Water baby

A little 'off-topic' I know as this blog is supposed to be about my running escapades, but for various reasons (which I will go into) I've not really run much since Haweswater. Unfortunately this means I won't be running Manchester, but I am pretty determined to get up to, or close to, marathon distance at some point this year.

My closest council pool happens to be the Edinburgh Royal Commonwealth Pool, which recently re-opened after a substantial renovation (not that I'd ever got round to going before it closed, for reasons which will hopefully become clear). The place certainly looks very smart - although I would note that the signage isn't exactly clear and I got a little lost and ended up in the changing room meant for the gym not the pool.

I'd had a pretty annoying day, and was rather cross with various people, so felt like thrashing around in some water for a bit and wearing myself out would probably help. And I have to say, the effect was immediate once I'd managed to find the water (I was being a bit vain and not putting my prescription goggles on in the corridor - and therefore couldn't read any signs, or indeed see any doors). Just slipping into the water made me feel a hell of a lot better.

I've never swum in a 50m pool as far as I remember, and actually didn't really notice it as feeling particularly longer than the 25m pools I used to train in. Wasn't counting lengths exactly, although timed some 100m stretches so I conservatively estimated that I did about 44 lengths over about an hour and a quarter ... I probably could have kept going for ever but they were wanting to close the pool for the evening (how inconsiderate).  Just felt so calm and happy splashing around - even the to-and-fro-ness of doing lengths was quite calming.

My shoulder muscles are definitely announcing their presence (if not shouting it yet) and I swallowed rather more water than I intended due to being out of practice doing tumble turns ... but I feel so good for going. As I've hardly swum at all since my eyesight deteriorated (prescription goggles were a LOT more expensive when I did competition swimming 15 years ago) I'd forgotten how much of a water baby I'd always been. Must do this more often! Although hopefully will also be up and running again soon.

Reasons for not running:

1) I seem to have had quite sore knees since Haweswater, possibly from all the downhill/braking etc. I've also had aching bones (I'm assuming from the same cause).

           Solution: I've started taking joint supplements (which I think are working) ...
           mostly glucosamine which Grandad also takes and seems to do him a lot
           of good. I think it's started working.

2) Have niggly foot problem which is probably a pulled muscle or something from traipsing across town in 7 inch heels one night after a performance: I quite often wear said shoes to sing in, but I don't often stand for several hours AND walk a mile or so either way in them.

            Solution: Resting feet a bit and stretching

3) Horrid throat infection/virus. Because of the singing I have to be a bit more careful with throat related problems, but this one also exhausted me and indeed kept me up all night before I should have been running the First Nation Home race because my glands were up so high I looked like a pumpkin.

             Solution: Bed rest ...