New year's eve and I was in the pool by 9:35am this morning. It felt great after a week of eating large quantities of anything and everything delicious and being stuck inside when the weather was horrible. I wasn't sure how the right abdominal strain was going to be, so, I didn't set myself any target beyond 20 lengths but hoped I might be able to push for a 1km swim to round off the year.
The pool was pretty empty, which made a nice change. I had a lane to myself initially and set off. By about length 20, I was aware of the right ab strain niggling but really didn't want to stop. It didn't seem to be getting any worse and I felt fresh so I carried on. I got to length 32 and still felt pretty fresh so that was it....I went for the big "4" "0". I guess it took about 40 mins but I was really pleased that I didn't feel weak or tired by the end. I just felt like I'd had a good workout. I'm aware of the ab strain pain now but I am hoping that, as along as I don't push it, it will just settle down eventually (ever the optimist!).
Obviously the noticeable difference today was the fact that I felt fresh all the way through. Sometimes by about length 25, my stroke form becomes a bit ragged and/or it's a lot more effort to keep good form. However, today, it felt "easy". All that food I'd eaten over Christmas had done me good - replenished all my muscles!
I did catch a mild cold over Christmas but it's hardly worth mentioning - just a sniffly, tickly nose, which I'm hoping will go away asap.
So....it's the last day of 2012. The positives from this year are:
1. The running I achieved at the start of 2012 before realising my hip needed extra work first. I was particularly pleased that it never caused any back pain or problems other than the right hip issues.
2. Getting off the Trazadone. I don't sleep as well or as consistently now but my daytime functioning is better.
3. Starting and tolerating a swim and the gym once a week. The swimming has definitely improved my general stamina and is consolidating the strength work too.
4. Getting assessments on my right hip and left shoulder from a private physiotherapist. Neither issue is resolved but at least there's a way forward.
And, how shall I put it, the issues which still need work...
1. The obvious weakness in my right abdominal muscles, which keep getting re-injured
2. The right hip
3. The left shoulder
4. The LHS lower back tightness/pain/aggravation. This is another of those problems which I keep thinking has resolved only for it to resurface as bad as it ever was. I'm not sure what causes it - an irritation of a facet joint? Who knows. Anyway, it's something I have to constantly manage or take care not to aggravate and it's bl**dy annoying!
So, there we are. That'll do for today's reflections. Into a new year tomorrow. No resolutions necessary. Just the same old plugging away at improving my health and fitness in the hope of creating a way for life to blossom. I live in hope...
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