Muscles I've ignored for too long

Last night I did something wonderful.  I went cross-country skiing in Gatineau Park with a group of women, most of whom I know very well and two who I didn't know at all.  We had a great time.

We skied a trail that was ENTIRELY UPHILL for the 45 minutes or so that it took to reach the cabin.  It was a gradual uphill but uphill nonetheless.  The cabin is one of several in the Park.  There are lots of picnic tables and a woodstove, outhouses, pretty much what you need for a warm break during a ski.  We brought great food for a lovely supper together there including a good amount of wine.  

After filling ourselves, we skied back down the long uphill.  That ski back was a lot of fun and took only about 20 minutes if that.  Thankfully most of us came equipped with headlamps.

By the time we reached the cabin I knew I was in for some pain today.  I was wondering why my ovaries were aching when I knew I didn't engage those muscles for skiing.  It later occurred to me that those would be my groin muscles and they were screaming at me.  

By the time I crawled into the car for the drive home, I knew I was in trouble.  As soon as I got in the house, I ran a hot bath with my wonderful Aveeno Oatmeal Bath stuff and soaked until I could no longer keep my eyes open.  

I did well on the ski considering I haven't skied since Emily was in utero.  Before that point in my life I'd spent a lot of time on my XC skis.  Luckily it came back pretty quickly.  My muscles don't have the same memory (or strength) apparently.

All this blathering to say that I plan to spend way more time on my skis for the rest of this winter and reap the benefits of the beauty of Ottawa in wintertime and the benefits of getting this body back into shape.