sorry, team.

well, last night was our last regular season kickball game. i know - *tear*

since the game started at 9pm - i decided to get one of my weekly runs out of the way beforehand and try out the east nasty running club. it sounds fun, right? east nasty.... well, jill {who also plays kickball} and i suited up and met at 11th & holly. keep in mind, it's dark nowadays. call me vain, but i can't make myself put on a vest or a blinking light. you'll probably be calling vain and calling me at the hospital one of these days. anywho. the east nasty runners are hard core. they run in shelby park - in the dark. like, no street lights. i have been saying lately - there's safety in numbers. well, last night confirmed it. nothing like your life being on the line to force you to run faster to keep up with the group. nonetheless, 4ish miles done. jill is a little speed demon - she rocks. i was glad to have her there to push me! thanks, jill!

have you ever been to a new running group? it's the most awkward thing EVER, especially if you're alone. thankfully, i had someone there i knew. it's so funny though - you're like the new kid at a new school on a new play ground. you don't know anyone but stand back watching everyone else chat and have fun. but, since you don't know anyone, nor where you're going - you're forced to find someone that looks pretty cool to stick with - even if they don't know it. ha.

east nasty runners. thanks for an adventure! and for those 2 girls and that guy - thanks for letting jill and i "run with you" - even though you didn't know it. :)

moving on to kickball.

the kickball game this week mirrored my life this week. it sucked. stupid crap going on that you just throw your hands up and say, "really???!" did that just happen? did she/he just say that? wow.

we got to the game and found out the other team did not have the mandatory 4 females on the team, so we could make a choice - play the game and take the out every other inning for their missing girl or have them forfit - take the win and take it to tha house.

i immediately start singing - "V-I-C-T-O-R-Y!"

we had a team vote and guess what - me and a few others were out voted and we played the game. aw, well. we're there - might as well, right?

first inning - i'm in left field.

there are 2 outs and 2 people on base. dude drills the ball towards me in a high pop fly. what do i do? catch it. hell, no. that'd be too good and what was supposed to happen. i COMPLETELY MISS THE BALL and it goes sailing behind me. they score 2 pts. on the error to the girl in left field. crap.

now, it's time to kick.

ball 1 rolls and i kick it foul. strike 1.

ball 2 rolls and i somehow defy physics and just stop it under my foot while in a kicking motion. i dunno. strike 2.

ball 3 rolls and it bounces as it comes really close to me. i jump over it. it's gotta be a ball -they call it a strike.

STRIKE 3.

hi, my name is mwood and i struck out in kickball. d'oh!

i didn't feel so badly the next inning because coach brian struck out too!

moving on.

we somehow manage to make it through the next several innings to only let them score 1 more run and we scored 1.

we even had a sweet double play and our pitcher, david, face planted trying to stop a ball and still managed to throw the girl out running to first while on his belly on the ground. i was a sight.

last inning. we're kicking for our pride and for the win.

somehow - they got a double play to start the inning on a pop fly and my co-all star patty got out because she didn't tag up. it was that kind of game for the old wolf pack.

after the double play - two outs and the next kicker was david - he got a single. yay, david!

then guess who is up to kick - yours truly.

i'm like a walking wolf pack disaster at this point.

2 outs and the game on the line.

i'm trying to strategize in my head - if i can somehow put a spell on this ball and kick it down 3rd base line, but not too hard - i may could beat out the throw to first and not sacrifice david getting to 2nd. at this point - we could rally and tie up the game if i don't screw up.

i kick it.... i don't strike out! yay! i even kicked it towards 3rd base but knew i had to beat out the throw to first to avoid getting out. i hauled it as fast as my 1.5' legs will carry me. i supposed i'm built for distance, not speed.

i run like a gazelle towards first only to find the first baseman covering BOTH bags with his leg/foot. he is like laid out - might as well be on his stomach like david covering it all.

tidbit about kickball - they give you 2 bags for 1st base - one for the base runner to be able to run thru and 1 for the 1st baseman to make his play without getting taken down by the fright train runners coming with all their might.

last night i was a freight train bound for 1st base and determined not to royally screw my team - i'd done enough damage thus far. so, first base dude is hanging out ALL OVER BOTH BAGS. i have 3 choices at this point....

a) form tackle him like a football player making the play of his life

b) step on his leg/ankle and break it in half and kill all future hopes and dreams of a kickball professional career

or

c) yell "hey, buddy, get out of my way!!!!!!!"

i chose the less invasive of the 3 - option C. "hey, buddy, get out of my way!" {i didn't even curse}

i was safe on first and then they fumbled the ball around and i stole 2nd! david scored - i was standing on 2nd and ready for steve to come kick me in for a wolf pack victory! i'd done it! i'd redeemed myself.

until.............

the umpire said - "i hate to call the game like this but runner on 2nd base is out."

WHAT THE.............

apparently a base runner cannot "interfere" with the play by yelling at the opposite team member when the play is coming in his/her direction. are you kidding me?????

dude was all over MY base. i couldn't have knocked him into santa's lap next month but i chose to simply say, move.

he was in the wrong too! not just me!

out #3.

ball game.

wolf pack loses.

albeit bogus call.... mwood is the weakest link. we lose. i don't redeem myself - in fact, i cost us the game!

so, you ask. how has your week been, mwood? a direct mirror image of my kickball game last night.

thank goodness the weekend is quickly approaching and my teammates still love me....hopefully.