I should be older and creakier now, but while I'm six years older, I'm in much better shape. My body has learned how to twist, my core is strong and more importantly, well integrated with the rest of me. My shoulders are stronger and have more range of motion. I lifted and threw a lot of snow, but I did it like I would practice yoga - coordinating movement with breath - and being conscious of my whole body participating in the movement, from the bottoms of my feet up through my arms on the snow shovel.
I feel the effects just a little up in my upper back and neck - trapezius is stiff from all the lifting. But I have no discomfort in my low back, which is usually the place that repetitive lifting and twisting shows up for me.
I'll have some more shoveling to do. Tomorrow or the next day when they plow the street, I'm sure they'll leave a big berm blocking the driveway. That will be heavy, dense, maybe even a bit icy. It should be a good workout.
This afternoon I shoveled a path out into the street, where there was a bit of a path from cross country skiers, walkers and sledders. I walked down the street and into the park. It was not easy going - the snow is deep and, even walking in the footsteps of others, my boots would sink in. One stretch in the park had only a ski trail, so I was post-holing the original footprints for a while. The park was pretty with all the snow in the afternoon light. I walked down by the creek and took a picture of the spot where I like to sit - just a white mound today. The creek was mostly frozen over, with one open channel in the most active current.
We won't be able to get out until they plow the street - perhaps Monday, more likely Tuesday.
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