A Case of Shingles--blah!

Gross! It's been confirmed by a doctor. I have shingles. I had my suspicions and had checked the internet for symptoms--looked like it might be shingles, but I was hopeful I was mis-diagnosing it. All the doctor did was quickly glance at the rash and confirm it is SHINGLES. Yuck!!

So far it seems to be a mild case and hopefully it will stay that way. I've started taking anti-virals to reduce the growth of the virus, but it doesn't stop it. I just hope and pray I don't get those nasty boils that seem inevitable! I guess this rules out the pool for at least a week or two...until the rash has almost entirely disappeared. I'm so totally bummed about that!

Just when I was looking forward to getting back in the pool after last week's study hiatus...I get a highly contagious skin disease! Just my luck!

Something Nasty

Over the weekend I contracted some nasty red bumpy itchy but painful rash on my right side under my breast and armpit wrapping around to my back. Not sure what it is or how to care for it but I think it's best to avoid dirty locker rooms and chlorinated bath water for awhile. Hope to be back in the pool in a few days.

1400m

500s
300p
200k
200s
100brst
100s

Total: 1400m 35min

This is my first visit to the pool this week. I have a good excuse. It is reading week and I've been studying at the library close to my house to avoid the bus commute. But today I took a midday break and went to the main campus and jumped in the water. This week I decided to shave my winter coat...first time in always feels great with a fresh shave! I'm going to London tomorrow for a weekend of drinking and debauchery! Be back in the pool on Monday or Tuesday!

2200m

1000s
500p
300k 25fr/25brst
100brst
100bk
4x25fly drill
100s

Total: 2200m 48min

Week Total: 7200m

I made it--Day 5! Yahoo! I don't think that has happened since I was in college. And it's the most meterage since Japan! I'm moving up in life! The pool was pretty quiet this afternoon so it was easy to stay longer and do more. The guys I was swimming with were all pretty polite too! A nice change of pace!

I don't think I've showered at home all week--I've got that chlorine perfume going on. I should bottle it and market it to swimmers. Too bad it makes me sneeze!

1100m

500s
500p
50k
50s

Total: 1100 23min

I KNOW!!! Lame!! But I was rushing to get to the bus. Not sure if I did the math correct, but I think I worked out that 1100m in 23min is the equivalent of doing 22x50s on the 1:02. Not exactly race pace! But that includes pulling, stopping at the wall for slow swimmers, doing a little breast stroke in a traffic jam and short breaks in-between. Hmm? I'll have to start paying more attention to that. See if I can't pick up the pace. Although I don't feel like I'm taking it easy. In fact, I feel like I'm pushing myself a lot. My heart is usually racing and I often feel very short of breath--lapsing into breathing every 1-2 at the walls instead of maintaining my every 3 pattern. And this is day 4 this week. I'm going tomorrow...make it 5!! Yahoo!!

1500m

500s
500p
200k
200s (25brst/25bk)
100s

Total: 1500 40min

Long day today and I went swimming at the end--not much energy or motivation, but got in anyway. Nothing much to report minus a run-in a the wall in my last 100m. The swimmer in front of me pulled into the wall on the left side, she didn't attempt to even move to the middle as if she was turning and continuing. So I moved to the middle to pass her and as she turned to push off she ran into me. I apologized and said I thought she was stopping. Not sure if she was pissed or not. I kept going after my quick apology. Awareness of what's happening around you is central in lap swimming. People need to be on constant look-out for other people. It doesn't seem to be an innate skill.

1500m

500s
5x100p
200k w/brd
100k no brd
100brst
100s

Total: 1500 35min

Another busy lunch hour. My arms were a bit tired from yesterday. The water felt thick and a bit like swimming in honey! I don't know if people are getting to know me or if today was an unusual day, but everyone was very polite. People were pulling over, letting others pass, moving at the wall so others could do flip-turns, and even turning back to see how close the next person is in line. It was a huge improvement over some days!!

2000m

800s
600p
300k
100brst
200s

Total: 2000m 50min

Yowzers! I made it to 2000m after 7 months--about time! Feels good to be back 'in it'. The pool was pretty quiet this afternoon, perfect for swimming long. I needed to stretch out and do some aerobic swimming after the quiet weekend! Plus it is monday...so there is potential to swim 5 days this week. Now, that would amazing--haven't done that since college! Hmm...let's see, it's still early in the week!

1600m

500s
500p
200k
3x100IM
100s

Total: 1600m 40min

Even though I had just eaten lunch (thai curry with rice) I was still hungry and felt the hunger pains throughout my swim. There were a few flailing swimmers in the one lane, so I was constantly trying to swim around them, or trying to be polite and swim behind them until the wall. It is a constant battle between swimming at speed and being polite. The forecast predicts snow this weekend, I don't buy it. But either way, probably will avoid campus if at all possible. So it'll be Monday before I get back to the pool.

1600m

500s
300p
300k fast
100brst
3x100 IM drill
100s

Total: 1600m 40min

I had a little friendly competition in the pool today. While I was kicking another guy was kicking too. We were both going as fast as we could to try and stay pack with each other. He ended up passing me and got about 1/2 length ahead because I let other people pass. But it was fun to have someone pushing me like that. I don't think he liked the fact that my brst kick was so fast! Seemed to piss him off! A little friendly non-verbal competition is always fun!

I won't go into all the ettiquete problems there were tonight! Oh my!