Playing Through The Pain

In the world of sports, there are players who are known as soft or injury prone and there are players who play through every injury they encounter. You simply have to respect a player who puts the team first, even in this day of huge contracts and agents that want to make sure that their client is healthy and ready to sign the next big deal (thus hand injuries are often treated with extra caution).

I won't pretend that I am a full-time athlete, but in the non-snowy months I take my bicycle commuting seriously. I don't look out the window to see if it's a nice day, or use my mood to base my decision. Nope, I just do it, and if something like a mechanical problem crops up, I fix it ASAP and haven't missed one day because any mechanical mishaps. There's days when I feel tired and know that it would be easier to just hop in the car, but do I do it? Nope.

Injuries? Those are always another matter. Over the last few weeks I've certainly been sore and beat from my South Sister hike and my tumble on the Pilot Butte steps, but I haven't backed down from my bicycle riding because of those aches and pains. Sure, I could sit back and say something hurts too much and make excuses, but that's not my style.

Since I do follow baseball and basketball, I am familiar with the injuries that athletes typically encounter. In some way, I've gained more appreciation for their dedication to play through a certain injury after I've experienced the same one. It always helps me when I have a certain injury that I know how long I might be on the disabled list. Of course there is no disabled list in my life, so I can't play that card, but at least I have some understanding of the pain and the healing time.

Last night I was watching the Brewers play the Cubs on ESPN. Brewers pitcher Ben Sheets removed himself from the game after a couple of innings. He's one of the better pitchers on the team and they are in desperation mode after losing a bunch of games and falling in the standings (risking their chances of making the playoffs). He pulled himself due to elbow pain, and Sheets is no stranger to aches and pains. During the course of the season he's been on the disabled list five times for injuries such as triceps tightness, groin tightness, elbow pain and a strained middle finger.

For the record, I experienced a strained middle finger earlier in the year and spent no time on the disabled list. Sissy. I tend to respect players who push through the pain when they are needed most. Hmmmm.. does the name Kirk Gibson remind anyone of doing such a thing? Yep.

Well, my bicycle commute season parallels the baseball playoffs fairly well, so I'm going to see how many baseball players drop like flies when the colder October air strikes. I for one plan to keep on pushing it, regardless of the pain. The spirit of Kirk Gibson is in the air, or at least I hope that's what it is. The wheels will keep on spinning. Game on.

Melissa said: