Monday, January 16, 2006

Back in the pool

Here's the pool I've been swimming in this winter (when I manage to get my butt to the pool). It's at the Skyline Sport & Health Club on Leesburg Pike in Falls Church, Virginia. It's often crowded, has only 3 lanes, and one of the lanes (as you see) has the ramp in it most of the time and is usually occupied people doing some type of exercises in the water. When classes are going there is only one lap lane open. Today the water was cloudy and it looked like shreds of toilet paper were laying on the bottom. Yuck!

Today was quiet because (as I forgot) it's a holiday. So I had the pool all to myself between 0630 and nearly 0700.

I managed 1850 meters. I thought that was a pretty darned good distance, except when I came home my husband told me I should have swum 2 more meters to make it an even nautical mile. Sheesh! 1.15 statute miles isn't enough!?

It felt VERY sluggish and VERY stiff. I swam 500m in 18:12. My fastest length (25m) was 39.2 seconds. I know I can do much better once I get back into the routine, but I have to sputter and flail and drink a lot of that murky pool water *gag* first, before it feels comfortable again.

But it all became a little more clear when a man came into my lane to share it, who walked with crutches and had a twisted club foot, which dragged behind him as he dog-paddled along. I'm not sure that I would have as much tenacity as he demonstrated. He called my swimming "fast". Thank you, Mr. Tenacious, for adjusting my perspective today.

5 comments:

Sixteen Chickens said...

Yes, thank you Mr. Tenacious! And good for you Nancy for getting up and just doing it!
Toliet Paper in the pool? YUCK!!!

Ann (bunnygirl) said...

Wow, that's a perspective-altering moment. Now I feel like such a spoiled little slug.

Fe-lady said...

I guess I am spoiled...my husband and I were two of four swimming today in a 6 lane pool! The only complaint I have is that it was a tad too warm. We like it when the heater breaks and they put up signs saying it's "only" 76 and "we apologize for any inconvenience". Then we are usually the only 2 in the pool!
Occasionally there is a gentleman at our pool without his lower limbs. He is quite stong and fast...and tenacious!
Congrats on getting back in the water! You were focused on the land activity for so long, you have to get your gills back! :-)

Bolder said...

that's a good swim... your pool looks really long, so that's nice...

Comm's said...

we all need that perspective don't we. You have been my Mrs. Tenacious many times...minus the crutches...and you konw the clubbed foot and all.