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6th January 2023
11:42am GMT
Emily Mullen
The urge to sit in and watch the Champions League on a Tuesday evening is becoming increasingly enticing, but instead, you're packing your kit bag for what feels like the thousandth time this year to go out into the wet, cold night for training.
Then comes the Christmas break, and you enjoy a merry time overindulging in turkey, ham, chocolate, and desserts and washing it down with creamy pints or countless mouthfuls of wine.
All good things come to an end, however, and as you peak into the box of Celebrations to see nothing but Bounty bars, and the new top you got as a present is feeling a bit snug, suddenly the desire to move again comes to the forefront.
New Year's resolutions start to be written down, goals and aspirations are swirling around in your head, the itch to kick a few points is returning and soon the WhatsApp message arrives right on cue; "Pre-season starts next week, everyone interested in playing this year needs to be in attendance."
So, before you dust off the boots, sign up for a new gym programme and get ready to 'make this your best year yet', just remember that you will encounter these five people at pre-season training (or more likely than not, you are one of them).
Every club has a veteran who swore that last year was their last season and that they would not be returning because they have too much on, the knee is beginning to give way and work is just 'too full on' at the moment.
Lo and behold though, as you pull up for that first session back, one of the first faces you see is the crafty old fox, already warming up and declaring that this year will in fact be their last.
This person absolutely loves the gym and talking about nutrition, breaking Personal Bests, and can be spotted guzzling a protein shake on the pitch as soon as training is over.
They stay in shape all year long and ease back into pre-season with the sort of effortlessness and guile that makes you wish you had made better life choices.
Secretly, you absolutely hate this person with their perfect body, perfect attitude and perfectly balanced life; the sort of person who can show up for one pint, and actually just have one pint - a force of nature.
The second they walked off the pitch for the last game of the season, they have averaged around 2k steps a day.
Constantly reminding themselves that "it's Christmas" and that they "earned this", they basically started the binge drinking, chocolate treats and double dinners from November first.
In they come wearing the same training top that they wore last year, but were frankly being a bit ambitious in doing so as it barely covers their midriff.
However, one doesn't just lose the magic over a few weeks, they can still turn a game on its head with a bit of skill, an outrageous score or a moment of madness.
As the runs start to pay dividends, the waistline soon shrinks, and they are as good as new by the time championship comes around.
This article originally appeared on SportsJoe.ie.
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