Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Just Keep Swimming



I do believe I have found my perfect workout.

Laps.

At first, they killed me. I huffed and puffed and my legs burned, but now, it's fanfuckingtastic.

I get in the pool and go back and forth doing an easy breaststroke for the first two laps, then it's mostly back stroke. A few laps of side stroke to break things up a bit, but mainly, it's just me, going back and forth, gazing up muzzily at the girding and banners, listening to the water splursh and sploogle in my ears. (And, if I want to be completely honest, hearing my left shoulder joint crackle and crunch on every third stroke, too.)

It's great. I can't see a damned thing because my vision sans glasses is about 20/8,000 or something stupid. And I'm like a little kid - if I can't see anyone, then no one can see me either. So my pudge and paunch are practically invisible.

It took me just under an hour to do 40 laps - that's if 40 laps is one length of the pool. If it's up and back, then I did 20 laps. I think. I kind of lost track around 36 and may have done 42 (or 21) laps. Either way, I swam for a solid hour. I didn't get sweaty, I didn't get hot, I just swam and swam and swam and zoned out to the sounds of the water and that strange hum that seems to come with every big pool I've ever swum in.

My legs are a little sore, my arms, too, and it feels good. Really, really good.

17 comments:

Joke said...

AND!

Swimming keeps you supple, and that is an excellent word.

-J.

bleh said...

Oh dear. You got me started on a bit of a Nemo-Dory-Youtube-fest. Just wrote a bit of a confused blog post about it. Sigh. It's the end of the day.

Anonymous said...

Sweet. Sounds like bliss instead of exercise. Except for the potential damage to your hair.

sandy shoes said...

Good for you! I bet that feels great, to find The Thing.

We have the same vision. One of the reasons I don't swim anymore is because I don't want to lose a contact lens. But I guess if I wore my glasses to the pool, it wouldn't matter not to see during the swim.

I can walk forever, but if I swim to the other end of the pool I can barely breathe. Frustrating.

LauraJ said...

oooh so happy you found something you like to do for you!! keep with it! :D

MsPicketToYou said...

i wish typing on the keyboard were exercise. i really do.

but this makes me want to go back to yoga. maybe when it's less hot.

Josi said...

I love swimming but I am always completely famished when I'm done so I end up eating about twice the calories I just worked so hard to burn off. If I had a year round pond, that would be good as well. I hate swimming in chlorine.
yeah for feeling the burn!

Dea said...

Swimming is AWESOME exercise! For those who have done it and wind up famished - it's because your body temp drops, and your body thinks, warm=food. To fix that - either hop in the hot tub (if there is one) for 10 min, or take a VERY hot shower, for a long time - raise your body temp, you won't be so hungry! :D

Lara said...

yay! sounds great. :)

also, i say that ("just keep swimming!") to my mom whenever she's feeling swamped with work. it always makes her chuckle.

Anonymous said...

Good for you. I think I would drown about lap 3. Or 1.5, whichever.

I haven't quite got that whole "move the arms and legs at the same time" thing down. :-(

Anonymous said...

I miss swimming laps. If I were there I'd go backstroke my head into the side of the pool with you.

Nicole P said...

Awesome. I LOVE. love. love to swim... :) Yay laps!!!

Josie said...

So happy you found something you enjoy doing and is good for you!! Who gives a rat's ass what you look like doing it - YOU'RE DOING IT!!

Debbie said...

that's rad. you are fucking rad.

(also, i hate your stepmonster. and your soon-to-be-former landlady. but wanted to collate my comments in one post.)

(i *am* that lazy.)

(so, no, i'm not working out. but am stoked for you.)

(and a little jealous.)

Scott K. Johnson said...

Molly left me a "just keep swimming" comment on my last post, and it (and this) made me smile. Isn't that just how it goes sometimes - as long as you just keep going!

I'm really glad that you found something you love to do! That makes all the difference in the world. :-)

Anonymous said...

i'm not much for swimming, but good for you. I'm more of a walker. and I love Nemo.

kittenpie said...

I always wish I could get into swimming, but the truth of it is, I hate getting my face wet and never remember how or when to breathe and get water up my nose which hurts, all of which throws a wrench into the whole thing. Glad that you are enjoying your perfect exercise, though. I have yet to find mine, clearly.