5 x 2k this morning with 2 minutes actual (not active) rest - which, believe me, I needed. Average 1:48 and a bit which for me is fantastically fast! So felt pretty good until I stood up to get a shower and then - WOW - did my back hurt. After a while the pain subsided and I showered, shaved and everything else, walked the dogs and had breakfast with a dull ache in my lower back. Now, at work, all I have is a steady pain down the outside of my left leg from hip to just above the knee.
My fear is that I have a recurrence of an old back problem when I ruptured L4 & L5 discs and that took six months to recover - no rowing at all. I will give it until after the weekend to see how it feels otherwise my non-rowing blog will truly become a non-rowing blog.
Wishing everyone else happy and safe rowing.

I post this item somewhat sheepishly and for those obsessive rowing types who usually skip past this "non rowing" blog - just hang in there - it does have a rowing thread to it.
Many meters rowed and not much weight lost if the truth be told but I do feel that I have a different shape - more "V" than "pear" I'm pleased to say. So progress is being made. My rowing usually takes place at home but this morning the dogs woke me up early and after walking them I decided not to wake the family but go to the gym and row there. Having no decent clean kit to hand I grabbed some old shorts and shirt and drove off.
I clocked a decent hour (15,331 meters) for me and sat for a while catching my breath and lowering my heart rate before heading to the shower to get ready for work. After wiping down the machine I squeezed between two exercise bikes and caught the leg of my shorts on a pedal, the shorts promptly shredded (being old, worn and as I found out lacking the usual strength of sound fabric) and I found myself stood shortless in a (thankfully quiet) gym.
Now not being bashful I thought I'd head to the showers (what other option was there anyway? I hear you ask) clutching my tattered shorts in front of me to preserve what little dignity I had left. (Why was my shirt so short this morning?) Halfway to the changing rooms the early morning spin class emptied out and caught me in all my glory! Shrieks ensued, were they delight, shock, amazement or horror? I didn't hang around to find out.
Showered, shaved and blushes reduced I crept through reception to a chorus of giggles from the girls behind the desk! I don't know when I'm going to brave the gym and show my face (amongst other things) again. Rowing at home does have its advantages and all of this just so I didn't wake the family!
Enjoy your rowing.