Thursday, July 26

water based exercise

Another great swim this morning. At the local pool, it's best if you can get a lane to yourself, so you can switch to autopilot and forget about collision etiquette. Today when I arrived, the pool was completely empty. Eight whole lanes to myself!

You jump in the water and feel that delicious frisson, switching into the new but familiar element.

Taking advantage of the empty pool, I swam the first bit across the lanes, going down to the bottom to clear each rope, then breaking the surface again to grab a breath. This must be a little bit how dolphins feel.

Then I settled into a rhythm and put the brain in neutral. I don't want to boast about the distance I covered, so let's just put it this way: I swam to the top of this building, then back down to the ground.



Half-way up for the second time, I took a break in the sauna for 10 minutes. A zombie after the sauna, I got back into the pool. This time everything seemed in slow motion and the water was like treacle. This would be how a whale feels.

I swam to the top of the building again, then almost back down to the ground. I probably stopped about the 30th floor.

Not bad considering I grew up in Glasgow at a time when exercise was for cissies, and beer was a health food. As a kid, I had my own miniature beer tankard.



As a teenager, the only water exercise I got was in the bath, I think you know what I mean. Obviously I don't have a picture of that, this is the closest thing I could find:






This post could be HNT or Da Count, or both.

HNT_1

dacount

19 comments:

  1. There is no shame in your game!

    I combined a friday five, fu friday, da count and an hnt once.

    lol..

    I love the pictures.

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  2. My parents drove my sister and I over an hour away to learn to swim so I'm not much of a water sprite now. I can swim but I prefer an empty pool to run in...about chest high water and no one else there. Happy HNT

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  3. Albert? Was that you? I didn't know you could swim! That's a long way to swim! Swimming makes me too tired. You should try floating. I mean, floating right out of the water and hovercrafting it! Lovely photies by the way. Which century was that? How did it all go wrong? Hotboy

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  4. What a great, sensory post. You make me think about the moments in my day or life that I love most and dwell on the little details that make it all feel so enjoyable. :)

    xoxo
    Tara

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  5. Yes a morning swim is great. You have captured very well the sensuous pleasure it can be. HHNT

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  6. The entire pool to yourself? I am so envious. Somehow it's harder to get into zen-state with other people in the lane.

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  7. You always have the greatest HNT's. Thanks for sharing! Happy HNT

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  8. This is a great post with awesome pics!!!

    HHNT!

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  9. Nice pics, but I think the least you could have done was shown a pic prior/during/after your morning swim. :)

    HAPPY HNT!

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  10. I love your stories... I'm always fascinated by your memories from your childhood... and the pics are just wonderful!!!
    Happy everything you wish!!! ;-))

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  11. Great pics! I learned to swim at my friends pool. His parents owned a motel. I just jumped in close to the pool ladder. Then got braver and braver until I could actually keep my head above water. Happy HNT!

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  12. Oh, the fun of swimming...congrats on that...good job!
    The photo of you in the sink...oh, how cute!
    Happy HNT!
    ~xo
    Lee Ann

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  13. Stealth - that's an achievevent!

    Moose - running's supposed to be great exercise.

    Hotters - it's you! Don't worry, it's all gradually going right now. Everything balances up!

    Tara - that's praise indeed from the queen of sensuality herself.

    Lapis - such a simple pleasure, and so healthy and cheap too.

    Cosima - it doesn't happen often, but when it does it's a great excuse to swim a bit longer than normal.

    Snow White - thanks for visiting.

    24C - I'm delighted you enjoyed the pics, I do too.

    polt - you wouldn't want to see that.

    searabs - nice you enjoyed them. I always enjoy arriving at your blog. It never looks the same twice! ;)

    bt - the things we learn by ourself are precious.

    la - you know it was you who inspired me to go for the mile.

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  14. Up to the top and then down is indeed impressive. Nicely done for both. Cheer!

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  15. Albert? Still dead impressed that you could swim that far. Was it doggy paddle all the way? Hotboy

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  16. Congrats on the swim and great pictures!! What a cutie in the bath!

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  17. I say!

    Lovely imagery in that story. The last time I swam in the Lake up at Cape Maclear, there was a hippo scare. Nasty things, hippos. Got out of the water pronto.

    MM III

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  18. Happy belated hnt.
    cool pics. I would just sit in the shallow end. I am not much of a swimmer. I do water aerobics.

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  19. waiiiit a minute wait a minute wait a minute ... how can water stay in that vertical shape! C'est imposible!!!!!!!!!!!!

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