13°C strong SW, storm Dave approaching, some driving drizzle.
Activity this week adds up to 976 minutes including 214km.
Each morning, I go out for 20′ walk before breakfast to wake up. This is working well for me as I’ve done this for 4 weeks now.
March is doing march things. Cold mornings & mild afternoons. This is the better time for new resolutions.
New season’s Resolution:
8°C, rain.
Rain all day, therefore – swim. I had the lane to myself so settling into a rhythm was easy.
Last year I peaked at 70 lengths in this pool but I’m fitter now. It’s all about building winter endurance.
Kona Jake: cold 6°C, brisk SE, sunny & dry.
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?
15°C, rain & strong gusts.
Been ill for all month so far. Heavy cough/cold and sometimes – running a temperature.
18°C, grey & calm
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).
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.
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.
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.
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+.
Micycle 