Author Archives: Tricraftual
Wow! I Did It!!!
Today only Tony and I were at the pool. This time of year is rough and everybody can’t make it every day. Anyway I told him what Corey suggested to increase my freestyle distance and proceeded to show him. I made it down the pool turned around and headed to the second line. After a couple of times Tony said see how far you can go. Well I did a bit more than the second line but that was it. So he said can you get a song in your head and sing it to yourself. I said yes. So he said okay we’re going to swim a lap slowly and you concentrate on the song in your head. Turn at the end and just see how far you can come. So we did and I made it about 3/4 ‘s of the way back before I felt like I was out of breath. Next Tony said okay swim slowly and when you turn just keep singing. Well I’ll be darned. Two laps, 50 yds. done!!! We talked for a while and I said I have to leave and Tony said okay let’s do two more laps. I did it a second time. I love my team & coach!!!
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.
Dancing Makes Me Happy
I went to a small line dancing class on Wednesday and I must admit that I was enchanted. I am always looking for ways to stay fit and dancing is always my first choice. I love to dance and always have and if I say so myself, I can still move the old bones around. Zumba is my first love but anything that involves music and moving is good for me. No matter how bad I feel if I plug my iPod into the speaker and turn up the volume I dance and begin to feel better right away! So maybe I don’t move the way I did at 30 or 40 (you get the picture) but I don’t care. I’m still happy.
Turn on the music and give it a try! Happy Friday!!!
Can We Ever Feel Safe Again?
After the unspeakable horror that took place yesterday, I had to resist the urge to drive the four hours to my sons home to hug my grandchildren. I can’t imagine how the families feel. How do you accept the death of your kindergartener while they were in school? One of the doctors on TV said that parents should tell their children that they are safe and that they have to go back to school on Monday. If my child refused I don’t think I would be forcing them. I realize that we can’t live our lives steeped in fear but I don’t think we can feel safe in the ways we used to.
I believe that we have to get rid of the guns. I know the rhetoric that says guns don’t kill, people do. I hear that but the reality is that without guns that young man probably wouldn’t have been able to kill twenty-six people. Most other methods would not have been as efficient. Yes he could have used a bomb or other explosive device but it just doesn’t seem as likely. I would like to get rid of the guns and then see where we are.
What do you think?
First Steps the Hardest 