Seems like same ol' same ol'

Today I went to the gym feeling pain and left feeling a little less pain. That seems to be the story every day. But it isn't all of the story. And because I am documenting this trip to help myself and others, I want to be more specific.

Today's pain was in my right leg mostly, in my ankle, foot, calf. It hurt to walk when I got to the gym and I was happy to find a parking space nearby. Sometimes when I plod up the stairs to the weight room I find it hard to imagine that this body can do anything at all. Yet I get through the steps. The bike: for much of the ride I felt some discomfort in that right leg and foot but it wasn't real pain, and I considered going more than 13 minutes, but didn't. Walking on the treadmill was similar in that I felt some pain with every step but it wasn't enough to make me stifle a self-pitying cry.

I think I like my workout in general. I don't do any one thing for a really long time so it never gets tedious. I get through one thing, move to the next, and when I do the resistance band exercises I often use the breaks between sets to do other things, like shoulder stretches, calf stretches, and squats at the rail. I get it done in about 45 minutes and I feel better, sometimes the tiniest smidgeon but a little better.

It doesn't always last or it doesn't seem to. I went to the farmers' market afterwards and found it painful to walk through it. I struggled up the small set of steps into my house, dragging my bags. Sometimes I just want to lie down. I wonder, though, how I would feel if I didn't do any of this at all? I do think I'd feel worse.