Body and sanity log

[tylik]

I've been posting erratically, as the combination of an already full schedule, a bug that just wouldn't quite give up, and qualifying exams has had me pretty busy. Been working on just staying focused, staying with it, and not worry about things. With some success. (And, y'know, some not success, but as they say "train harder!" Oh, wait.) Feeling a little vindicated today. Yesterday I was pretty productive, but finished the day feel sore, tired and with pretty lousy focus. Felt like I ought to go home and whip myself into more studying, decided that was foolish and non productive so instead I make sweet potato bread and a quick dinner and then sat and went to bed. At some point after my body was pretty firmly asleep and my brain was in one of those in between states* a way of reworking primary aim 3 occurred to me that really cleans up and focuses that section, and also cuts down the background work I need to do a lot.

Practiced in the gym this morning, a first for the season. It's really wet out, and I was already tearing up the grass yesterday when it was pretty dry. And it was late enough the gym was a better bet than the biology auditorium. I suspect I'll be back there a lot if this is typical - the huge auxiliary gym was deserted and half lit, so I grabbed one of the net-screened basketball courts. It's kind of nice working on such an ideal surface; the whole thing is covered in this slightly soft rubbery spray stuff - just enough grip, nice and flat... Make me remember how much I like training in the dark. (There was a moment when I'd just done a jump kick and off to one side I hear "sweet!" But mostly I was on my own.)

At the end I was working on Chen Jian, something popped in my knee and it decided it really didn't like crouch stance. There's been something going on with the stability in my right knee the past bit. It's probably inevitable, as I've done some significant reworking of my pelvic position, but yesterday and today were the first time this bit has been an issue, and after stretching carefully this morning it had held up for the first hour or so, and I spend a lot of time going in and out of low stances. It might just be an adjustment thing - I've historically had problems overextending the inside of my knees, especially the right, and this is on the outside. But definitely something to keep an eye on. It seems to be okay otherwise, so I don't think it's a serious injury, at least yet.

* Which has historically been some of my best design time, though usually in the early morning, not soon after I went to bed.