Monthly Archives: January 2013
Is It All In My Head????
Today at the pool Corey (our coach) got in the water with us. There were only a few of us so he could spend time looking at our strokes and making suggestions. So I have talked about my lack of stamina and how I do 25 yards freestyle but half way back I start gasping for air. So Corey asked me a series of questions. Do my arms hurt? No. My legs? No. How often do I take a breath? Every four strokes. I told him I am not sure I am out of breath but I start having difficulty maintaining my rhythm about half way back. He thought about it for a minute and he said ” do your lap and when you get to the end of the pool turn around and swim back to the first line”. Do that until you are comfortable and then go to the second line etc. until you are back at the other side. The man is brilliant. I believe that the problem is psychological and we will see. I have a plan for tomorrow. Yeah!
Best coach on the East Coast
Pool Fun
Our pool is open Tuesday through Saturday and we practice Tuesday through Friday. With the holidays, closures due to “Sandy” and other storm damage, personal issues, this is the first day that more than three or four of us have been in the pool at the same time. I think there were ten of us this morning. There was some swimming, some racing and a lot of talking. I’m not sure I did eight laps. I did however get to catch up with everyone. It was so much fun. I felt guilty for a minute that I didn’t use my pool time wisely but what the heck. It was really nice. The pool was warm in spite of the hole in the roof. The locker room and the shower was toasty and I sure felt better afterward. Sometimes I just wanna have fun!
Why Do I Blog?
When I started this I was at a low point and it seemed like a good idea to be able to vent on-line. Once I got started I realized that at least occasionally, I had something to say. And occasionally someone wants to read what I have to say. There are days when I have a burning issue that I have to voice and other times I start and things just flow. There is freedom in the words. Why do you blog?
Sunday’s Are For Renewal
So let me start out by saying that I teach for a total of six hours a week. So don’t cry for me. Still I guard Sundays with a ferocity that may surprise some. Church is my choice so I go every Sunday with few exceptions. In nicer weather church is preceded by a walk in the park. Afterwards though I try to do as little as possible. Since I teach on Monday morning at 8:30 a.m. some school work is involved. My husband and I usually watch something that we DVR’d earlier in the week and I usually prepare dinner. What I really avoid is anything that causes stress and since I retired from my former career six years ago I have little stress about work.
I know that many of you have family and other responsibilities that occupy your Sundays. Some of you have to work. So your Sunday may be Wednesday. The point is that we all need a day that we can live stress free. It’s the day that we start the clock over and hopefully find that sense of renewal. Church triggers the renewal for me. So press on and enjoy the moments that you have. Tomorrow it starts again!
In Tough Times Stick With Familiar Activities
Since December several of my friends have dealt with parents with serious health issues. No matter what our ages, we don’t want to deal with our parents mortality. The likelihood is that we will out live them and we just don’t want to see that day come. My Dad died when I was in my mid-twenties and I of course miss him to this day. My Mom is still here at 96 and at least once a week she says “well how long do you think I’m going to be here?” I don’t know and today I don’t want to talk about it. So I can appreciate how they all feel. We can’t do much about these situations. We can be good supportive children and then the rest has to be left to prayer if you pray. I am here to tell you though that we need to do the things that will keep our sanity and give us bits of relief from our worries. For me and some of my friends that happens in the pool.
You all know that I am in the pool as often as I can be. Some days are better than others but all time in the pool is time I am not thinking about anything else. I sputter and choke a bit and still lack the stamina that I need but for sure I am not thinking about bills or ills when I am swimming. You may have something else that takes you away from it all and I encourage you to do that. Take the time for that familiar activity that makes you feel good. You won’t be sorry!
Step Two …..Triathlon bound
So with tremendous work to do in the pool before September, I finally borrowed a bike which I hope I can begin riding by this weekend. I haven’t been on a bike in about ten years well maybe fifteen or a few more. So I am taking that puppy across the street from my house into the park (a relatively flat part of the park) and before embarrassing myself I’m going to attempt to ride. I don’t weigh nearly as much as the last time I was on a bike, hoping that will help. Think I can do it all? I’ll keep you informed.
How Many Yards in a 1/2 Mile?
880 yards, rounding up 36 laps of my practice pool. This is important to me because I intend to do the Danskin triathlon in September. Thirty-six laps omg. Right now I am sputtering on two laps wearing my zoomers. Well I just have to keep trying. The last few days I have begun to count my strokes (thanks Yelena) and for the first time I am making a lap without freaking out and thinking that I’m out of air (cause I’m not) So I believe that I will be able to swim more than a half mile by September. We’ll talk about the open water freak out later.
First Steps the Hardest 