A Good Week

This beautiful Kestrel was being housed at a rescue centre in the Lake District (visited last Summer). I'd love to get a picture like this of one in the wild.....one day....

Getting back to the rehab routines this week felt good and I've been pleased to experience 'just noticeable differences' for the better. I'm pushing a bit harder on the bike each Sunday. Upping the resistance from 2-3 between 10-17 & 20-22 minutes, and upping the pace from 60rpm to 70rpm for 2 and 1-1.5 minutes during those intervals. I can actually feel my muscles changing as they warm up, fill with blood and work consistently through the session. The higher pace intervals feel fantastic!

At the pool, I persevered to manage another 10 lengths (5 breast stroke, 5 flutter kicks on my back) after the usual hydro exercises. Again, this week the breast stroke lengths felt a little easier and my arms weren't burning with fatigue as badly as before during each length. I had been to table tennis on Tuesday evening but it had been an easier week than normal - not having the opportunity to put much pace/power on the ball (due to whom I was partnered with).

The main problem areas this week were my left glutes/hip again. I iced my butt a few times to try to ease the ache. I think it's a tendon problem which then radiated down my left leg. Also, my left rotator cuff (infraspinatus muscle?) has been aching pretty badly and causing intense pain down through my left elbow. I took painkillers last night to be able to sleep with it. I'm hoping that these pains will just settle on their own eventually. I'm taking good care of them without hindering the rehab schedule. Heat and Ice, as usual.

The other change this week is that I've finally worked out how to be able to eat 2400+ (useful) calories a day. It's basically about having a bigger breakfast (600+ calories), so, I have a bowl of granola with milk, an egg (boiled/fried/poached) and a couple of slices of toast with a cup of tea and orange juice. I've also added in a slice of toast at 4pm with peanut butter or jam depending on whether I need more carbs, protein or fat. Every day I feel stuffed to bursting and have to force down the extra calories but I figure it's the only way I'm going to actually put on muscle.

Just noting that I'm still regularly getting cramp through the arches of my feet and calves, predominantly at night.