I've been lent a wetsuit to do my swim (Thanks Mick!).
Mick did the Great North Swim last year, and really enjoyed it. He's filled me in on what's it's like, and fired up my enthusiasm. So today, I tried on the wetsuit, which fits like a glove! I'll post a picture soon (when I'm braver).
On Thursday I'll be trying it out at Salford Quays, doing my first open water swim. I'll keep you posted!
Take care
Sunday, 4 July 2010
Thursday, 1 July 2010
Recovery Stroke
Recently, my right hand has gone strange. I've had difficulty writing and typing. It was initially diagnosed as being a stroke, and as a result I've been off work and "resting" for the last 6 weeks. As a result, I've not done much training - although to be fair it was more down to the not being able to drive than to not being able to exercise.
As it turns out, I've actually just blown a fuse in my brain, and it's nerve damage. I'm back to driving - and to training!
So I'm building back up to doing 64 lengths, and more rowing in the gymn.
Take care
As it turns out, I've actually just blown a fuse in my brain, and it's nerve damage. I'm back to driving - and to training!
So I'm building back up to doing 64 lengths, and more rowing in the gymn.
Take care
Wednesday, 12 May 2010
The Tyranny of Numbers
I've been doing quite a bit of training at the gym - sometimes more than I want to. I'm not sure what it is about the human mind and whole numbers or complete things, but I just don't seem to be able to step off a machine after 14 mins and 30 secs - I have to complete that minute! Or if I've done 0.8 Km, I have to finish that K! But sometimes, I'm at the end of 2k, but my time is 14 mins and 30 secs, so I stay on, and then I get into the next K, and I can't stop until that's a whole number, or at least a round 0.5. I can't get off at 2.34Km, that would be madness.
And now, to add to the complication, I have an MP3 player to listen to. But this means I can't stop mid track - I have to wait until the end of the track.
So like some demented soothsayer of old, I keep going until all the elements line up in conjunction - the end of a track falls at the precise point, exactly X minutes after I've started, and when I've completed exactly Y Kilometers.
When that eventually happens, I'll get off the rowing machine or treadmill - but it could be some time, so don't wait for me!
take care
And now, to add to the complication, I have an MP3 player to listen to. But this means I can't stop mid track - I have to wait until the end of the track.
So like some demented soothsayer of old, I keep going until all the elements line up in conjunction - the end of a track falls at the precise point, exactly X minutes after I've started, and when I've completed exactly Y Kilometers.
When that eventually happens, I'll get off the rowing machine or treadmill - but it could be some time, so don't wait for me!
take care
Tuesday, 20 April 2010
Row, Row, Row your machine
I've discovered the rowing machine and think I'm in love!
It's tucked away at the back of the gym I use, and I wouldn't even have looked for it but for a friend recommending it as an alternative to the treadmill (thanks Phil!). A bit of tuition, and I rowed myself nearly 2km. It's hard work, but more enjoyable - and not so tough on the knees. So after 10 mins of rowing, I did just 10 mins on the treadmill, but instead of inclining it at 5, I upped it to 9 - so I was practically climbing, rather than walking. But since my legs were warmed up already, and since it uses different muscle groups (apparently) I didn't feel it anywhere near as much as I normally do.
So that looks like my new gym regime - splitting time between rowing and walking quickly up a very steep hill!
And I bought some goggles ready for next swim...
take care
It's tucked away at the back of the gym I use, and I wouldn't even have looked for it but for a friend recommending it as an alternative to the treadmill (thanks Phil!). A bit of tuition, and I rowed myself nearly 2km. It's hard work, but more enjoyable - and not so tough on the knees. So after 10 mins of rowing, I did just 10 mins on the treadmill, but instead of inclining it at 5, I upped it to 9 - so I was practically climbing, rather than walking. But since my legs were warmed up already, and since it uses different muscle groups (apparently) I didn't feel it anywhere near as much as I normally do.
So that looks like my new gym regime - splitting time between rowing and walking quickly up a very steep hill!
