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I did it. I finally went out and got in a pool.
I take back about 45% of the things I said about cold. A properly heated pool, once I get in it, really isn't too bad. If I were in shape enough to get warmed up it would be downright comfortable. The pool also looks nifty sitting there steaming in the early morning light! (Getting OUT of the pool, on the other hand... outdoors... brr.)
I am very out of shape. Two years without any cardio exercise whatsoever, plus I've never done much with my upper body in my life. (Except when I was in the Army. I could knock out those pushups then.) This is humbling.
I was very thankful that it wasn't crowded. I had a lane to myself. There are benefits to going to an outdoor pool shortly after the rainstorm stops! (Or is it that it's January?) Maybe by summer, when it'll be crowded again, I'll be able to swim at a decent pace.
I have water in both my ears. Despite arms like noodles, I would have continued swimming longer this morning except that both ears were hurting. I need help on this!
And now for the bad news. My feet are KILLING ME. It seems there's a certain amount of standing up that happens. There's probably more for me than for most, because I haven't been swimming in twenty years. In between laps, arms hooked over the edge, panting -- those feet are down and they've got the toes bent back (the worst). Rats! I can NOT be doing that! Grrr! I sure hope this isn't yet one more form of exercise that I shouldn't do because of my feet. That would leave one last fitness option: just generally being tense.
I've found a wonderful image to use as a swim icon. I've written for permission. It is a CAT! Swimming! Is that me or what? :-) Check out this page. I hope I'm allowed to use it.
I take back about 45% of the things I said about cold. A properly heated pool, once I get in it, really isn't too bad. If I were in shape enough to get warmed up it would be downright comfortable. The pool also looks nifty sitting there steaming in the early morning light! (Getting OUT of the pool, on the other hand... outdoors... brr.)
I am very out of shape. Two years without any cardio exercise whatsoever, plus I've never done much with my upper body in my life. (Except when I was in the Army. I could knock out those pushups then.) This is humbling.
I was very thankful that it wasn't crowded. I had a lane to myself. There are benefits to going to an outdoor pool shortly after the rainstorm stops! (Or is it that it's January?) Maybe by summer, when it'll be crowded again, I'll be able to swim at a decent pace.
I have water in both my ears. Despite arms like noodles, I would have continued swimming longer this morning except that both ears were hurting. I need help on this!
And now for the bad news. My feet are KILLING ME. It seems there's a certain amount of standing up that happens. There's probably more for me than for most, because I haven't been swimming in twenty years. In between laps, arms hooked over the edge, panting -- those feet are down and they've got the toes bent back (the worst). Rats! I can NOT be doing that! Grrr! I sure hope this isn't yet one more form of exercise that I shouldn't do because of my feet. That would leave one last fitness option: just generally being tense.
I've found a wonderful image to use as a swim icon. I've written for permission. It is a CAT! Swimming! Is that me or what? :-) Check out this page. I hope I'm allowed to use it.
no subject
Toes: dorsiflexion. The way they are in high-heeled shoes. Plantarflexion hurts too, but less, and I can gently stretch them that direction with my hands. Dorsiflexion is awful and when there's any weight on my feet that way, they'll definitely flare up for a day or two.
I definitely need to go shopping. I can imagine how much gear I will accumulate. At least swimming gear is relatively inexpensive! Things could be worse (on the wallet) -- I could be taking up woodworking!
no subject
Frog kick might cause dorsiflexion? So if you continue to feel pain you might want to wrap your feet somehow to avoid your toes flapping around at different angles.
Yeah, the main expense in swimming is a pool - if you can get one of those, the rest is gravy!
no subject
The pool will definitely be the biggest expense. Fremont High's pool is $5.50 a pop, even with the discount for being a resident of Sunnyvale, and prices go up in February. If I swim three times a week, that rivals a gym membership pretty quickly... and it's still vastly less expensive than trying to use my own pool. There's absolutely no way I could heat a home pool for that kind of money!