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Thursday, January 26th, 2006 08:58 am
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.
Friday, January 27th, 2006 02:08 am (UTC)
Oh I was the kickboard queen! And I stopped a lot too. Swimming is hard, but really relaxing at the same time. I'm trying to think of strokes that might not hurt your feet as much. I wonder if sidestroke would be better. It's the easiest too because you can breathe the easiest in sidestroke.
Friday, January 27th, 2006 02:13 am (UTC)
If the pool is always as uncrowded as it was this morning I'll be totally happy to rest and/or use the kickboard. I'm pretty intimidated by all the fast, fit swimmers out there.
Friday, January 27th, 2006 02:43 am (UTC)
Eh don't worry about it. Just go your own speed. They were slow swimmers at one point too.

If you end up using your legs too much, you can use a thingie (not the official name) to hold between your legs, or use a pair of goggles between your knees.

And maybe if you are lucky you will have the guy in your pool who uses a snorkel instead of lifting his head out of the water! He sounded like a walrus.