Day 41: Cataloguing the "ills"

**Disclaimer, just because my stupid self does this doesn't mean I recommend it. You're not supposed to do it!**

Today I gave blood in the morning. My work had a blood drive. Don't worry, I've done this four times before. The first time was a bit sketchy, but I'm used to it now. So, I drank one liter of water more than normal, added orange juice into the mix and still went to 530 yoga like normal. Because I'm crazy like that. Call a spade a spade, right? Frank was teaching and I let him know I had given blood that day just in case I needed to take a knee or something. I took it easy and did every posture. Breathing, flowing, feeling pretty good. I didn't feel as strong as yesterday or the day before, but that is to be expected considering the circumstances. Frank said "geez Michelle, what are you superwoman or something?" in the middle of class because it was business as usual for me.

And now on to the title of my post: cataloguing the ills. I have less than 20 days to hit 60 and have 3 more doubles to complete before then. I feel strong and healthy, but do have a few minor aches and pains.....

Oh the aches and pains that come and go during a challenge. Let's see what we have during challenge number four, now shall we?

The elbow

Yup. My left elbow still hurts (Duffy~ you are right, you don't realize how many postures affect the elbow until it hurts). In my case it hurts to fully extend my arm. So yeah, kicking back for standing bow with that left arm straight back = ouch. Even reaching back in camel. Ow. Locust with arms under you? Yup, hurts. Full locust, spreading arms out like airplane wings? Yowsa! Even rabbit, extending the arms back....mommy!

That being said, it is getting better. It hurts less everyday. Phew!

The right knee

This is the knee that used to snap, crackle and pop walking up the stairs pre-yoga. It seemed to get "fixed" during the first 60 days challenge I ever did, however, sometimes it gets sore again during other challenges. It always goes away though and I feel like it's getting stronger and stronger each time. It has bothered me off and on a bit this past week, but nothing show stopping and nothing to keep me from locking it the full minute first set of standing head to knee. More like a mild ache.

The shoulders

Ahhhhhh. First challenge ever, they burned and hurt like a motha'! Then the next two, from what I can remember they were ok. This challenge there is some soreness. But it's not bad. Just more like a "hey, let's work it and get these suckers more toned" kinda soreness.

The lower back

Now this doesn't hurt, but sometimes, right after yoga, when I'm getting out of my car at home I sort of feel like a little old lady, creaking and stretching her way out of the car and I instinctively grab for my lower back. It just feels a bit tender and a bit sore. Once I get to class the next day, I quickly work through the soreness after the first half moon/backbend/forward fold set. I actually see this as a very good soreness because I have been really pulling using my biceps like you are supposed to in the forward fold and sucking my stomach, getting that weight forward, making some progress. Same with separate leg stretching and the last stretching at the end (on that one I've finally started to hinge forward at the hips and get out of the hamstrings, into the lower back and really pull those toes).

This just might turn out to be the challenge of the standing head to knee posture (I'm kicking out and holding it alot, and getting my elbows down more and more) and the challenge where Michelle gets more flexible. Awesome!