It's the Shoes

I didn't get as much done yesterday as I'd liked, but maybe the forced rest was good for the sciatica. It's not nearly as painful now, but still noticeable depending on what I happen to be doing. Hamstring stretches are very iffy at the moment. I lay on my back and do some lower back movements. Those feel fine, but there's no sudden revelation. I've definitely got some sort of icky sinus thing, judging by the colored snot that occasionally stains my tissue. But I've had much worse head colds without the intermittent dizziness, so I'm just going to be patient. There's little else I can do.

Today's another Cardio and Core day but I put on my Ryka's instead. And even though my toes and forefoot go numb during the last 10 minutes of the first cardio session (on the cross-trainer), it passes quickly. My left foot, the one without any problems, also eventually starts to tingle in the toes by the time 30 minutes has passed. But nothing hurts. Yet. I still have some core stuff, and those push ups and pull ups to do next. I get on the elliptical later and my lower back doesn't really bother me, but I know it's there so it's not completely healed. But my feet don't hurt. Which means those Brooks have to go. There's a donation bin for used shoes inside the front doors of the gym. The Brooks are obviously not a good fit for me. Sigh.

I can't get on the Stretch Cage because I've gotten to the gym late and there are a lot of seniors now. I don't like to rush anyone. I do my push ups, but my shoulders miss the stretch warm up at the Cage, and the right shoulder creaks in protest. But it's not serious. Crunches, scissors and bicycles for the lower abs seem fine. The side planks are fine. I don't even try the Bird Dog though because once I feel it's not fine, well, the damage is done and the nerve is aggravated. Sigh.

In general, I don't mind the cold weather although my hands and feet get painfully cold if I'm not actively moving. (I guess that's the Raynaud's. I don't know why Medline classifies it as a rare disorder of the blood vessels. It seems pretty common to me.) I can't wash my hands too often. Something about how water is a great conductor of heat away from your body. Which is why I'd never last too long in a profession that required frequent hand washing. Cooking is bad enough because the thought of cross-contamination gives me the willies. I'm constantly washing my hands as I'm prepping food.

I even bought the jumbo pump bottle of Suave Advanced Therapy just to keep in the kitchen. But in spite of fleece gloves, lambswool mittens, salves, lotions and Bag Balm (lanolin, petrolatum and hydroxyquinoline sulfate), I've got a fissure in my thumb. Not only does it hurt and is prone to bleeding, it's nearly impossible to bandage or soothe. Some people swear by Liquid Skin, but I find it too drying. After all, I have ichthyosis vulgaris, which makes it nearly impossible for my skin to retain moisture. Which also means I'm expecting my other fingers, and heels to eventually succumb to fissures as well. Ugh. But first, let me file down the calluses on the palm side of my knuckles. No, I'm not kidding.

Well, tomorrow I'm going to whack the machine. Not sure if they're both working properly, but there's no Out of Order signage. I'll have to make it quick though. I have tree guys coming to take down two scrawny maples a few yards from the back of my house. The tops are white and barkless so at some point, probably during a storm, those things are going to fall and wreck my roof. The guys showed up early for the estimate. And their estimate was $200 cheaper than the last estimate. They were kind of weird though. They looked familiar and they said I looked familiar. Then they both joked a lot about wives always being the boss. Very chatty, very smiley guys. Weird because my county is predominantly white and fairly rural. They kind of look like everyone else. I'd notice other Asian people. I'm definitely Asian. If I look familiar to them, I can't imagine why. Unless we shop at the same store or go to the same gym?

Thursday
7.71 miles

35 xtrainer
Calories 170
Miles 4.75
Average Heart Rate 147

Push Ups 60
Scissors 50
Bicycles 50
Crunches 50
Side Planks 2 x 60s

35 elliptical
Program 3
Calories 335
Miles 2.96
Average Heart Rate 147

HGPU 26