Total immersion

I'm feeling substantially better in myself and decided to get out for a swim. My usual pool and the local council pool are closed for the holiday. Ponds Forge was open and going for a swim fitted in nicely with a trip into the city.

Stolen from the SIV website

On first appearance the 50m length wasn't too terrifying but on jumping in I was shocked to find that the end of the pool was 2m deep and the water was cool. Both fine for active lengths but not great if you need a rest. My first length was very rough as I was in a mild panic and going too quickly but gradually I paced myself. Mostly I managed complete lengths with bilateral breathing but occasionally I had to stop short and do a few lazy breaststrokes. Both ends of the pool were 'shallow' at 2m and the central portion was significantly deeper. No opportunities to stand up then!

As I crept towards a mere 14 lengths (still 700m) my arms were struggling to keep me progressing as they weakened during the course of a length. As I've mentioned in a previous post, I don't have aerobic arms.

It was a good practice session and has given me an insight into the 'next level' of longer lengths and a need to keep active to maintain body warmth. Open water swimming would be a vast leap beyond this!

Ongoing ache

Yesterday morning I felt as if I was improving a little but by lunchtime I knew that wasn't true and so took 10mg Omeprazole. Same again today and with little recovery in sight I've recently taken 20mg more. Let's hope that breaks the cycle, it has worked previously. I really hope so.

Return of the ache

Today I've been attacked by an abdominal ache once again. I'm never sure when I get these pains if it's the 'functional gastritis' first occurring in May 2012 or whether it's something else; such as an off chip! However, we've been eating and drinking very sensibly (especially in view of the traditional seasonal excesses) and mostly food of our own preparation so it's hard to blame an external agent.  It seems harder still though to blame my epigastric pain on stress as the week has been very relaxed with no transport or travel issues so common in the 'holiday season'. Yesterday's run was easy too, a very usual length for me and taken at a leisurely pace so it's hard to ascribe the pain to abdominal muscle effort.

I've just slept for 2 hours in the early evening and intend to go straight back to sleep until a goodly hour tomorrow morning. How can I be tired? I must be ill to a degree.

Christmas day around the block

With nothing much going on, a dry sunny morning and an empty apartment it seemed the ideal time to do a 10km run around the local countryside. We'd walked to east and west so I set a route to the south. The paths and bridleways weren't as wet as I'd feared and I made fair time although I had to stop at each junction to check with the map.

The ford in Shilton was too wet to cross

At Shilton though, the centre of the village was flooded  and as I didn't want to get cold by wading I had to detour along the road thereby missing out Mount Zion Bottom. That was probably no bad thing as  I expect that the valley would have been flooded as it holds the same beck that was flooding Shilton.

Descending on the bridleway to Widford

As I'd missed a little distance and ascent I extended the route to the north through Widford. Luckily there is a bridge there! Swinbrook looked as though it could flood very easily as water lapped across very minor side roads but the main thorough, if one can call it that, was dry.

Cabin fever

The pre-Christmas weather has been foul. We've not been travelling which is a good thing but the wind and rain have kept us indoors.

Stolen from BBC news website

With only an hour of daylight remaining we decided to don the waterproofs and set out. I can't say it was pleasant but it was helpful to move beyond the building.

Still affected by the cold

It's amazing the difference that a few days makes. On Wednesday I was glad to be off work but on Thursday and Friday I got on OK although I was looking forward to the weekend. Today I felt able to go out for the Saturday morning run.

However, despite a good start, as the ascent started I could tell that I  wasn't really right.  I made it to the top of Porter Clough but needed a few walking rests and decided that I must 'listen to my body' and take a direct route home. My breathing was strained and the aches of earlier in the week had reappeared.

At least I went out and covered a relatively easy 12km and know that I need a bit more recovery time.

This afternoon I was in the car for a few hours and found that pretty uncomfortable. The roller came out as soon as practicable!

Horrid cold

This isn't an entry about the weather which is mostly acceptable, but about the common cold virus. Last Sunday I knew a cold was on the way and by Tuesday afternoon I'd decided that I'd be off work at least on Wednesday and that a run and circuits were inappropriate. Today, Thursday I feel a fair bit better even after a day in work and so hopefully I'm on the mend.

It's no wonder that I got an infection as colleagues at work and other circuit participants were suffering from it and I've probably passed it on too.

Its' a pity as I'd hoped to have another good mileage week but I suppose it has been a rest for my legs, even though many joints have had a feverish ache. I just have to remember that's it's only a week.