Pool Rat

Hi there. Meet my new best friend. His name is swimming pool.

This is not me. I look 10x worse swimming.

Since I am out of running commission for two weeks and all I can do is swim, I've been a swimming fool. Minutes after the doctor told me no running, but I could swim my little heart out, I marched down the hall from the training room directly to the pool. Since then, I've been swimming more than I have ever swam in my life (5 swims in 4 days, ranging from 2,000 to 3,500 yards) and now have an overwhelming scent of chlorine that follows me around, even after showering.

Although it doesn't provide the same high as running, I'm enjoying it more than I thought I would. And, I've noticed that I am swimming a few seconds per 100 yds faster than I have before - probably because I am fresher, as opposed to throwing in a swim after a hard run. AND, my leg is starting to feel better. That's the best news.

I will say, I'm feeling a little lost heading into the weekend without any runs - particularly a long run - planned. I feel like I don't know what to do with myself. However, my choices are pretty simple: do nothing or swim. So, swim it will be. I decided since I can't run a 5k tomorrow, I am going to try to swim a 5k. It may take me all damn morning to do it, but I am going to give it a try. If you haven't heard from me by 1 pm, I've probably drowned.

Now that I am an expert swimmer (sarcasm, folks) I will list a few swimming observations from the past few mornings at the Recreation Center and afternoons at Southwestern:

•  The scenery stinks. Same black line all the time. Never changes. The only thing that can make it interesting is the swimmers in the lanes nearby. I know it isn’t what I should be doing but I get bored and my ego makes every lap turns into a throw-down even if the guy two lanes over is only working with a kickboard.
  
• I can’t dance. No rhythm. Swimming is series of intricate movements that must be performed perfectly. Toes pointed, hands cupped, extending my stroke as far as I can, use high elbows, rotate your hips(but not too much), don’t cross your arms, and oh yeah breathe. I feel like I’m performing an exotic Latin dance while wearing snow boots.
  
• Dry Skin. This is the worst part. Even after showering and moisturizing immediately after wards, I can feel my skin being pulled tight as moisture in my skin suddenly disappears. I spend the rest of the day scratching my poor dry dead skin. 
  
• The nice chlorine smell that permiates from your skin the rest of the day.
  
• With swimming, technique is much more of a factor in times then pure physical fitness. This irritates me.
  
• Goggle eyes. I've tried so many different types of goggles, it isn't even funny.  If I wear them loose, they leak.  If I wear them to actually keep water out, I walk around looking like an owl or looking like someone has beat me up all day. 
  
  

Next week I'm cleared to add Water Running to my regimen. Let's see how many old ladies with noodles I can race.