Swimming!

[cjsmith]

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.

Comments

[vito-excalibur.livejournal.com]

Yay for you! Man, when I started swimming again after years without doing it I was pathetic. And I was in shape. Swimming is hard. But you will get better. You shouldn't really need to stand, should you? I mean, people swim in water too deep to stand, they just hang off the edge when they need to rest. You could try keeping your legs in a kneeling position & then you wouldn't be tempted to put weight on your feet.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

That's exactly what I am now: pathetic. I'm glad my body tends to show noticeable improvement early on. (At least it did for running.) Otherwise I'd very likely give up!

Yeah, I shouldn't need to stand. I just did 'cause I could; it felt natural. I gotta remember not to do that.

I'm really glad to hear you can swim again. I know how annoying it was for you to run.

Where do you swim? I'm shopping for price and temperature. :-)

[vito-excalibur.livejournal.com]

Rinconada Pool (http://www.city.palo-alto.ca.us/community-services/rec-swim.html). $3/session or $2.50 if you're a Palo Alto resident. Outdoors. But if you found a place that had a free lane I think I want to know where you went, cause it's very, very rare that I see one there, even in the middle of winter.

Oh, I'm still running. I'm not giving that up, it's better for me than anything else, I think. I just hated only being able to do that. I like variety. I'm happy with running, swimming, & yoga, & if I can add aikido to that mix again someday, I'll be happier yet.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Oh wow. That's inexpensive! Fremont High School (also outdoors) is $5.50 a session, more if you're not a Sunnyvale resident. There were free lanes starting around 7:30 -- the place closes at 8AM.

Ah, *wistful sigh* I'd be happy with just running! Oh well, the grass is always greener. I must admit swimming kicks my butt. I know it will be good for me.