This week has been significantly warmer than last, the Fahrenheit thermometer hitting 60 degrees by yesterday. It's also been overcast and rainy and gloomy. Picture-perfect days are rare in January. And the forecast calls for the return of sub-freezing temperatures overnight tonight, possibly accompanied by sleet and freezing rain.
Joe and I paddled a loop of the harbor on Tuesday, and today I went back to the river with the intention of paddling for 60 minutes. I discovered upon arrival that I'd forgotten my watch, so I paddled a loop that usually takes me about an hour to do. I warmed up, did three 8-stroke sprints, and then practiced my stroke at a variety of speeds. I got back to the dock about 65 minutes after I'd left--typical of me, I erred toward excess.
I paddled with a bit of discomfort today because as I was leaving the house this morning I slipped on the stairs out back. I'm glad no one was around to see it because it was one of those spectacular feet-out-from-under-me moves, like when a cartoon character slips on a banana peel. It had been raining in the early hours of the morning and my back stairs can get very slippery when wet. My back slammed down hard on a stair just below the shoulder blades. I don't think I hurt myself seriously--just a deep bruise--but now I'll be living with that soreness for several days.
On Monday and yesterday I did rounds of the current strength routine. Like I've mentioned before, these exercises are Hard with a capital H. I'm a little perplexed by the trouble I'm having with the rolling squat burpees: I remember them being difficult when I last did them two years ago, but I'm pretty sure I got the hang of them after just a few days of trying. But right now I'm struggling to do even one rep. I realize there's no reason to get too upset: I'm a paddler, after all, not a burpee master. But I'm feeling discouraged anyway. The truth is, I don't want to believe that my athletic ability has declined that much between age 48 and age 50.
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