Saturday was strenuous, so I rested Sunday. On Monday I took once more to my bike and I was really shocked at how much better I felt. I was only out for about an hour and a half, which was not over strenuous, but contributed to the 'one hour of cardio exercise three times a week'.
I haven't had the chance to go swimming all week. Tuesday, because of being late into work I was late leaving; Wednesday because I attended an Open Evening for a job I have applied for*; Thursday because I was at Partenope.
And today was cycling again, the principle being that if we have time in daylight and it's not pissing it down, we'll go cycling. In evenings and on wet (or windy) days we'll go swimming. No point in wasting good weather when we've got it - there will be plenty of miserable days to come.
We were out for an hour and a half. I really need to do something about my warming-up. Leaving home is always deceptive - downhill whichever direction I choose, but downhill is always followed by uphill, or flat. And the first stretch of flat/slight incline always destroys me and I always think 'my god, I've not been out the house ten minutes and I'm done in'. But then it gets better, and it can be such a wonderful feeling, whether it's bombing along at what feels - to me - like speed, whether it's the fun of riding into the woods, over tree roots and into dips, or reminding myself that as a middle-aged woman I can pedal as slowly as I want, and it doesn't matter who's watching. but it's also very satisfying to have felt as if I can't go on, to be so racked with pain (Good Pain) that life isn't worth living, then to find something in myself, and get myself to the top of the next slope.
Tooting Common is enormous. There is one particular stretch - from the duck-pond past the children's playground and onto the café which is like a centre or a magnet, and it can be quite sociable, exchanging chat with several people, random strangers, on any given day. It was particularly busy today, which was okay. Except for the person who tied their dog to a tree outside the café and ignored it as it yapped incessantly. The other dogs were all obviously agitated, even a deaf man (an acquaintance of Jimmy) was telling it to shut up. It was a bit early for the congregation of the babes-in-arms, otherwise they would have probably have started off, too.
Yet other parts are almost totally deserted. So many copses and so on. The other day we went along by the railway line and saw bushes loaded with blackberries. Each time, the place looks different as the seasons change.
It was amusing when we were coming back. We passed under a railway bridge. Signs were up to say that barriers were being erected and demolition work was in progress. I was trying to work out what was being demolished. The railway bridge, said Jimmy. I doubt it I said,how else will the trains get between Balham and Streatham Hill. He was absolutely convinced that there were no trains along that line. I said there were, four an hour in each direction plus any number more being shunted into the sidings. We then split up because I wanted to rest a bit and he needed to get back, and wanted to explore an alternative way home. Not long after he had gone and I was about to resume, trains passed in either direction!
Later on, I went to have my legs (and a bit more) waxed. At one point I was really flinching with pain,and the beautician was apologising, so I said 'I have a really low pain threshold'. 'No,' she said, 'you've got a high pain threshold.' She might just have been saying that as good customer service, but there was something about the way she said it that made me think she was being genuine.
My gut is still wobbly, but higher up, from my breasts to my belly-button, there is something firm, quite possibly muscle. It's a while since I've felt any muscle in that region!
* and want, but am realistic-pessimistic about my chances because they don't want just anybody
