Something of an unusual weekly review this one, given that I only managed a single ride during the week. Not through lack of desire, but rather through illness.
My single ride this week was on Zwift. I did a 2 hour session at active recovery pace as I couldn’t take being off the bike any longer. It’s a strange feeling given that a couple of years ago, the thought of not being able to exercise during a week wouldn’t have concerned me at all. But last week I felt so frustrated at not being able to do anything – combined with everything else going on in the UK right now – that by Sunday I decided to hell with it, and got on the bike even if it was a sedate session.
The illness I’m facing at the moment is almost a like-for-like repeat of the illness I had earlier in the year. Like last time, the illness seems to come and go. Tuesday and Wednesday were particularly bad, but Thursday I was fine. Friday and Saturday, breathless again. Sunday, given I don’t do very much at the best of times, I figured was the single best day to get in a session.
What I’m experiencing lately is a shortness of breath, and a tightness in the chest. It’s like an upside down U shape, along the bottoms of my lungs. Now, this could also be construed as a flare up of acid reflux, which appears to share a lot of the same symptoms. And maybe I would write it off as this, were it not for my wife to be experiencing similar but not identical symptoms concurrently. Also, my kids have both had small bouts of illness, and their school is riddled with the ‘vid. So I suspect it’s that, more than anything else.
Now, of course, this sucks. I’m better prepared than last time. I know the limits of what I can, and cannot attempt. And I know it took ~5 weeks to shift, so mentally at least I’m somewhat ready for the battle ahead. Last time, after the first week, it was restricted mostly to this intermittent cough and tight chest. Only in the first week did I have debilitating headaches. So hopefully I’m through the worst part at this point.
Given how my 2hr recovery ride went yesterday, I’m aiming to do 1hr sessions during this week in much the same way. Little and often which should hopefully stave off the worst of my fitness falling off a cliff. Again. Fortunately ERG mode is able to keep me in check.
So, yeah. A pretty crappy week really. Easily my weakest week in recorded history (with regards to this blog, anyway). I was busy enough off the bike. But a general feeling of fatigue had me lacking any enthusiasm for much after my work day was finished. I’m trying to remain positive and think that a full week off the bike may have done me some good. A full recovery – albeit one where my body was busy fighting off something else, rather than simply resting.
Still, at least I got two hours in. Better than nothing. Here’s to a better week ahead.