Just Keep Swimming

I am reminded of my injury time of last year and how much I hated it! Nothing compares to running. It just doesn't. I could handle the elliptical (with the help of Netflix), but it was still just okay. However, at least I got to feel myself sweat and get all jello-legged.

Today was my first trip to swim laps since last years injury. Yeah, pleasant memories there. So it was also my first trip to the pool at the YMCA. I was pleasantly surprised there. It was better than expected, although only 4 lanes wide. Thankfully going to the mid-day lap swim, there were only 3 other ladies there. Two were walking in one lane, the other was doing the side stroke/drifting.

Having not only a lane to myself, but my pick was pretty great. And the water was warm! Not uncomfortably, but it felt great getting in. Worst part of swimming? Getting in and out of the freaking cold pool. All the pools around here are geothermally heated. Cool, huh?

I am horrible at keeping lap counts. Laughably so. I get so distracted! Which is funny because when your swimming, there isn't much to think about. No music, no Netflix. Just swimming. I did two laps of freestyle, two laps freestyle pulls (with the buoy between my knees), and two laps of backstroke pulls. Repeat. Over and over, until the arms feel like jello. Okay, that took just over 40 minutes. 1200 yards, I'll take it since I have done laps in about a year.

Here's one of my beefs with swimming. I get out feeling all exhausted, like I can't lift my arms. What you're supposed to feel like after a workout, right? Awesome. And that lasts for about 10 minutes, and then I feel like I haven't worked out at all. I'm not tired, I'm not sweaty, my muscles don't feel fatigued. (of course, we'll see how my arms feel tomorrow!) Does anyone else experience that? I don't know if I am not going hard/long enough?

Downside? Stupid pool hours. Not open early enough to go then, and the daytime swims conflict with preschool pickups or naps. And what's up with offering Aqua Zumba more often than lap swim?