Snow Sore

In the car with pups

My forearms and glutes were (are) really sore when I went to the gym today. Shoveling 15" of snow, even dry powdery snow, is quite the workout. Not only are my forearms sore from wielding a heavy shovel, but so is my lower back and the entire posterior chain afflicted by my inflamed sciatic bundle. Trudging through snow that deep is also quite taxing. While I've shoveled a narrow path down the walkway, to the woodpile, the driveway, channels to the trash bins. 

At the dog park this morning, I had to clear the two front gates. And then I was too tired after making my way up the hill to the dog park shed to do any more snow clearing. The dogs appear to be very unhappy with snow up to their undercarriages. It's going to get colder this week, with low temps in the negative numbers. 

Happily, being sore wasn't too horrible on cardio but damn, between the forearm weakness and the inflamed sciatica, pull-ups were a struggle. I managed to make it to rep 15 but it was ugly. The Aerobics Room was frigid, which was pleasant in the beginning, but by the time I got to push-ups, I had to put my hoodie back on. Dead Bugs was the only movement that felt strong, but my right leg still hurt a lot afterward. Same for push-ups and bird dog planks. Air squats felt normal. Thank goodness for little things. 

I'm on a new "old" med for my glaucoma. So far, I don't think I'm having any allergic reactions to the Alphagan P but I did read about some folks having unpleasant side effects like low blood pressure, brain fog, faintness, weakness, shortness of breath. I have been panting a lot these past few days, but shoveling in 10F weather might do that regardless. A box of Hot Hands I ordered in November finally arrived at the end of December, and then I found more I had stashed away. Hand warmers. Toe warmers. All good, especially for time at the dog park in the middle of a northeast winter. 

I'm hoping my forearms will be better by tomorrow cuz I need to haul a couple of wheelbarrows of firewood into the house. At least I already have a trench dug out in the snow to the tarped pile in the middle of the yard. Not happy about the prospect of a new snow storm hitting us next weekend. I remember having to shovel every weekend waaay back in the 90s, when I was a lot younger and not hindered by sciatica and glaucoma, and/or the meds and their side effects... 

27 Jan 2026 1:24-2:48

Frigid Tuesday

Bare Basics / sore from snow shoveling w sciatica

Precor elliptical #1 (2:02)

Program 3

Time: 30 + 5 (5334)

Distance: 2.75

Cal: 301

Precor HR: 178-84, 152 average

Fitbit: 42-126

HGPU 15 (struggling w/ sciatica)

20 Piriformis/Hip flex

10 Hamstring stretches

DeadBugs 20 x 5 (sciatica!)

10 Piriformis stretches

Child’s Pose

Cat/Cow stretch 12

Child’s Pose

Fire Hydrants 30 x 2

Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2

Arm rotations 20

Push-Ups 30 (sore arms & lower back)

Air Squats 25

Neck Stretch / eye yoga