Around the Pier. Making Progress.

Look at these beautiful pictures.  Pretty waves-about 2 feet, good shape, just right to play in.  The water was colder today.  I'm not used to cold at this time, so I was a bit surprised.  Let me look it up: surfline.com says 62-64 degrees.  I think 62.
My plan was to swim out past the surf and see what was up.  This I did and I felt good--I had energy.
I angled out to the end of the pier, figuring I'd turn around if I lacked the energy.  I felt good so I went around and hit the sand on the south side in 36 minutes. 
The water had a greenish hue to it; visibility probably 6 feet.  A pleasing, nice, successful swim workout for this old guy.

"The first time you quit is the last time you try."

Short Swim on a Beautiful Day

It is just gorgeous today in Oceanside.  Look at the amount of people on the beach.  That is a lot for us!  Aren't we spoiled?  Yes!
So, I felt good today and wanted to do a short swim.  I went out here at Surfrider Way, just a little past the breakers, and swam north (to the right in the pictures).  It was flat, a pleasing 64 degree ocean, and swimming along was awesome.  I turned around and did the same swim back.  The yellow lifeguard boat hung out for about 8 minutes watching me, so they are earning their money. 
My swim was 22 minutes.  The back support is helping so much.  Enough for now.

"The first time you quit is the last time you try."

Beach Gazing by Chris O'Dowd

Beach Gazing 

                

Each day different, my ocean ever-changing;

Refreshing, inspiring, a tonic to the heart;

I come here for renewal, never disappointed;

Inhaling sun, water, air, and freedom itself.

Rough and angry, calm and serene, all a blessing.

Clear blue sky, white clouds, sandpipers, seagulls;

And the Pier, we lack a Boardwalk here, Oh, it pleases.

Crowded on warm, sunny days; watching the fishermen.

Myself, I am captured by cold and roughness.

A rare blast of chilly rain thrown into my face,

Greets me like a close friend, I love the bracing cold.

Even happier am I lost inside the numbing ocean.

Count the pelicans that fly in their crooked lines.

Constantly changing their minds in formation.

A dozen, two dozen, a V formation in flight;

Then back to their shifting, trailing lines.

Stroll the seashore, look for shells;

Some get their feet wet; children venture farther out.

Parents’ time divided between worry and joy;

Take your photos, these times are soon gone.  

"The first time you quit is the last time you try."

Got the Branch nerve blocks a few weeks ago...Old Post from June That I Never Posted

So, you get these branch bundle nerve blocks in a variety of locations in the lumbar spine (in my case), and the results (did you get pain relief, did you not) helps the doctor isolate the spots in the lumbar facet joints and arthropathy places where they need to try to kill off the nerve by radiofrequency burnout.

I got 4 radiofrequency treatments to the right lumbar L2, L3, L4, L5 this morning to help there; then in 2 weeks I get the left lumbar spots done.

So, I'm feeling good now; I hope it continues. Forever would be nice.  We'll let it heal for a few days.

"The first time you quit is the last time you try."

Short Swim to Get My Ability Back

The children with the yellow rash guard shirts and yellow, hard-foam surfboards were on the north side of the Pier attending Oceanside Surf Camp.  This is great fun for the kids, and occurs each summer.  The lifeguards are great here in Oceanside!  They also run a Junior Lifeguard course of 2 weeks for kids which is great stuff for the kids.  The pictures on the south side show water a bit calmer with more surfers.  Both sides had lots of beachgoers enjoying the day.  The water was distinctly colder than 2 days ago--about 64.  The air temp was about 67.  The sky was overcasy mostly at the beach.
I only swam for just 16 minutes.  It was very choppy--about 2 feet of washing machine chop on the north side.  I swam a ways out, took a look around at the chop, and swam in to the sand. 
I wore the tight elastic back support, which helped greatly holding my back snugly together.
A short swim but a fun one.  Now I need to increase my endurance over time.  I'm in rehab mode again.

"The first time you quit is the last time you try."

I Got a Swim Done Today in Oceanside, CA

     I got in for a swim of 1/2 mile or so this afternoon.  The day was beautiful, water warm at 67, and air temp mid70's.  People are still on vacation enjoying the beaches here.  I put on a pair of compression shorts, then I wrapped an elastic back support snugly around my low back.  To cover up the white, I put a thin pair of trunks on and wore a rash guard t-shirt.  I felt well-wrapped.  I am rusty.  There was a one-foot washing machine chop everywhere.  Also the current was moving to the north.  I did a 24 minute swim.  Out a few hundred yards, south a hundred yards, then north and in which took me 10 minutes or so.  My back held out well with the support.  I'll use it again next time.  I feel good.
     Back on the sand my back immediately started hurting as usual, but that's ok if I can swim. 


"The first time you quit is the last time you try."