Wouldn't you like to have someone with whom to share your trials and tribulations of exercise? Perhaps you do have someone. I do share things with my friends but I get the most benefit and fun from sharing on my blog. I especially like my blog these days because it is not an academic pursuit - so I can relax a little!
Today is Saturday - the walk day - but my friend had a rough start this morning and we didn't go until the late afternoon. I did not know that we would be able to reschedule for the afternoon and I really like to do something before breakfast - so I did a little step aerobics. The day was a dreary, cold (compared to the usual 90* day) and wet one. But it is over now.
I really want to share my swimming progress with you. I am plugging along with my two days a week and I do end up enjoying it a bit. I try to tell myself I am looking forward to it, on the days I am to go, but I still count the months till I will have kept my word. Recalling that I said I would swim twice a week until December - or for the full fall semester.
One day two weeks ago - I added a lap (two pool lengths or 50 yards) because the pool was going to be closed on my second day. I told myself that I was NOT going to make a habit of that. "I do not have the time nor the desire to swim more," I said. "I can barely stand this 20- 25 minutes!"
And yet this week I did 15 laps both days. I think that 15 laps is my new normal. That is progress even if my spoken commitment was not to try to go farther or longer or even faster.
I am motivated by my new bathing suit and my lap clicker is becoming my friend. I am able to detach from counting and from looking at the display. I even play games like I used to do on the treadmill. See how many revolutions I can do before looking at the display. Next thing you know I have done 10. The hardest is getting past number 7 :)
My last swim on Thursday was a surprise. I surprised me. The pool was especially crowded and only three lanes were available for public/recreational swim. I had not arrived early like usual because I was doing some work for one of my professors. When I came out of the locker room there were already two people per lane! I could have just said, "ok, not going to swim today." Instead I tried sharing with a slower woman swimmer and a man who was lapping pretty intensely. The woman and I could not get our timing right and sometimes I had to stop and let her by and vice versa. I thought of bailing - I thought it sucked - I thought people needed to start leaving and I felt aggressive about it! Finally someone did clear out and I swam over to a lane with only one other swimmer and then he left and YEAH - I was swimming alone in my lane and loving it:)
Really the worst part is getting into the cold water. The most challenging part of any exercise for me - is starting. BTW, I equate my increase in swimming over this last year to someone who wasn't doing any thing and is now walking 30 minute a few times a week. It is not a big thing - but it is a big difference for me.
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