Slowly...oh, so slowly...

I am trying very hard to get back into working out, but slowly enough that I don't hurt myself even more.

My back is not any better than last week.  I went swimming on Sunday, and woke up Monday morning barely able to walk.  I tried the recumbent bike yesterday...well, first I tried the regular stationary bike, but the seat was so hard I'm convinced it bruised my ass...but I loved the recumbent bike!  I feel like it gave me a better workout than even the walking/running, since my heart rate went and stayed higher than it does when I'm walking.  Not that I can or want to stop walking/running...but this is something new I can do, that I like.

I've been taking the tramadol pretty regularly...it makes me itchy, anxious, and a little sick to my stomach, but it's better than the constant back pain.  I have learned that my 16-year-old sister and my 13-year-old cousin have both started suffering from back pain as well, and my cousin has been diagnosed as having the same thing I do: a herniated disc.  I had read that it's genetic...my family definitely confirms that.  On both sides, actually, since my first cousin on my dad's side had it as well.  So I was pretty much doomed from the start.

I'm hoping to be back to a more regular workout schedule next week.  One of my workout buddies has been gone for the last week and a half, which hasn't helped my motivation...but she'll be back this weekend.  Having 2 workout buddies has been the best thing possible for my workout regimen...they keep me honest, and if one of them can't work out with me then the other one likely can.

So, this week, I swam Sunday, biked yesterday, and I'm swimming today.  That's not great, but it's better than nothing.  I should be biking this coming Sunday, which should start off the week on a strong note.  Next week, my goal is to work out 4 days...this week it was 3, and my normal is 5-6, so if I do 4 next week that will be progress.  I'm not worrying overmuch about the triathlon at the moment...I'm ahead of where my triathlon training book says I should be, so I think I'll be ok.  I just need to increase my endurance, and my breathing.

Speaking of breathing, I don't know if I posted about this last time, but I believe my asthma is more serious than originally thought.  When I'm working out, I get to a point where I just cannot pull in enough oxygen.  I'm trying to avoid that by keeping my heart rate below 180...I have calculated my maximum heart rate as being 191, so the target should be 70-85% of that, so roughly 133-162.  When I've been walking or biking or whatever, my heart rate has easily been in the 170-180 range in intervals, so I might even need to slow it down a little and exercise for longer.  That would probably help my breathing.

Alright, off to have some quiet time before exercise time.  At least it's swimming today...I always love swimming days, I feel cleaner and stronger and cooler afterward.  : )