A cricketer's tough hands

Batting warm up

If you've ever seen a game of cricket, you know that it's an elegant game. The white uniforms against the pastoral green field are calming to watch. It's not a violent sport. There isn't a lot of yelling.

So I was surprised this week when they put me on the field and I realized that with elegance comes a painful truth.

It's a gloveless game. The only player on the field with something to soften the blow of catching a ball is the wicketkeeper (or catcher). During the warm up our team tossed the ball around. Soft high balls. Low grounder, bouncy balls. And then, when I didn't expect it, a hard bullet throw. Oy! With the stinging that hard ball left on my hand I was worried that I wouldn't be able to catch anything else.

I was instructed from then on to cradle the ball.

Before batters come onto the field, the other team claps for them. I figure it's their attempt to toughen up their hands. After the team scores a run or gets someone out (depending if they're fielding or not), they all run together and high five. Again, I suspect this has more to do with conditioning their hands than it does with team celebration. (But maybe I'm wrong.)

The only other safety equipment are leg pads worn by the batters. The ball they use to play is small and hard, and the bowlers (i.e. pitcher) get as much momentum and accuracy at the wickets that they can. Of course, the batter's job is to hit the ball and defend the wicket. This means that batters tend to stand with feet at hip width distance apart directly in front of the wicket. A ball rocketing in could definitely leave a welt on the batter's leg without padding. Plus, because unlike baseball where you don't want the pitch to hit the ground, cricket bowlers do their best to get a good bounce to psych the batter, without losing aim at the wicket. As a result, you never know where it's going to go.

And so, I got all padded up ready for my first chance in front of a bowler. Unfortunately our team got too many "overs" (i.e. good bowls) and our turn was literally over. To the field we went... more on that next time.

What is a wicket?

A metal practice wicket

The City of Victoria is well-known for its English traditions inherited from the Empire that colonized this region of Canada. As a result, hints of Britain pop up everywhere, despite locals not necessarily understanding their significance. I bring this up because of the word "wicket", which I've encountered numerous times at a very popular pub/restaurant in town and never connected to anything material.

Do you know what a wicket is?

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a "wicket" is: A set of three sticks called stumps, fixed upright in the ground, and surmounted by two small pieces of wood called bails, forming the structure (27x8 in) at which the bowler aims the ball, and at which (in front and a little to one side of it) the batsman stands to defend it with the bat...

This week's cricket experience almost didn't happen. I almost didn't see a wicket up close and personal.

First, a little something we in Canada call the Stanley Cup Final cancelled the cricket games. Then, my friend hauled me out to Saanich for a team practice, only to find an empty field and a miniature horse. Luckily my friend is a good sport and he spent an hour teaching me some of the cricket basics.

We stood in the middle of the field and he showed me how to swing the cricket bat and explained the different ways to get out. I'm not a baseball player, but my basic knowledge of America's "favourite past time" helped me get a feel for cricket.

Here are some of the basics I learned this week:

1. There are 11 players on one team
2. There is a bowler (or what in baseball we call a pitcher)
3. There is a wicketkeeper (known to most of us as a catcher)
4. The field is a circle, with the "pitch" in the middle of the field for the batsman, bowler, and wicketkeeper

After my lesson this week, I think I better understand why Tricia told me I could have found a game with more complicated rules. More like, could there be more diverse names, positions, and rules?!

Next week I think I might be participating in a game. We'll see if this week's one-on-one sunk in.

I wasn't kidding... there was a mini horse!

Cricket

There are quite a few things I think of when I hear the word "cricket". Disney's famous Jiminey. The chirping insects that kept me awake all summer as a farm girl in Ontario. And, my favourite, the Cricket doll. (Seriously, the Cricket doll was so cool and I wanted one so much!)

So when my friend and coworker told me he plays cricket, I was shocked. Cricket?! Who plays cricket?

Those who migrate to Victoria, where I live, all seem to come with a nostalgia for another place. With loads of South African and Indian immigrants, it shouldn't be surprising. And because sports are so important to our childhood (and often what connect us as a culture), it makes sense that cricket has found its way here with new Canadians... even if it's not ready to rival the current Stanley Cup finals in popularity.

June will be a month of cricket.

