On Saturday, Ryan and I went to the pool. We go to 24-Hour Fitness -- there are quite a few locations near our house, so we decide where we want to go depending on what activity we are doing. One of them has a nicer pool than some of the others. I swam 1250 yards -- not too bad for the first day back to swimming in almost 8 months! By the end my right shoulder was particularly cranky....definitely need to slowly work back up in the swim distance.
{from 24hourfitness.com}
Did I ever tell you guys about my shoulder surgery a few years ago? I know I've told you about my knees, but I couldn't remember about the shoulder....
Basically, from 2006-2008 I played a lot of ultimate frisbee (played all through college in Delaware and at Minnesota) and the repeated motion of throwing ended up causing a tear in the labrum of my shoulder and my ligaments to be kind of loose. I kept sort of dislocating it. Eventually in Fall 2007 it was really bothering me a lot and I had surgery. I had to wear a big sling and couldn't use my arm or hand for 8 weeks! Being my dominant hand it was so difficult. I had to teach myself how to write left handed....when I graded papers it was particularly hilarious!
yeah -- the sling was huge! i wore it 100% of the time.
So, sometimes my shoulder bugs me for a little while -- especially if I'm doing some sort of new exercise or working on really hard. But if I take it easy or lighten my weights for a workout or two, it is usually back on track in no time. I'm sure after a couple more swims, it won't get tired as quickly.
Now back to the weekend exercise -- Sunday I did my first long run since my marathon back in early December! Let me tell you, it was TOUGH. I went 8 miles at a 8:52/mi average pace. I let myself take it a little easier for the last mile because my legs were crying. It didn't help that I did a leg workout on Friday evening at the gym and my muscles were feeling tired and sore, or that I went at a pace that is pretty speedy compared to my marathon training. I'm really glad I fit in a run this weekend though -- it was a good start to my spring half marathon training.
Hopefully a few more outings in both the swimming and running categories will get me back in the groove.
Anyone else do a long run this weekend?
How long does it take you to get back in the exercise groove after a long break? For me, I think it is usually at least a week or two. I'm always excited to work out, but it just takes a little while sometimes for it to feel fluid.
oh wow! I had no idea about the shoulder injury!
ReplyDeleteI wish I could swim..it'd be such a different and FUN way of cross training.
Way to push through those hard 8 miles! It literally takes me 2-3 weeks to get back into things if I've taken a longer-than-usual break!
swimming is pretty fun -- i'm not really all that good at it, but i guess like running it takes practice. :)
DeleteI love swimming, too, but usually hate all the extra time it takes to get ready after it. I do love nothing more than sitting in a hot sauna after a nice swim, though :)
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