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1st Practice. Well actually it was the 2nd but first for me of the season. I woke up early and but felt keen to get out and play. Like always I underestimated how long it would take to get myself and Eric going. Eventually we got on our way with help from Satomi driving us to the station. A quick 40 minute trip where Eric was particularly well behaved, and we arrived at the station out side the practice area right on time. We walked down to the practice area, and immediately HEAT fear kicked in. I changed into my boots and drank some more water and tried to get ready. I could feel how hot it was and I was fearing just plain old passing out. That would be embarrassing. Man we started out "warming up" if that was really necessary I was already sweating then did some stretching. Then it was time for our fitness exercises, SUICIDES. In the heat that is what it amounted to. 5 cones spread equal distances apart. You started at one line and then ran to 2nd line turned around and ran to the first. When you got to the first you turned and ran out to the 3rd and so on. We did that 6 times each time throwing in some variations like you had to land flat on your stomach, get up and run back to start line. When we hit the first line I flopped down on my stomach even though I was only in contact with the ground for a second I could feel the heat radiating off the hard crisp brown grass. I knew the fun for the day was over. On our last one one we only had to touch the ground with our hand and I felt a surge of energy as I made my way back from the third cone and really started to pour it on. I past a couple of guys, OK maybe one or 2 who had been in front of me all during all previous exercises and felt pretty good. I touched the start line for my final run out to the 4th cone and poured it on a little more. I bent down to touch the last line and that is where things started to go wrong. I came back up dizzy but OK and kept running I past the 3rd and 2nd cone but with less then 10 meters to go my consciousness was fading. I was seeing stars sort of and felt very unsteady. I could tell if I didn't come to almost a complete halt I was gonna hit the dirt. I kept a running stance but was almost motionless as I got my brain back in control of my body. I know I could have kept going and "toughed it out" but if I fell out from heat exhaustion at this point all three of the following would happen; A. look like a fool B. disrupt training C. look like a fool some more. Besides what would everyone do? Call my mommy and tell her I fell down? What about Eric who was with me? I watched out of the corner of my eye as the 2 guys I had passed jogged across the start line.... shit. Shortly after we finished our run Murray pointed out there was a kids festively going on and our boys should run over there and get some kakigori (shaved ice with colored flavoring). Eric, Josh and Eddie went over and stood in line like patient little kids and got some ice and came back. Man Eric was so good playing with the other kids. I know he wants a brother or sister, I am just not in the mindset to give him one. The rest of training was spent in one of the following modes, total perplextion of what I was tasked with, running full speed after a guy I let get by me, and pouring cold water on my self to get back to my state of perplextion. During training the people holding the festival nearby had a "contest" for the kids to all catch eels and put them in a bag to take home, presumably to be eaten or kept as pets, ya I said pets or eaten. Welcome to Japan. Either way Eric got in line and after he was not able to grab one he came running on to our field in the middle of play demanding that I go down and help him catch one. I had neither the time, desire or energy to try to catch something that I didn't even want to look at. I sent him away but promised to help him later. I really thought I had a better grasp on the game since Sundagaira but this practice illustrated exactly how much I do not understand. I have some web sites and have been reading through the e-mails sent out this week and want to really try to gain a deeper understanding before Sunday. But it looks so easy on paper and it is not quite the case when you have 30 200 lbs+ guys all moving at full speed after one ball. Also I keep having problems with line outs and getting in peoples way. Line outs are where the ball is thrown in and people jump in the air to catch it assisted by team mates front and rear. I am always in the wrong place and always in the way. I got a e-mail today Thanks Murray, that cleared up some of it and I will do my best to implement it next Sunday, in our game against The Crusaders. We have not beaten them in a long time but I have a feeling..... this Sunday will be one of those weekends where it just works. When practice was finished about 1/2 the guys went to a shady park and then drank 1 or 2 beers a piece. I kept loosing count after one and Eric didn't seem to mind cause he found another festival and mooched some more free food and kakigori. We got home about 7 to a angry wife and I proceeded to eat something and get to bed. The End