A poor start

Monday. First day back at work after a snowy break-week last week.

I got up at 6, ate two slices of toast and drank coffee then headed to the pool to churn out 40 lengths. I had to breast stroke every first 2 in 10 because the squash muscles were a little achey (though nowhere near as crippled as our christmas match).

I was pleased with 40 laps and I think it only took 30 minutes.

I have discovered, after I drowned my OLD heart rate monitor in the pool yesterday, I don't need to rush out and buy a new one because, even had the poor 10-year-old-thing survived the chlorine water, it wouldn't have worked anyway.

Walked home again and then, with a second cup of coffee, set up Phoenix Bike to ride to work - lights, tools, pump - cross tyres still on for slithering through the snow. My strength really is apalling as I dropped into the smallest gear to climb some pathetic hills.

Had to stop half way down Wharf Road as I had badly adjusted the front deraileur last week and it was rubbing on everything but the top 3 gears. Technically I should've been pushing the big ring. The cold is my excuse.

I did manage a seated climb up Brimble Hill, once the scratching noises had gone away.

Though wobbly, the ride home was uneventful except for forgetting to switch on Marvin the Garmin and missing out on some miles. There's now a big straight line on my mapping system between work and half way down Wharf Road where the garmin decided it was going to switch off and I told it to switch-the-hell-on and start counting.

Then the biggest surprise of all when I started to walk upstairs to go to the loo and got a painful twinge in my back.

I was booked into the docs anyway so have taken the day off to relax the back.

The doctors visit yielded a peak flow meter for me to measure whether or not I have asthma - addressing my new year's resolution to sort out my breathing once and for all. Not looking forwards to the day when I discover I just need to try harder.