Here we go again

Yeah, I've been MIA for a while. It hasn't been pretty and I've used up pretty much every excuse I had to avoid proper training. I've mostly been having fun: playing soccer and riding my mountain bike. It's been nice, but I notice some muscle loss, and I really need to be better about watching what I eat. Eating like I'm still training isn't doing me any favors.

I went to the Doctor about the shoulder and was told that it was an inflammation that was feeding on itself so it couldn't heal. This sounded a little strange, but one Cortizone shot and some anti-inflammatories later, and I'm about 98% better than I was a few months ago. There's still some soreness when I lift the arm straight up and reach, but that's minor compared to what I've been dealing with. So, YAY!

To test it out, I went to a Master's swim class after soccer on Tuesday. To my surprise, not once did I notice or think about the shoulder during the class. Of course, it would have been hard to notice anything other than my gasps as I struggled across the pool. To go from the 1000 meter distance at a cruising pace to 1500 yards done in rapid spurts was a little jarring. I'm not in the shape I once was.

So, I was properly humbled and still deserve the slow lane, but that's ok, when you're slow, you have lots of room for improvement. At least that's what the coach said while trying to console me...

Just for data, the coach had me do 4x100yds (short course) with 10 seconds rest, trying to keep each one the same pace. My times: 1'55", 1'55", 1'57", 1'55". Pretty consistent, but slow. Pretty sad considering I really was trying. If I want to get better, she said I need to devote at least two to three days a week to it.

Here was the class (everything in yards, pool was short course):

6x75 kicking, 15 seconds rest (total 450)
4x100, 10" rest (400m, 850)
4x100 @ 2'10" (400m, 1250)
4x75 (breast, kick, breast) (300, 1500)
Cool down

At least that's what I recall, there may have been more. Still, that's 500 more than what I've been doing in a session lately. I got through it, although I noticed my stroke really falling apart by the end. The coach mentioned that to start with, we'll work on endurance, and then on technique. But just by virtue of doing more swimming and building the endurance that I would get faster. Apparently the average distance they do each day is about 2400 to 2700. Dang, that's a long way.

In other news, I have a bike ride up Tantalus w/ A after work today, and tomorrow is another Soccer and Master's swim day. Hope I don't drown.