Multiple pains, hard to see a gain!

So here's the drift. My elbow hurts, I suspect its probably a torn rotator cuff. My knee is acting up again and all this is happening in a short span of 8 months including a herniated disk at my lower back which just recently settled down. It's like an obstacle one after another and I find it incredibly hard to be patient with it as time goes by. I'm putting off lifting for a while now, and now I'm having a knee problem. So no cardio?? I honestly don't know, but we'll see how it goes. Best of luck to me!

Running after the sun has set

Just had an awesome day today at the cinema while I ate a large salted popcorn and drank a large cup of 100plus in the cinema with my buddies. Oh and I had a fried dish of 'curry Maggi mee'. I think it has been almost two months since I've tasted those scrumptious noodles. Cheat meal(s) of the week! By the time I reached home it was already 7.40P.M. and after I got changed into my running attire and washed up a bit it was already hitting 8P.M. Did around 3.8km or so with a time of 22 minutes running up and down my road. It sure felt really good running but my right shoulder was feeling really uncomfortable when my arms were swinging. There's still even a slight discomfort in it now as I type this. I will stay strong as I believe, and I believe that it will heal within good time.

Also, been going through motivational running and athletic videos/commercials and I just wanted to share with you some that I found really inspirational.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_DV2Z08ejg&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DUnOup4tVY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40x15MZRo74&feature=related

I like this one a lot, because it shows that WE decide our destiny. We decide whether we succeed or not. Cheers!

As I worry!

It's almost the end of the third week since I've stopped lifting weights and started giving my shoulder a break. I know that it's not about the time that I have been resting, but about how much my shoulders has recovered. However I still find it really difficult to not feel frustrated at least a tad bit about not being able to work out. My shoulder does feel better but there are still clicking sounds when I move it in a certain way. Unfortunately these sounds are symptoms for a rotator cuff tear. Once again, I almost fell into a state of self pity and of despair. I've got to hope though, and do what I can at the moment to keep fit. I'll be trying out some dumbbell curls later with around 2.5kg and I'll see how it goes. Most importantly though, I do not want to aggravate my injury. I've certainly learned my lesson when I mildly herniated my lower back disks earlier this year. I definitely do NOT want to experience such a thing again. So wish me luck, and hopefully all will go well!

Grateful for a run

I decided that today I was going to take it easy a bit, since my right knee cap is moving around. Because of that I decided today to just go for a little jog that still hurt a bit now and then. My knee's acting up a bit again since my 3km run on Thursday. Nevertheless, the pain was nothing bad and was actually merely just a discomfort. I still iced it though after my 3km jog that took some time. Thinking of how good it is actually even still be able to run compared to my condition a couple of months ago when I couldn't even jog. It's good to exercise... It really is.

Dedication to recovery

Hey yo, how's it going?

Alright, well I've got a confession to make. Today, 23rd of July 2011, I have indulged in multiple unhealthy foods that wasn't really... well, good for me. Why did I eat it though? The answer is simple, because I went out with my friends and family today, and as much as my current diet is important especially to achieve my goals, it should not interfere with my social life as long as its not excessive and halting my progress. I enjoyed the meals though, just gotta relax a bit sometimes right? Oh and I got two new pairs of training singlets and a pair of running shorts as well while I was out with my parents. (Thanks dad!)

On a different topic, it has almost been two weeks since I've started resting after injuring both my shoulders. They definitely feel better, though when I do the 'wall push ups' my left shoulder would get sore really fast and hurt a bit. At the moment, I am focusing on recovery as a minor injury would be a lot better if healed fully with patience than having a chronic one if I try to continue lifting through it. My fingers are crossed though, and I shall just focus on recovering. As a matter of fact I was reading an article on rotator cuff injuries which I suspect I have and came across this very enlightening line, 'Return to your activity is determined by how soon your rotator cuff recovers, not by how many days or weeks it has been since your injury occurred.' A healthy mental outlook will only aid in your recovery and emotional health, baby steps one at a time, recovery, rehabilitation and then slowly getting back into my routine. Here's a little motivational picture, cheers.

3km Blunder!

