Friday, July 27, 2012

"Splish Splash..."




So I’ve been swimming laps for two weeks now, and I actually am starting to look forward to my time in the pool. As I told you in my previous post, swimming is not something that comes naturally to me. When I look at all of the Olympic swimmers on TV, I realize that what I do doesn’t even look like the same sport.

And, swimming requires you to do more preparation than just lacing up your Nikes. I mean, I knew I had to wear a bathing suit, and for the first few days I just jumped wearing a tankini that blew up with water every time I swam a lap. My eyes burned, my ears and nose filled up with water, and my hair, ooooh, my hair! I kept pushing it out of my face and pulling it back, but it was a mess when I got out.

I tried using a kid’s brand of after-swim shampoo, but when I went to get my hair cut and colored, Lori (my hairdresser) couldn’t believe the dryness. Her tip for all swimmers: Wet your hair BEFORE you get in the pool. That way it won’t absorb as much chlorine and will keep your hair from getting damaged or discolored. And then, cover it with a swim cap.

So I went to a local swim shop called B & B Aquatics (or you could try Dick’s, Sports Authority, Target and even Wal-Mart), and bought a spray sunscreen, swim cap, goggles, ear and nose plugs, UltraSwim shampoo and new suit.




I needed to buy spray sunscreen so I could get my back covered without any help. The sun in St. Louis is strong, even at 7:30 AM.




The suit was easy because most of them are made in cute colors and patterns. Lap swimming suits apparently reduce drag and help you swim faster. See how many cute colors it comes in!




The goggles not only protect my eyes from the chlorine, but they also help me swim better by allowing me to see where I’m going. (Remember I kind of list a little bit to the side and find myself headed straight for a side wall or rope if my eyes are closed). Also, try to adjust them before you get ready to jump in the pool. I have to thank the nice lady in the lane next to me who kindly told me that my goggles weren’t adjusted and they were upside down.




The swim cap keeps the long hair out of my face, and that’s one less thing that gets in the way of taking a breath! Plus, caps also help reduce drag, making the swim strokes more efficient. This was a difficult purchase for me because I hate wearing ANY kind of hat or cap. So I bought one in neon pink and figured if I were going to look ridiculous wearing it, at least I’d have a trendy color. Also, the cap is made of Lycra, not Latex, so it really stretches to fit even big heads like mine!




To complete the look, I keep trying the ear plugs and nose plugs, but they keep falling off and out. (Any suggestions??)




And of course, to wash the chlorine out of my hair after swimming, I bought Ultra Swim. It's the best known shampoo for removing chlorine, but there are lots of different brands out there. You just have to use something to get rid of the damaging chemicals.


I’ll never make it to the Olympics and I would probably drown during the swim portion of a triathalon, but I’m doing everything I can to make this lap swimming thing work. I’m up to 30 laps now and I only stop to catch my breath after 3 or 4 at a time instead of after each one!!

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

"Summertime Blues..."



So, guess what I found out this week? I’m not invincible! I figured I could always push through the minor aches and pains of daily workouts. Whether it was a strained shoulder or a sore back, I could get back on track with a lot of stretching and foam rollers.

(The totally awkward picture above is me, my brother, and my cousins at the Excelsior Club pool in Columbus, Ohio. I'll explain why it's there later in the post)

But this time it was different. I was away for the 4th of July holiday and working out at the hotel gym and spa. Great setup, nice equipment, but not a lot of cardio machines. So, when I saw an open treadmill, I went right over to it. It was a little darker in the cardio area and I was excited to grab a machine, so I jumped on. Unfortunately, I didn’t see that the belt on the treadmill was still moving. I flew off the back and flipped, with the top of my foot hitting the back edge of the machine.




“Ow,ow,ow,ow and ow!!!” It REALLY hurt, but I was determined not to let it get me. I asked the people working there for ice and whether I should fill out an accident report. He got me the ice, but no report (more about that later). As the day went on, I watched my foot grow bigger and change color; from red to purple to blue toes and feet. I swirled it in the pool, iced it in my hotel room, and even wore flat shoes out to dinner, but it still hurt.

I limped through our vacation and figured it was just bruised, but after I returned home, it was still hurting. I called my doctor and he had me get an x-ray. And guess what? Two fractured bones on the top and side of my foot. Official names of the fractured bones are the cuboid and calcaneus.


After the x-ray, I went to see my doctor and was sure I was going to have to get a cast or a boot, or even crutches, but luckily, I didn’t have to do any of that. However, I DID have to stop all exercise where I pound down on my foot. No running, cycling, elliptical machine, no Zumba; just walking! My heart rate monitor kept flashing that I was way below my calorie-burning range!

So that was it. I was forced into weeks of low heart rates without my normal routine…

Now, I’ve never been a particularly great swimmer. When I was a kid at the Excelsior Club pool in Columbus, Ohio where I grew up, my cousin Marji (she's the one in the picture with me)got all the Red Cross swimming badges up to “Flying Fish”, and I was stuck on “Guppy” and “Minnow”. I never quite got that “stroke, turn head, breathe” thing down pat. Also, when you have curly hair that you straighten daily with a flat iron, the last place you want to be is under water. But alas, I needed do some cardio that would burn a lot of calories, but not further injure my foot.


It’s now day five of swimming for me, and I’ve got to say, I kind of like it. I bought goggles and nose plugs and ear plugs, but so far I haven’t used them. And it’s not like I look smooth swimming in the pool. I started out kind of listing to the side of my lane and alternating between holding my breath under water, and gasping as I pushed to the surface. But each day I feel a little more comfortable and increase my number of laps. And it’s kind of good way to just tune out for a while since I also can’t see anything without my glasses.



So, sometimes what seems like an obstacle is actually a push in another direction.
For now, I’m just grateful that I have an alternative. (And that it’s not a moving treadmill). And who knows, maybe one day I'll actually get that breathing and head turning thing right!

(And in hindsight, I probably should have filled out an accident report since the hotel claims no responsibility for the fall)