Well, I finally made it back to the gym this morning. The shoulder pain has lessened sufficiently to allow me to give it a go, and I’m pleased that it behaved itself nicely. If nothing else, it confirms it’s not a muscular issue and it lets me finally get back into resolving my deplorable loss of fitness and form.
Met Tarkwin in the leisure centre carpark at 10:30 and we didn’t waste any time giving ourselves a chance to back out. We both agreed to take it easy by dialling down our cardio and weight routines, and it worked a treat. I was able to do a full workout, at lower intensity, and felt great for it afterwards. Sure it wasn’t the level that I should have been doing, but I’d much rather take it easy than end up damaging myself or passing out. Tarkwin had the same positive experience, too.
So there it is… the start of my long road back to fitness. My weight has steadily crept back up to 118kg, I haven’t run since May and haven’t ridden my pushbike since the start of August. I’ve been very keen to remedy that ASAP, but the shoulder has been hampering that. And I’m still planning on doing this year’s Marlow Santa’s Fun Run, having recently received the entry details via email, which means I need to get my act together.
I have, however, been riding my new motorcycle – when the shoulder has been behaving – and that, strangely enough, has often been a workout in itself. For some perspective: I picked it up from the seller in the Tawe Valley in south Wales in mid-August and rode it the 160 miles home in some of the worst weather the region had seen in years. To make it worse, I hadn’t ridden at all in over 12 years and I spent the next 2 days with almost head-to-toe DOMS caused by a mixture of the stress of the ride (it’s a hell of a bike), the weather buffeting me, my long riding hiatus making me hang on for grim death, and muscles that have long since forgotten what’s required to ride a bike. I’m pleased to say that I’m now able to ride for hours with no more than normal concentration- and exertion-tiredness.
So although I’m disappointed I’ve ruined my previous hard work, I know what it takes to fix it. So… back to it!
