10 weeks in. In the past week we swam on Tuesday, went shopping on Friday (which doesn't count, but the thud thud of feet on hard pavements, and the constant change of temperatures between autumnal outside and tropical in shops is more tiring than anything else).
About an hour's cycling on Saturday but we caught in a few spits of rain which we thought was the onset of the promised deluge. It wasn't.
Sunday, swimming, several lengths. If I chose I could swim happily for dozens of lengths or a considerable period of time without exerting myself, which is a vast improvement on Session 1 when I struggled to do 3/4 length without physical pain! I don't choose to do so. I do lengths in twos - first, my special hybrid front-crawl/doggy paddle which acts as a warm-up. Then back stroke, which is the ultimate lazy stroke, especially when I can't be bothered to use my arms. Then I do a sort of front crawl but with a float to make me use my legs because otherwise I rely too much on my upper body. Then I do front crawl. I am trying to recapture/perfect my technique ie breathing every third stroke. My trouble is that I am comfortable swimming with my face wholly submerged and eyes open that I leave it too long to come up and breathe, then I'm gasping. I repeat this routine, not necessarily in the same order, until bored or over-exerted.
Today, out riding again on Tooting Common. I found it frustrating that my legs didn't seem to be working. Except on the decline or the very flat I was finding it very straining on my thighs, and when I rested it took a long time to get my breath and heart-rate back to normal. I am trying to figure out the effect of different factors such as how long since the last meal, the frequency of drinking, and where I am in my cycle. I am sure I used to know all these things instinctively, but I have to keep reminding myself I can't magically return to being 27 and fit.
I know that my skirt/trouser size has decreased - I can now remove such garments without unfastening them (potentially embarrassing were someone to inadvertently step on the trailing hem of my skirt going downstairs, for instance...). I can feel a much better definition of my arm and leg muscles. My belly still resembles a mound of jelly and I do believe that I have gained two kilogrammes in weight!