I'm excited because I know basically nothing about the game. Here are some things I did know:

• Traditional cricket is played in all white clothing (of course; stereotypical woman knows about the fashion rules of the game!)
• There is a bat (shaped more like a paddle than the bat I used at tee-ball)
• There is a ball
• There is something called a wicket (which in Victoria I know only from a little pub restaurant called "The Sticky Wicket")
• It's popular in Britain, South Africa, and India

According to stickiewicket.com, "It is commonly accepted that the game originated from a very old leisure activity indulged by shepherds. The shepherds used crook and other farm equipments to hit a ball like device which used to be made up of wool or stone."

Seriously, shepherds? This might be my game, given I grew up on a sheep farm.

Try it yourself. 
Here is a link to Cricket Canada and the USA Cricket Association.

The score on cycling (and on staying motivated)

Cyclists at Bastion Square Grand Prix - 75 laps of fast (more photos here)

My month of cycling came and went. Truth be told, I didn't really like it. And, worse, I started to lose my motivation to continue my challenge with this blog.

It's not for a lack of cycling events going on in the city. I definitely got my fill of spectating in - way more than any other month. But I just couldn't get into the sport. For one, my bike is not really road biking material. I couldn't get over that mental hump. And I really couldn't get over my fear of biking in traffic. Without someone to come up and whisper in my ear to coach me, it was hard to get motivated.

All that said, watching the cyclists come in the finish line of the 140 and 90 km races was truly inspiring. I felt disappointed that I hadn't participated. I hadn't challenged myself. The score I'm giving cycling is, of course, reflected of my experience this month. I know there are many people who would argue against me though. I can only tell you what I thought...

So what does a girl do when she loses motivation to stay fit and active? She pampers herself of course!

I have so many pairs of running shorts, sports socks, and headbands that I bought during fitness lulls. I don't know why, but there's something motivating about a material item that that can inspire you to get back at it.

This time I went and had a pedicure. In part, it's because my feet were getting truly disgusting from all the sports I've been trying. The other part was I needed to get out and relax. I needed to get some perspective.

Tanya, the owner of Emerald Day Spa in Victoria, was amazing. Not only did she make my feet beautiful, she also helped me unwind. We talked about what's next in my challenge and what I could do to get back on track. We also talked about my ugly toes and how different sports can damage them... and how a nice pedi can make a world of difference to keep toes healthy. After she had smoothed my feet out, I fell into a perfect little sleep while she massaged my feet and lower legs; much needed for a girl who has been on the move (or at least thinking about it!).

The result? Obviously beautiful toes that I'll be proud to show off in summer shoes. But also motivation to get back at it.

I'm doing the fitness challenge for the same reason I got the pedi - because I want to take care of myself. I don't want sore joints because I've been sitting at my desk all day. I want my clothes to fit nicely. And I want to get out there, meet new people, and try new things. So, my next challenge will be announced next week.

If you are looking for a place in Victoria, BC to treat yourself, I highly recommend Tanya and the Emerald Day Spa. (The staff are amazing, the space is relaxing, and you'll come out feeling totally refreshed!) They specialize in pedicures, facials, and waxing (and I hear moms really like "Monday's for Mommies").

It's a biker's world

Despite my sprained ankle, the world hasn't stopped moving. In fact, in Victoria the biking community has kicked it into high gear!

Here are some shots of just a few of the biking events that have taken place over the past week in Victoria, BC. (And it's just the start. The Victoria International Cycling Festival kicked off with the Ryder Hesjedal Tour de Victoria - other events will continue through the month of June.)

Bike to Work Week starts in June. To get some news coverage and cyclists in the area hyped, they had a big launch at a local Starbucks. (Yes, I just happened to walk by as I was walking to work!)

The Harbour Sprint Series will go for the next few Fridays. It's put on by a local bike shop - you can see one of the event organizers with his megaphone getting ready to clear the streets.

Three sprinters race by toward the finish line. The races are described by the Harbour Sprint organizers as "1/4 mile drag races"... it was fun to watch, especially to see what the racers were wearing. Who knew cut-off jean shorts were the new look for male bike racers?!

These cyclists have just started a 140km bike ride. Word on the street is that Tour de France cyclist Ryder Hesjedal is one of the cyclists in the blue shirts at the front of the pack.

Happy, laughing cyclists... and just under 140km to bike.

