Sizing up the Gymmers

Ever since my debacle at the races, I've been diligently hitting the gym, fear and embarrassment replacing misplaced bravado and confidence of yore. nothing fancy just a decent run at a decent speed, followed by a light exercise routine holding it all together. I still can't bring myself to go to the gym and restrict my workout to the cardio machines - the disdain I held for them in youth gets in the way of what should be a fairly simple choice.

I've started to notice fellow gym rats, as i am sure they have me. There's the jockers who truly belong in the gym, the fockers who think they belong in the gym, and the shockers who have no illusions on either. Right now I'm lighting up the rearguard action for the shockers, who are in desperate need of some leadership. We're kind of a brooding bunch - we grudgingly acknowledge one another, never openly sneering at the peacock types, yet all carrying sociopathic tendencies beneath a calm exterior. 

Having achieved some modest successes in a sporting life long, long ago I'm not about to settle for bottom of the barrel just because I've gained a few pounds (Editor's Note: it's more like a few stone). Nosirree bob!! And so I hone the focus of the shockers, using eyebrow gestures to bring home the point, since none of us will talk, until each operates with head held high and mission clear ...

... I will have to take this blog up later - the post workout beers have me rocking, and i can see I'm starting to ramble. Cheers (hic)!!

Running Kaminey Ishtyle

After 3 months of wearing down our building treadmill, it is time to air out my sea legs, and run with the people. I woke up at 6:00 am to the great amusement of Subs, and headed for the Turf Club. To say I was unprepared for the sea of activity that awaited, would be like saying Tiger had an indiscretion. I was gobsmacked!!

Mumbaikars of all shapes and sizes were out in numbers getting their health thang on. The who's who of brands ran by, designer tights decked in jewelry yakked in animated voice passed in a gaggle, and the  senior brigade strode by purpsefully - all appeared focused on keeping a good burn going. I had thought I'd be amongst a few intrepid folk who chose to brave the dawn, nodding understandingly at them, as if to say "I feel your pain." Instead I was an onlooker to a world that new exactly what they were up to, and i was the only fool trying to figure out what was what. 

In case you're wondering, this is how I felt ... not how I looked

Trepidation notwithstanding, I got going at a gentle pace and soon fell into a rhythm. The course is all of 2.2.K, and so after the initial going, the runners certainly thin out, allowing me to reflect and soak it in. So tranquil, so serene. My reverie was broken by the clatter of hooves, and I turned to see 4 horses tearing up the track alongside me. In spite of my ambling pace,  imagery of running Kaminey ishtyle flashed through my head.

After 3 km of running with White Beauties alongside, my left calf muscle suddenly locked up and the air whooshed out of my Kaminey balloon. I hobbled the remaining kilometer back to my chariot, with pain coursing through, and vowed never to leave sight of my trusty treadmill.

Back on the Horse

In Traction

Just when it started to look like I'm in the clear, I was laid low by a freak injury which grabbed hold of my neck and wrung it like a dishcloth. Actually it only felt that way ... I couldn't say how it happened but one minute I was typing at the keyboard, the next I was grimacing with pain shooting up and down my neck.

It was the kind of pain, which forced me to stay prostrate for the better part of the day while Subs worked copious quantities of Powergesic gel into my stretched (torn??) muscle. The heat only served to diffuse the pain, and it kept returning, preventing any sort of movement.

This is what I should have used.

Interestingly, the only ruse that worked was the application a bag of rice (we used a pillow case), which moulded to the neck, and held it in place. Apparently the rice has some curative properties of gradually drawing away the pain. While my situation bordered on the ridiculous, I was in no position to argue or even bring scientific enquiry to bear, and so I sat immobilized, rice pillow stuck to my neck.

For two days I kept alternating balm, meds and rice till the pain became bearable. Today I went in to work, cautious, distrusting my treacherous muscle, but it didn't let m down. I spent the entire day favoring my left side and I can tell it will start getting sore, but that's thinking for another day.