I played football, baseball, and golf in high school. I’ve had multiple exercise routines over the years and now run 5 or 6 days a week. No one would ever call me limber, however. For years, trainers have encouraged me to stretch and coax my muscles to be more flexible. I agree with the idea, but I’ve never wanted to endure the pain and inconvenience required to follow the advice. Stretching hurts. But with the years piling up, I’ve determined that I must heed the trainers’ wisdom. I’m clinging to the hope that the work will be worth it in the end; but for now, these stretching exercises are truly a pain.