You see, the alternative exercise thing has not been going as well as I would like.
Here is an exchange I had with my coach last night during a set of vertical kicks:
COACH: So, how is it going, being back?
ME: It SUCKS.
COACH: But isn't it better than sitting home by yourself?
ME: Yeah, that sucks more.
That about sums it up. Sure, I had been doing some spinning classes, which I really enjoy, but getting signed up for them requires surrendering your first-born, and I am all out of first-borns. And although I can sometimes muster the energy and dedication to get out for a run on my own or a cycle in the basement, sometimes I cannot.
So I had to face the swimming demons and get back in the pool.
Here, for the sake of testimony and bandwagons, is last night's practice:
900 kick warm-up (was supposed to be 1000, but I did not have time once I took off my short fins)
450 designated kick set (3 x 150: 50 easy, 25 fast, 25 easy, 50 fast)
50 random extra
300 kick (while the others were doing some kind of drill-swim thing)
~900 combination vertical kicking and lap-kicking in the diving well
300 kick (3 x 100 descend BR kick @ 2:00: 1:10, 1:04, :57)
200 kick easy
TOTAL: ~3100 yards
I realized in the course of this that whatever streamlining I was doing back when I was just kicking may have been the aggravating factor, keeping the shoulder from healing. Coach says I am not allowed to beat myself up for this, so I am working on LIVE AND LEARN. Or in this case, probably LIVE, GET SURGERY, AND THEN MAYBE LEARN.
MRI got postponed yesterday because of stupid scheduling snafu (though not until after I spent over an hour sitting in the Dr.-Phil-infused waiting room trying to get work done), so now that happens Thursday. Maybe I can still get my results Friday--we shall see.
Chin up.
4 comments:
Isis,
Alternate Excerise? I know it's no sub for the one thing you love.
'DO' tasks are so much easier for athletes than 'DO NOT' tasks. We want to hear: DO this, and everything will be OK. Not hear: DO NOT Swim. We want: DO this and you can swim.
I hate DO NOT. I want DO.
You said it: Chin up.
Yeah, I can see how streamlining (or holding a kick board) could aggravate your shoulder. Have you tried kicking with just your good arm up? You could also try both arms down but be careful not to hit your head on the wall.
Here's something to break the monotony. Try kicking on your front with a snorkel. I've seen some of the elite swimmers doing that. I guess the idea is that you don't have to worry about lifting your head to breathe. You could even add in fins.
Thanks for the support, guys!
Believe me, Joe: I have tried that. I have a whole array of toys (short fins, long fins, snorkel) and I try different combos as much as possible. Before, I would also play with the kickboard, but that is now verboten. I am now trying kicking with the just the one arm out: that is not bad. Also kicking on one side (usually the right side, so I can have the good arm out), on the back (watching for flags!) and front. But still....
And Marty, I hate DO NOT also! You summed it right up.
> I have a whole array of toys
You know, that's not the first time a woman has said that to me.
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