There was no post last Saturday, and that was because I did, indeed, not get well. I had a whiff of fever coming and going, the throat soreness wandered into the lungs and became a rasping cough, my nose blocked up.... and so on. So there was no practice, no physical exertion out of the ordinary, for over a week. I was going crazy and my body, as usual, reacted. It started feeling creaky and painful in some joints, and I had to do a sort of gentle massaging of my lower arms and hands, to prevent it from feeling as if ants were living inside them. That can happen otherwise, too, but it definitely turns up after over three days without some kind of exercise.
So I had to take it easy. Until today, when I had a go at some easy core strengthening exercises, some stretching, some easy kicking and a quick run of no more than ten minutes. It was the first time I could run since winter came, so I took it easy on purpose - quite apart from the fact that I am still coughing. It felt incredible, to be able to move, stretch, use my muscles and... to run. Oh, what a feeling of freedom! On with the sandals and out I went into the bleak late-winter's light, up into the forest and onto paths well travelled. Snow lay in patches, the ground was often waterlogged, and at times rather muddy. I loved every step of it. But I reined myself in - it wouldn't do to go too hard, and take myself out of commission again!
I would have gone to iaido practice instead, had I been where I usually am. But I am not, and so I did something else instead. The same will have to go for most of this week, I'm afraid, but, there you go. At least I can do something, and not just sit still any more! And, I was recommended an Aloe Vera lotion, for muscle pains and other, and to my enormous joy and surprise it kicked the buttocks off the pain in my shoulder! So, I am going to get one for myself, and then let's see if we can't overcome that shoulder injury once and for all!
Now, I'm wondering, some people stay strictly to their training regime, while others take a break during, say, holidays. Have you taken a break during the Easter holiday?
See you in about a week or so, during which I hope we will all be able to enjoy training!
Yay, running again! At last I really know that feeling, I find myself longing for the next run almost as soon as I get back from one. I never would have guessed that was possible for me. I never would have guessed I would let an excuse such as Easter holidays not to exercise pass me by on purpose, either. But I did, and gladly so. I was going to a gaming convention, and instead of sleeping a few well-needed hours more I joined a small group of fellow runners-and-gamers and headed off for a half-hour run along the streets of Gothenburg. Or so we thought. Instead we found ourselves getting lost amongst hills and stairs and parks and churches, and the light run turned into a one-and-a-half-hour adventure of ascending and descending stairs, jumping over fences, climbing stony hills, and just trying to find our way back. It was the first time I ran together with other people since high-school, and it was much more fun than I had expected! I could run faster and longer than I had ever done before, and I didn't feel stressed or demotivated from being the slowest as I had anticipated either. Holidays tend to be good opportunities for surprise adventures, I've found!
ReplyDeleteIt's such a wonderful feeling, isn't it!
ReplyDeleteOh, wow, that is absolutely great! An adventure, with fellow geeks, and running just because of the sheer fun of it... I would have loved to join in - it seems as if there was no pressure, and, indeed, who could have guessed it was possible to feel like that when running with others? Congratulations on a great experience!