And I bought some goggles ready for next swim...
take care
Sunday, 18 April 2010
Back in the swim of things
The last vestiges of my cold and chest infection have finally gone, and I was itching to get back in the pool. Having not swum for about 3 weeks though, I decided not to overdo it, and set myself a target of a half mile swim.
It felt really good to be back in the water - and the pool was lovely and quiet - always an added bonus! 32 lengths took me just about 30 mins, so even though I hadn't been for a while, I don't seem to have slowed down much.
I'd really like to work on improving my stroke though - and I think one easy way will be to get my head under water more. At the moment I don't wear goggles, so it's not comfortable to get my face underwater too much, but I think this could be remedied with a good pair of goggs - I feel a little shopping trip coming on!
Take care,
It felt really good to be back in the water - and the pool was lovely and quiet - always an added bonus! 32 lengths took me just about 30 mins, so even though I hadn't been for a while, I don't seem to have slowed down much.
I'd really like to work on improving my stroke though - and I think one easy way will be to get my head under water more. At the moment I don't wear goggles, so it's not comfortable to get my face underwater too much, but I think this could be remedied with a good pair of goggs - I feel a little shopping trip coming on!
Take care,
Sunday, 11 April 2010
Lovely bit of sunshine
So, it's Grand National Day and the sun is shining from a beautiful blue sky. We're at the in-laws as it's Saturday, and it really is a case of "if this is Saturday, it must be Stoke".
We arrive in the morning to find them agonising over the shopping list - there must be at least 4 things on it, but Freddie is worried it's too much, and will be too heavy for my husband to carry. I know he's a big strong lad, so manage to inveigle a few more items onto the list. David duly goes off to the supermarket, with carrier bags in his strong arms.
Meanwhile, it's a bit early to start lunch, so I suggest to Freddie that we have a sort out. She's always worrying about "all the stuff" in the house, so I suggest we tidy up either the pantry or her bookcase. She chooses pantry.
Now, I don't think there is a lot in their pantry, but Freddie panics that the shelves are all full, and it's all stuff they won't eat. So I get her to pass me all the tins of things she will no longer use - her cooking skills, along with her appetite, have diminished greatly with her dementia. I pack all the tins into bags, and it looks as though I'm off to harvest festival!
I then get in the pantry and give all the shelves a good clean - removing old cat biscuits from back of the shelves (and they haven't had a cat for many years!). Freddie rearranges everything back to how she likes it, and then panics that the shelves are so empty. I give her back 1 tin of tuna, and she seems happy again.
When David returns, the shelves fill up, and everything looks fine, and Freddie seems more settled.
After lunch (salmon, boiled potatoes, green beans followed by something and custard, as it is every Saturday), we coax Freddie and Bill outside, to sit on the bench in the sunshine. It is so peaceful and quiet - all we can hear are the birds singing.
We're out there for ages - nails get cut outside, tea gets drunk, they all reminisce about laying the drive. I look at Freddie, and notice that for the first time in months, she isn't fidgetting. No rocking, no scratching her arm or head, no wringing of hands of clenching of muscles. She looks almost serene, calm and happy, and it's lovely.
4 o'clock comes, and Bill wants to go in to watch the Grand National. Freddie wants to stay outside in the sunshine. She and I stay out a bit longer, until the horses are lining up when we go in.
It's been a lovely day, and I'm hoping for more sunshine next week, when we will perhaps tackle the bookshelf!
take care,
We arrive in the morning to find them agonising over the shopping list - there must be at least 4 things on it, but Freddie is worried it's too much, and will be too heavy for my husband to carry. I know he's a big strong lad, so manage to inveigle a few more items onto the list. David duly goes off to the supermarket, with carrier bags in his strong arms.
Meanwhile, it's a bit early to start lunch, so I suggest to Freddie that we have a sort out. She's always worrying about "all the stuff" in the house, so I suggest we tidy up either the pantry or her bookcase. She chooses pantry.
