing altogether.

We are now running later (7 am) on Tuesday mornings so last night I decided to play a late soccer game. I wore my heart rate monitor for the first time in a soccer game, hoping I would get away with wearing the watch. Wow... I knew soccer was a great workout (indoor last night) but it was a shock to the body! It's like an interval or tempo workout on drugs. Fast starts and stops and lots of shorter and longer sprints down and up the field. I had forgotten how different it was from a long 10 mile/min run. My heart rate was up in the 175 range within the first 30 seconds of the game. That's like a solid hill climb heart rate! Then it happened... the ref told me to take off my watch. Oh well, I was hoping to find out how many calories I burn in a typical soccer game but it wasn't meant to be.

The team was really aggressive and my upper body is actually sore today from pushing off the opposing team players. Oh, and for the first time in my soccer life, I got a bloody nose in last night's game. It was coed and I got a nice forearm to the nose and teeth. I look funny today... like I'm really blotchy or sick... but it's just a shiner in development. :) I tried to cover it up with makeup, I hope it worked!

So I'm still going stick to the regular workout routines, including Monday mornings. But, I'm going to add the soccer on Monday nights. I was a little sad at the speed I had lost in the months off of soccer and I think it is just the perfect cross training that I'm looking for. Last night I committed to playing the next season which starts next week. I'm going to try the heart rate monitor again, but strap the watch to my bra. :) I just have to know at least once what the effort really is! I know Jess would side with me on this.

This morning we met for a run at the club... 65 minutes with almost no lights, it was great! Some off road fun with some good hill climbs. Great workout! But seriously, my butt was so sore! Additional benefit to playing soccer!

Here's the data for today:

1/2 Pria bar (85 cals)
20/20 shake (290 cals)
Milk in coffee (30 cals)

1 cup light cottage cheese (200 cals)
1 cheese string (80 cals)
1/2 Pria bar (85 cals)
Apple (75 cals)

Oatmeal (170 cals)
Plum (30 cals)

65 minute run (680 cals)

Total (1045 cals)