First of all - I donated some whole wheat zucchini bread muffins to an online bake sale at Steph's Bite by Bite to help support Sam's Fund - a suicide prevention charity. Click here to bid on them, or anything else, or them.
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This post has been a long time coming. Our camping trip got in the way. If you missed the pictures I posted late yesterday - click here.
I guess I should start by saying that this isn't the first time I have swam for fitness. When I was in elementry school I was on the swim team.
However, since then, with the exception of a semester of college, the only time I have swam I had a cocktail in my hands.
So, although I wasn't trying something completely new, I was trying something completely out of my comfort zone.
I was out of my comfort zone when I stripped down to my swimsuit in the locker room.
I was out of my comfort zone when I walked up to the 21 year old male lifeguard, told him I had never been here before, and asked him if there were any rules.
I was out of my comfort zone when the 5 Ryan Lochte lookalikes were speeding past me in the lane next to me.
I was out of my comfort zone when I felt like I had maxed out my lung and muscle capacity, looked at the clock, and realized only 5 minutes had past. Ha!
As soon as I jumped in the water I realized that I had no idea what to do next. I remembered the basic strokes from swim team, but I didn't know which ones to do when. How fast should I try to be? How long do I need to go?
I ended up just winging it and for 30 minutes I tried not to stop for more than 15 seconds or so. I swam roughly 40 laps (1000 meters) doing mostly freestyle, some breast stroke, and a few back strokes.
Although I came in without a plan, I left the pool exhausted and red eyed (still need to get goggles). Next time (hopefully this week) I will try some type of formal workout. Pinterest, here I come.
Have you tried any new type of fitness? I would LOVE to hear about it. Email me (racheal@runningwithracheal), tweet me (@runningwithrach) or tag me on Instagram (@runningwithracheal).
Have a lovely (short!!!) week!
You are way ahead of me! The last time I *really* swam was when I was a kid. I love being in the water now. And I emphatically declare, "I love to swim!" But really, I'm not doing any strokes or anything, I'm really just "playing" in the water whenever I do go "swimming". So even all that you were able to wing would make me nervous! Way to go!
ReplyDeleteHa, thanks! Even when I "play" in the water I feel wiped out afterwards and count it as a workout. :)
DeleteGreat workout. I have been so scared to get in the pool for a workout, and I guess I just need to get in there and try!
ReplyDeleteI had been procrastinating this for quite some time. Now I feel like it will be much easier to repeat. :)
DeleteI swam from middle school through college (always just rec/school teams), but then stopped and have been itching to get back into the pool for a few months now! I miss the chloriney smell and having strangers tell me I'm ripped... it's such an efficient workout! Haha. Thanks for the extra motivation-- maybe I'll call the university pool down the street and see what their membership policy is :)
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