2-27-18 (Tuesday) HY: Pickle-Ball + TCF + Ab EMS.

2-27-18 (Tuesday) HY: Pickle-Ball + TCF + Ab EMS.

Today is not my normal Pickle-Ball day, but again, because of schedule changes, I'm being flexible with my exercise schedule.  A Pickle-Ball for this week just happened to land on today.  As I got out onto the court, I was feeling really stiff.  Especially my legs.  No doubt it is because of yesterday's workout that basically fried my legs.

I sort of cut the warm-up short because I wasn't sure if John would last to the end, and I wanted to get the game started.  I should have warmed up longer.  As the first game started, I just couldn't get anything going.  I was spraying balls just outside the lines, into the net, right into the hitting zone of John, and he took full advantage.  We had a few good rallies, but on the whole, I played like I was in a hole.  I lost that game 3-15.  This was probably the worst loss to John ever.

Game 2.  I started out strong... sort of.  By jumping out to a 2-0 lead, then we stayed pretty close all the way to 11-11.  I pretty much held the lead the whole game, but then I hit a wall at 11 points.  Then I just collapsed.  And I ended up losing 11-15.  This is the first time in recent memory that I lost two games in a row.  I was not feeling very confident.  I felt as though I were playing very tentatively. 

I changed tactics in the third game, and I started to attack the net more.  In the first two games, John was playing very aggressively while I was mainly a playing defensive style.  So, I started being more aggressive, and it paid off.  I was also feeling more warmed up and my footwork and movement were easier.  I also started to find my range in the court and I was virtually painting the lines.  I took the third game 15-4.

In the fourth game, it was extremely tight all the way to 10-10.  We were stuck on 5-3 for a long time, close to 10 minutes just trading serves back and forth.  We inched up little by little, then we got stuck on 10-10.  We were trading serves fro another 5-6 minutes.  I was thinking that the one to break the tie would take the game.  Yes, you guessed it, I broke the tie and ran of 5 points to take the game.  Up until today, I was terrible at closing games out.  I would get to 14 points, then I couldn't close out game point.  Today, I was able to close it out straight.  That one thing made be very happy.   I was thinking we were done, but this time, John suggested one more game.  Sort of a tie-breaker.

I smashed that game wide open right from the beginning.  I jumped out to a 9-0 lead and didn't look back.  Another epic game with some incredible shots, saves, and strategy.  But I ended up winning the game 15-3.

But I must say that John was playing extremely well today.  I would hit shots that I thought I got passed him, but somehow he got it back with a flick of the wrist.  That must have happened half a dozen times.  I actually got the ball passed him, but he was able to get it back.  Great shots all around.  It was a fun and tiring match.

After the match, I was able to get a Flow series done.  Then later that night, I got my EMS in as well.

In the end, I burned 1080 kcals.  On the drive home and at home, I was feeling very sore and tired.  It usually doesn't happen, but I was really tired.  Walking was chore tonight as well.  But I'd do it again in a heartbeat.