All Work And No Play

We were crammed into Terry’s basement, couches covered with kids.  Jack was running, ax in 1 hand, Shelley with a cleaver chasing, the little boy hustling towards the camera.  Snow, cold wind. The Shining climaxed and the volume maxed couldn’t hide my uncontrolled scream!

REDRUM.

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.”

Training day after day, without a purpose can make me crazy.

Too one-dimensional, ultimately making me neglect the basics and wind up hurt.

Finally surfed this week, coaches orders, to rehab my shoulder.

The super stiff shoulder (from last fall’s dork crash) slowly loosened up after about 10 minutes in the water.  I turned to catch a wave and that final power paddle shot lightening up my arm… it was delayed and hit me as I popped up, and I hid an uncontrolled scream.

$^&*!

$^&*!

$^&*!

I couldn’t enjoy the ride, I just cruised then turned out and lamely paddled back.  Determined to ease into the next wave, I failed.  Too many years of that final power paddle to pop up.

$^&*!

$^&*!

$^&*!

This time I just rode in.  It hurt too bad.  I could barely move my right arm.

But after the trauma… my shoulder was freer, moved better.  With some therapy today my mobility improved more.  Coaches orders:  surf twice a week, mainly paddle.

It’s good to cross pollinate the training with other sports.  Surfers have strong backs and cores, critical to sprinting and climbing for cyclists.  It doesn’t take much time to make a big difference to your overall fitness… just be careful, and go slow.

shining