I've just finished my 3km run after warming up with a 1km jog. I pretty much smell like a dead salt fish dropped in the dead sea right now and I'm practically drenched in my sweat. How did it go?

Well the first 1km was done in 5 minutes which was a pretty good start until I realized halfway through after that that it was a rather difficult pace to keep up. Needless to say, I slowed the pace down a bit. Only by a bit. Had a little breather before reaching 2km(I stopped the time) to stretch a bit after feeling slight pain at my abdominal muscles. Only a minute or so and I continued running pretty fast to reach 2km. The last 1km I had another small breather(paused the time) and then was boosted from a sudden adrenaline rush and I even sprinted at the last leg of the run, reaching the end breathing and sweating in my sticky cotton school shirt. I immediately pressed the 'stop' button my watch. I felt good, confident that I have beaten my 18minutes goal by probably even a minute or more.

"What's the blunder then?" You might ask. I looked at my watch which I supposedly had set to the 'stopwatch' mode and saw that it was 18minutes over already. Impossible. Not while I was breathing this hard after the run. Upon closer inspection, I realized that my watch was back into its normal time mode which showed the time in 24 hours. I changed it back to the stopwatch only to realize that it was stuck at around 14minutes 50 seconds. Damn. It must have reverted to showing the normal time again which does happen after awhile if you pause the stop watch. I'm guessing it must have happened after I took the breather at the last 1km of the run.

Moral of the story? I shouldn't take breaks if I want to beat my target time. Oh, and to remind my dad to get me a new Timex watch. On a more serious note however, I'm pretty sure either way I would have beaten the target time or at least have been closed to beating it if you count the time I used to have a breather. Sure, the numbers are always important. But let's check back to my previous post yesterday and remember what today's run was all about. It was about mental strength and will power. Did I push myself today? Sure did. Can I push myself more? Definitely.

Mental Power

I just went for a short 3km run with a time of 21 minutes 43 seconds. My legs are still a little sore since the Jog For Hope event that I attended. If there's one thing that I've learned so far from running is that I find myself to be doing a whole lot better when there are competitors around. I supposed this must be because I am more motivated to push myself more to try and win the damn race.6km with a time of 35minutes 25 seconds. Heck, I'm not even gonna call what I did just now a run, it was just a jog. A fast one at that. I'll try to down another 3km tomorrow in at least 18 minutes. I know I can.

On a different topic, I'm just wondering do you work out or anything? At the moment I'm pretty sick and tired of how life is throwing injuries at me as if it was some kind of sick joke its trying to play. After suffering a mild herniated disks to my lower back, and a runner's knee which is pretty much chronic now though it's controlled, I find myself to be suffering from another injury again after only a little over a month of lifting again. Shoulder pain. I have no idea why I could have even injured my shoulders considering that I'm only carrying 5kg weights after a 3 month hiatus. It kinda broke me down a bit inside after my workout when I realized something went wrong with my shoulders. It's been a week of rest already and it still feels a little uncomfortable. Am I gonna give up my goal and quit doing what I love?

No.

Why?

Because I guess life's just unfair. And that's how it is. Sure it sucks that I have friends who lift 10x more that what I carry and never seem to injure themselves(Nor do I wish them any harm) but I guess this is just how I am made. Won't be stopping what I love to do though. Here's a little quote I found on a blog for any of you who are injured.

“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” Helen Keller

Will be doing some exercises for my shoulder to strengthen and hopefully it'll be fully recovered by the end of this week and I can get back to lifting. Till then. Peace out!

What's this?

Hello all, I've decided to start a new blog based on my fitness lifestyle which consists basically of lifting and running. Do not mix this blog up for some advice blog or something though, it's just a way for me and you all (If you're interested of course) to express and share my personal experience through exercising that has changed my life in so many ways. I still remember just a couple years ago when I could not even do a single push up at all and compared to my current fitness level, I'm pretty proud. However, my goals are far from achieved and the journey has only just begun. It doesn't matter whether you play a game of basketball occasionally, or whether you're in the school team and vigorously training non-stop for the next competition. Let this be a place for all people who embrace a physical and healthy lifestyle, whether it maybe lifting weights, sports, marathons or just a simple daily jog at the park..