Four years ago, after my knee reconstruction, I took up swimming. I swam a mile every other day for about a year.
I was reminded yesterday of why I run and don't swim nearly as often.
First of all, one has to bring a whole lot of stuff. You may know I don't even like to carry a purse much less a loaded gym bag- towel, clean underwear, suit, swim cap, pony tail holder, ear wax, and goggles. I've actually forgotten my towel, more than once, and had to use the paper ones from the sink holder to dry off before. I get ear aches without the wax. My horse hair requires the taming of a holder and cap lest I inhale wet strands of it gasping for my next breath. I get a less-than-fresh feeling puttting underwear in which I've sweated in during my weight workout. I wear contacts, so goggles prevent me from blindness and needlessly bumping into other swimmers in the lanes. My goggles have gone missing, so I borrowed Tator's yesterday. I needed to empty the right eye of water six thouand times, and my nose bridge held the imprint of an uncomfortable red gash for an hour after removal. What trouble.
Second of all, it takes a long time to swim. I can run three miles in half the time it takes me to swim one. And all that undressing, dressing, undressing, showering, dressing takes another 15 minutes. Then there is the 45 minute drive home. It's a long time to be out and about.
I surprised myself by swimming the entire mile. While it's not beautiful to watch, I manage all the four competitive strokes. Buck says he doesn't think he could endure a water mile, but he beats my running records every. single. time.
My knees whispered, "Thanks for the break, woman." a thousand times, so maybe I'll fit it in my schedule once in a while for the sake of those wimpy joints who cause me such trouble.
I was reminded yesterday of why I run and don't swim nearly as often.
First of all, one has to bring a whole lot of stuff. You may know I don't even like to carry a purse much less a loaded gym bag- towel, clean underwear, suit, swim cap, pony tail holder, ear wax, and goggles. I've actually forgotten my towel, more than once, and had to use the paper ones from the sink holder to dry off before. I get ear aches without the wax. My horse hair requires the taming of a holder and cap lest I inhale wet strands of it gasping for my next breath. I get a less-than-fresh feeling puttting underwear in which I've sweated in during my weight workout. I wear contacts, so goggles prevent me from blindness and needlessly bumping into other swimmers in the lanes. My goggles have gone missing, so I borrowed Tator's yesterday. I needed to empty the right eye of water six thouand times, and my nose bridge held the imprint of an uncomfortable red gash for an hour after removal. What trouble.
Second of all, it takes a long time to swim. I can run three miles in half the time it takes me to swim one. And all that undressing, dressing, undressing, showering, dressing takes another 15 minutes. Then there is the 45 minute drive home. It's a long time to be out and about.
I surprised myself by swimming the entire mile. While it's not beautiful to watch, I manage all the four competitive strokes. Buck says he doesn't think he could endure a water mile, but he beats my running records every. single. time.
My knees whispered, "Thanks for the break, woman." a thousand times, so maybe I'll fit it in my schedule once in a while for the sake of those wimpy joints who cause me such trouble.
3 comments:
Honey.. I couldnt do 6 laps without drowning..let alone 48.
You're my Weeki Wachee mermaid!
That's pretty much the same reason why I don't swim for exercise, either. It takes too much time. I spend almost an hour a day (five minute warm-up, fifteen minutes on weights, thirty of cardio) five days a week in the gym, and really can't afford more than that.
John, I hear you, man!
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