Numb

Have you ever been so cold you became numb? 

In high school for cross country we would often ice after a run which meant soaking our legs in a tub or river of ice water for at least 10 minutes to help alleviate the soreness which was sure to follow. The first 3 minutes were a painful load full of terrible post-run aches that seemed magnified in the cold and icy pin-pricks all up and down my legs as my senses sent warning signs to my brain to say that something weird is going on. 

After the first 3 minutes my legs would become so cold, they'd be numb and while I could feel the cold, the pinpricks and achy pain were no longer there.

Then came the not-fun. 
Defrosting. 
Imagine the same cycle I told you: cold, pain, numb. Now imagine that cycle in reverse: numb, pain and never ending cold. 
Defrosting. 
I always had a mental image of myself walking around during the defrosting stage like a baby horse or deer learning how to walk. 
The difference between me and these young quadrupeds are that when they stumble it's adorable and endearing, when I stumble it's annoying, klutzy, and possibly dangerous. 

Icing was good because in the long run it helped me heal from my workouts. 
It also taught me that I can mask my acheiness but would eventually need to deal with it and stumble a little.

Even though it's not healthy I wish I were numb, 
but I know I'd have to defrost and feel everything anyway.