17 Degrees

Hello, I was going to save up all of the interesting details of my daily existence until I landed on the smooth, sandy beaches of Rio. However, a new development in my life occurred this morning and I must speak about it.

The city in which I currently live is experiencing a cold crunch, not snap. I know many of you live in places where the temperature gets colder than 17 degrees. My hat is off to you. However, I had to look my fear, of torture by cold weather, in the eye this morning. I decided to be proactive. I added a new vest, sweatshirt and gloves to the mix. Also, from lessons taught by 28 degree weather, I brought my turf shoes in the house.

I should've known that my feet may have been prepping for the worst when last night, with my thermostat on 80, space heater on high and soccer stockings on nestled underneath flannel sheets, my feet were unusually cold. It was the type of cold that would make one think that I had been walking around outside barefoot!

So morning arrives. I have on three pair of workout pants, three shirts, one sweatshirt, one ski vest, one pair of socks, one pair of soccer socks, gloves, headband, scarf, lotion on my face and lip balm. I am ready. I walk outside, and I am pleased that I am feeling pretty decent.

It tis cold but ya girl is prepared! My feeling lasts until about 15 minutes into my session with Chin. My feet begin to feel unusually cold. Now the ground is hard, but there is not any visible ice. It proceeds to go downhill from there for my feet. They go numb. Numb to the point that I was going through ball drills not feeling the ball. Most of it was solid, but then there were times when I obviously couldn't gauge my touch on the ball and it went haywire...

I was concerned so I asked Chin (since he had experienced colder weather) about hypothermia setting in on my feet. He laughed in my face and said some comment about 17 degrees below in Minnesota..and getting some Vortex socks...

All in all, I didn't let my feet get the best of me and I finished out our session. However, the worst was yet to come. My feet were in so much pain when I tried to unthaw them. It is imperative that I find these Vortex socks before tomorrow morning. My toes are depending on it. Please believe that I do not want to be known as the toeless soccer player. I definitely don't want that story if it's in my power to prevent it..