Australia Day

Australia Day here today. Our national day.

It is a day that means a lot of different things to people. The local reactions to Australia Day range from rabid patriotism (bordering on religious fervour) to considering it a commemoration of an invasion. The way people celebrate Australia Day has an equally broad range, everything from a great excuse to drink to protesting. One thing Australia Day has in common for nearly everyone though, is that nobody has to work. Good excuse to relax.

For our household Australia Day has been a nicely quiet day. Not boring quiet, just pleasant quiet. A day spent pottering with the kids, playing in our little pool, just generally mucking around. For our house it has been something close to an ideal day at home, celebrating our freedoms by making the most of them. I am not sure if the people who came up with Australia day had anything specific in mind, but I like to think that the day we have fitted in with their ideals.

Today hasn't all been beers and shrimps on the barbie though (for the record I think I have only ever done that once). I managed to get 90 minutes in on the Kickr this morning. Good session with the average power for returning to the neighbourhood of normal. Still 30 or 40 watts lower than I would expect for a session like this, but an improvement over what I was seeing last week. Doing it hurt, but I think I am going to have some hurting in my future if I am looking to return to racing form.

I was really hoping to go for a jog this afternoon, but prudence has dictated that I don't. My shoulder pain has improved a lot over the last couple of days, but it is still borderline for running. Of more concern is some renewed swelling on the site of my scar. This is the same swelling that I have been dealing with for the last few weeks. I saw the surgeon last Tuesday and everything seemed to be sorted. Certainly over the last week the wound has healed very quickly and nicely, which is why this new bout of swelling is so frustrating. I don't think I have been overdoing it, I didn't train at all yesterday and the bike session this morning is nothing more than I was doing last week. I really am a bit baffled as to what brought this swelling on. As I said, I don't think I have been overdoing it, but I am beginning to doubt my concept of  what that means.

This recovery really has been the definition of two steps forward and one back, every time I think I am getting back on route for training my body seems to warn me off. Frustrating. Still I am not giving up on training all together. No running today, but my plan is to head to the pool in the morning. I can't swim properly, but if I can do some work and if I am careful I can get a good session in without putting any strain on my shoulder. My goal for this week is to conservatively identify what I can do whilst staying in the bounds of my shoulders limits. I have thought I had those limits figured out before, although obviously I haven't. Hopefully this time around I have more luck.

As always, slowly, slowly.