True Confession Time

It's true confession time. After starting this fitness challenge I did not stop playing soccer. As soon as my knees were strong enough, I was back out on the field. Honestly, the boxing and rock climbing really prepared me to go back on the pitch... and then I stopped those activities and just kept playing soccer. Bad idea.

Two weeks ago I sprained my ankle. In the photo you can see me doing all the right things as soon as I got injured. RICE: Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate. Plus one of the other players had ibuprofen to help ease the swelling and the pain.

Urgh! It's a frustrating cycle.

If you've been injured you know what I'm going through. You're injured, so you can't play the games you love because you're not at your optimum fit level. And it's a challenge to get fit, because you're injured and can't do your regular routine.

As I was slamming my fists in frustration (and yes, a bit of pain too), my teammates rushed over because they were worried it was my knee again. Thank goodness it wasn't. Instead, it was a new and equally annoying injury. And my first two thoughts were - "There goes my soccer career (again & forever!)", and then... "s@#*! There goes my summer of outdoor activity."

Luckily it was just a sprain. However, it has made biking difficult. And I'm at a crossroad again trying to decide if it's time to give up on the game I love the most.

Upon taking my doctor's advice, I didn't go overboard, but I didn't stop moving.

Last weekend I went out for a fairly stunted bike ride. I know I'm supposed to write about the good stuff, but can I complain about the challenges of cycling through traffic for a moment? I'm not on a road bike and I'm glad; the smooth wheels and high speed scare me when I know I'm driving on a road shared with cars much larger than me. It's one thing to be a commuter cyclist (p.s. Bike to Work Week is coming up soon: biketowork.ca), but it's another when you're trying to outpace the cars and go for gold.

I'm fortunate to live in a city that is set up for all kinds of activity. We have a beautiful trail called the Galloping Goose. Although it's not perfect - there are wooden bridges that hurt to cycle over and there are a lot of pedestrians - you don't have to compete against cars and it's pretty scenic.

We'll see what the next week brings. Hopefully sunshine, a healed ankle, and more excitement on the road!

Bike gear and "stuff"

After my first week back on a bike in more than a few years, a few things are clear. There is a lot of gear with this sport!

Maybe it seems like there is more equipment than other sports because I'm coming off a month of running; all you need are your clothes, some decent shoes, and you're off. It's not so with cycling.

First, of course, you need a bike. Depending on how into the sport you plan to get, the price of a bike can go as low as around $100 for a used bike and as high as $500,000 for a custom bike. (Interested in what a bike that expensive looks like? Read about the Trek "Butterfly" Madone bike designed by Damien Hirst here.)

So why are bikes so expensive?

One word: components. You can add that word into your cocktail party dictionary for when it's time to wax poetic about your new love for that sweet ride you're about to buy!

Pausing on Dallas Road - gorgeous spot to cycle

Components, the parts that make up a bike, can change the price of a bike substantially. You want it light? You'll get carbon fiber, which is expensive. Don't care about weight? You can go to Canadian Tire and pick up what they've got on sale. Jim Langley, a cycling enthusiast and writer, put together a great image showing the names of all a bike's components; check it out here.

The other thing that affects the price of your bike is the brand and size. Um hmm: Bikes come in more than kid's, women's, and men's sizing.

If you plan on getting into proper road biking you will need to get sized. A few weeks ago in preparation for this month's sport challenge, I stopped by a cycling store and got sized. I'm fairly short and we decided a 48" bike would be suitable. If I had to jump from the pedals in a panic, I would be able to touch ground without landing with the "top tube" between my legs and getting hurt.

Quiet streets are fun to explore from a bike

Then of course, there's the helmet. In six Canadian provinces the law requires cyclists to wear a cycling helmet. (It's required in 22 states for you Americans reading!) British Columbia is one of those provinces, and I have to admit that when I moved from Ontario (one of the six provinces) to Victoria, BC, I noticed that people actually follow the law here. I feel like much less of a dork with my helmet on here than I did biking around Ottawa.

According to the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute, "Common sense tells you to avoid a helmet with snag points sticking out, a squared-off shell, inadequate vents, excessive vents, an extreme "aero" shape, dark colors, thin straps, complicated adjustments or a rigid visor that could snag in a fall." (I was surprised that there's an institute focused solely on bike helmet safety; I guess I shouldn't be...)

If you know of a women's size 48" used bike for sale - please let me know.