I'M GONNA BE SORE TOMORROW

I did my end-of-week-4 progress trial for the Hundred-Pushups Challenge.

I was able to do 35.

This is 20 more than I could do 4 weeks ago, but it puts me into Level One, and I started in Level Three. Despite my progress, I feel like I'm losing ground.

However, after the 35, I rested awhile, then cranked out 20 more. Then 10 minutes later, 25. Break for 5 minutes, 20 more. Five minutes later, 22, which was all I could manage, but my total was 122. This whole workout exceeds Day 3 of Week 4 at Level 3.

So I don't know where I am.

I think I'll do Week 4 over again, at Level 3. You may remember I dropped down to Level 2 at the end of Week 3. But now I seem to be back up to Level 3, if I repeat Week 4.

Maybe what Shirley said in her comment.... that, in running, a recovery week after a couple weeks of building puts you ahead for the next cycle of building -- maybe it's the same for strength.

Anyway.... I can tell I'm going to feel this tomorrow. On top of the increased lower-body strength routines my physical therapist upped me to today. I did "progress tests" there my last visit and today she increased my reps, tied me into heavier resistance bands, added tricky balance moves. Just when I thought I was a hot shot, she ups the ante.

But I have to appreciate that she is working on keeping up my conditioning so that when I can return to endurance sports I'll be strong. She said I'm a challenge: "We have to work hard to challenge a high-level athlete like you."

She called me a high-level athlete. I'll be darned.