Category Archives: Health

3 weeks off. Back now.

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Kona Jake: cold 6°C, brisk SE, sunny & dry.

2nd ride of the day.

Three weeks off due to a long heavy cold with a persistent cough. There were times with fever and others when it seemed never ending. The turning point was during our holiday in Mallorca. The hotel has a good gym which I used several times a day.

Now I’m back. I’ve lost form (as you’d expect) and ended with a dry cough. Oddly, riding I felt the weight on my arms & shoulders. I thought I’d worked upper body in that gym. It’s going to take a good month to come back.

Was it COVID?

Aquatic centre

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18°C, grey & calm

Aquatic Centre

A day out in Manchester means an opportunity to swim in the best pool around. 50m at the right temperature. I’ve been ill with a throat infection for a week so didn’t plan to push too hard. However, once warmed up, I was fine so I did 34 lengths (50m each, a mile).

Dropped a pad.

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15°C, light SW breeze, strong sun & dry.

First ride after breaking a rib or two. On the last DofE, I tripped over a black guy line in fading light.

Strange mechanical problem; I had no front brake. I thought at first the long stopping distance weas due to oil on the brake disc, I’d given the bike a minor service earlier. However, on closer inspectiong, I’d adjusted the front caliper as far as it would go, and the pads still didn’t touch the disc. Then, I took the wheel out. Now I could see it, one of the pads was missing, and the other – very thin. There is quite a puzzle.

Now I think, the pads had become so thin that one had fallen out during a previous service (probably on re-assembly), ort maybe when putting the bike in the car.

Swimming PB, ever

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Swam 72 lengths this afternoon. That’s the longest swim of my life. I wasn’t called into work today so was free to have an easy morning. The rain stopped me cycling but the pool is good.

Hardly anyone was there so setting up a rhythm was easy. Going further each week has been the pattern; now it’s usually a mile each day. A mile in this pool is 64.5 lengths and today I stretched it to 72.

In another lane, a young woman was practicing Synchronized Swimming (if that’s the right name). She would suspend herself head down in the water and spin longitudinally. Amazing really, I’ve never seen that before.

Deep winter

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Cold & sunny -2°C, snow & ice.

The coldest day so far this winter. The car has a tantrum about low coolant level so I drove it half a mile to the garage for a bottle of top-up.

Work was good and I  got a swim after lunch. This was the usual 50 lengths (25m per length). I’m tired now though. Just like most years, the first week back from holiday and I’m wondering how I’ll last until easter. The same thing happens after every break.

End of term swim.

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Sunset view from the pool.

The end of term swim at Edge Hill pool. There was only three of us and I pegged back the distance. School was rather dull in the afternoon and the energy for a swim was low. I decided to walk to the pool and see how I felt when I got there.  Having refreshed somewhat but decided to do only 40 lengths rather than the usual 50+.

November: summer bike

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Dull but dry.

We’re having a very mild autumn. 12-16°C has been typical this last few weeks. Last week was half term and for a few days, I was in shorts. Now in November and still riding the summer bike.

#weirdweather.

Tendonitis has left the left Achilles tendon and relocated to the right one. Hence, all these recent rides being short (20 to 35 miles).

Wasps

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7°C, dull & grey, light breeze.

5 wasps in all.

Today was binsday. I nipped out to take the bin to the road before it got light, they’re due at 07.30. in the moment the door was open, 5 wasps flew into the kitchen. The best way to catch them is with the cordless vacuum. The one I’ve got, a Dyson, sucks up Insects without harming them. Then all you have to do is wait until it’s light and let them outside. In that time, one worked it’s way through the tubes of the vacuum and escaped. They’re not stupid are they?

Later, I went for a swim at Edge Hill. After 50 lengths, I’d had enough. It was quite busy by then. The water tasted bad by then because W groups of young bikini girls got  in and they must have been basted in perfume. You know.how I hate that