Now, I don't think there is a lot in their pantry, but Freddie panics that the shelves are all full, and it's all stuff they won't eat. So I get her to pass me all the tins of things she will no longer use - her cooking skills, along with her appetite, have diminished greatly with her dementia. I pack all the tins into bags, and it looks as though I'm off to harvest festival!
I then get in the pantry and give all the shelves a good clean - removing old cat biscuits from back of the shelves (and they haven't had a cat for many years!). Freddie rearranges everything back to how she likes it, and then panics that the shelves are so empty. I give her back 1 tin of tuna, and she seems happy again.
When David returns, the shelves fill up, and everything looks fine, and Freddie seems more settled.
After lunch (salmon, boiled potatoes, green beans followed by something and custard, as it is every Saturday), we coax Freddie and Bill outside, to sit on the bench in the sunshine. It is so peaceful and quiet - all we can hear are the birds singing.
We're out there for ages - nails get cut outside, tea gets drunk, they all reminisce about laying the drive. I look at Freddie, and notice that for the first time in months, she isn't fidgetting. No rocking, no scratching her arm or head, no wringing of hands of clenching of muscles. She looks almost serene, calm and happy, and it's lovely.
4 o'clock comes, and Bill wants to go in to watch the Grand National. Freddie wants to stay outside in the sunshine. She and I stay out a bit longer, until the horses are lining up when we go in.
It's been a lovely day, and I'm hoping for more sunshine next week, when we will perhaps tackle the bookshelf!
take care,
Sunday, 4 April 2010
Not Going Out
It's Saturday, so it's Stoke.
It's a lovely sunny day, so after lunch we suggest going for a walk. We used to go every Saturday after lunch - not far, just round the block really - but over winter we've not been out much, and Bill's hernia makes it painful for him to walk far. But it really is georgeous weather, so we're determined that today will be our first walk of the season.
"Come on, let's put our shoes on and go for a walk!" sounds like an innocent enough phrase, but the way Freddie reacted, you'd think I'd shouted "Come on, let's get our guns and murder some puppies". We had strident "no"s, petulant feet stomping, accusations of bullying and even some lip pouting. At that moment Freddie looked 9 not 79.
Then her eyes lit up - clearly an excuse had occured to her. "I don't have a coat that fits" she says with triumph. David pulls a coat from the closet. "It's too small" she says. David pulls a different coat from the closet. "It's too thick" she cries. We tell her this won't matter, as we're not going far, only round the block. She reluctantly puts it on, and away we go.
It really is lovely outside, warming up with the spring sunshine.
We turn the first corner intending to literally go just round the block when Freddie pipes up "let's go up to the next street and round". This makes the walk about 3 times the distance - which just goes to show - getting out the door is way more scary than the walk itself.
It's a good job sunshine is an antidote to frustration!
take care,
It's a lovely sunny day, so after lunch we suggest going for a walk. We used to go every Saturday after lunch - not far, just round the block really - but over winter we've not been out much, and Bill's hernia makes it painful for him to walk far. But it really is georgeous weather, so we're determined that today will be our first walk of the season.
"Come on, let's put our shoes on and go for a walk!" sounds like an innocent enough phrase, but the way Freddie reacted, you'd think I'd shouted "Come on, let's get our guns and murder some puppies". We had strident "no"s, petulant feet stomping, accusations of bullying and even some lip pouting. At that moment Freddie looked 9 not 79.
Then her eyes lit up - clearly an excuse had occured to her. "I don't have a coat that fits" she says with triumph. David pulls a coat from the closet. "It's too small" she says. David pulls a different coat from the closet. "It's too thick" she cries. We tell her this won't matter, as we're not going far, only round the block. She reluctantly puts it on, and away we go.
It really is lovely outside, warming up with the spring sunshine.
We turn the first corner intending to literally go just round the block when Freddie pipes up "let's go up to the next street and round". This makes the walk about 3 times the distance - which just goes to show - getting out the door is way more scary than the walk itself.
It's a good job sunshine is an antidote to frustration!
take care,
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