Putting Pickle Back in the Jar --- Day 8/209

Walk: Presidio, Vogue Theater (Doc Fest)
Distance: 4 Miles

Waiting for a Pickleball Court (now multiply those who wait by 10)

So here it is a beautiful, clear, crisp Fall day in San Francisco.  Perfect Pickleball weather.  And where is Ciwt?  Here at her CIWT instead of out on the courts.

Why?  Well, she has decided that 'the Pickle' isn't an appropriate game for her.  Mostly because of the high injury rate.  In the time Ciwt played several people injured their knees, a few experienced near concussions, reports of spine problems were legion - and one man broke his ankle.  All that and a few other aspects of the game that were beginning to bother her* in four months.

So she was beginning to question continuing with the game anyway when she met a friend in New York who immediately asked "What about your knee injury and pickleball?"  The very question Ciwt was avoiding!  It turned out her friend had a niece who, last time she saw her, was limping because of a pickleball injury and was filled with stories of other friends' injuries.

Even then Ciwt was reluctant to stop.  Partially she was addicted, partially she was enjoying all the old teenage competitive energies that showed up, partially she was just enjoying being back at a racket sport.  But she was also aware of her knee and back feeling increasingly irritated and trying to ignore the question of whether she was too old for any kind of serious injury.

Well, yes on that latter.  Older people don't recovery quickly, well or sometimes not at all from bad falls.  There it is.  If we want to stay in life, certain activities -  like walking, swimming, yoga (done safely), Tai Chi, mobility and strength exercises and others - keep us fluid, strong, balanced and enjoying our lives.  Other activities, sadly, are best left behind.

So, bye-bye Pickle. Ciwt is walking away from you while she still can. It was fun while it lasted.

* There are increasing issues in connection with 1. not enough courts for more and more players, 2. very long waiting times, 3. rivalries with tennis players who want the courts for their sport, 4. mismatched/unfun competitions when you finally do get on the court, 5. etiquette difficulties, including some outright shouting matches, as a result of these frustrations.