Those who know me outside this silly blog might be aware I’ve had one thing on my mind lately.
Swimmers. I mean…swimming. SWIMMING.
Actually a Lochte lot of things.
Hard. Core. <—Pun intended.
But mainly swimming. I’ve taken the pool at my gym for a few spins, but basically I’m slacking. I had not hit the big-girl pool once. I had a feeling the Olympics would put me in the mood (<—heehee).
For real though, I’m a loopy record talking about how “I want to “ and “I need to” and “I’m going to” get my swim-mojo working. So far? All talk – no action.
This troubles me because swimming is like my thing. I love it. It’s mind-body-soul catharsis. It keeps me copasetic. It’s…it’s fun! It’s not really “exercise.”
I was right because after watching the finals and qualifying and men races …last night and this morning I woke up and it was ON.
See? The big-girl pool. Weeeeee! I got my grub on breakfastandlunch-style (!) and took it to the lanes.
Well, mostly I did a lot of this. 
That’s the requisite shot if you go to a body of water and write a blog, right? Oh wait. I did it wrong.
You’re supposed to show the water, right?
Oh well. I turn my chair around. The reason I love this pool is because it overlooks this:
Which is not a typical view in SoFla so it’s nice. The pool is relatively quiet, not crowded, and there are cicadas in the trees. Music to my soul. It puts me in a trance.
I just zone out and read and read and …occasionally swim. I did 1000m today in two batches at a crawl.
Oh, and I read. Did I mention that?
Check out these bookmarks my friend Debbie gave me. They are magnets and you clip them on the page.
I collect magnets and bookmarks so this was like such a happy-maker for me. I love these little dudes.
Okay that was random. Sorry I am distracted. I’m watching swimming, waiting for Gymnastics to start and I’m all excited.
- Does watching the Olympics inspire you at all?
Watching any athlete –heck people in the gym even and those late night infomercials- makes me realize how out of shape and weak I am. That is a good thing for me.
- What, if any, events do you like to watch?
My idea of swimming is to get in the pool and move my arms and legs around a few times…and then lounge. I’m woefully out of shape, but I’m going to work on that.
I didn’t notice you needed to shave.
I am having a weird vision of you in a pool doing a little dance underwater.
LOL.
Still therapeautic though – getting in the water.
Why dey look so gud? Maybe I should take up swimming.
Yay for b-fast, lunch, and doing things you love. The olympics are motivating. Especially the gymnastics girls for me! And the runners. They make me wish my knees were happier.
Yes – take up swimming! swim to Florida! We have lots of yoga here. And swimmers.
LOL.
PS- Swimmers are notoriously – according to rumor- playazzz.
Yesterday evening, I watched the swimm races, too. And yeah, wow… those swimmers’ bodies were gorgeous to look at
I do love swimming myself as well and have enjoyed it as a relaxing me-thing when I was living in another city and feeling really lonely. I only do breast stroke (never have lerned the other techniques properly) which somehow doesn’t feel like “real exercise” at all.
I haven’t been to a pool in over a year though and yesterday totally inspired me to take it on again. So I’m totally with you on this one.
Other stuff that I like to watch: Basketball (it looks so magically effortless – makes me want to try team sports again) and some of the athletics e.g. high jump, pole vault, hurdles… I’m not a good athlete so I always marvel at how they possibly do this.
beebeebeebeebeebeebee. I Love your “name?gravatar?alias?” what does one call those things?
The breast roke is definetely exercise – water provides resistance in all directions and every stroke engages all major muscle groups. It is so great for circulation. I can’t do breast stroke because I do not have the muscle enough in the chest and arm area. My chest is…yeah. Not pretty.
Basketball is really the only competitive team sport I can watch. I just cannot “do” football but my ex turned me onto the Basketball. It was nice to hang with him and the guys for once.
During Football Season I used to do lotsandlots of yoga.
Love that you like my name
(TMI? haha)
I technically know that swimming is good for all major muscle groups. However, when I get out of the water, I don’t feel like I really made an effort. Maybe just because I cannot feel myself sweating?
Whatever. Swimming rocks and so do you. You’re a beautiful person. Keep being awesome
I absolutely love swimming (now that I’m not on a team lol) because it is so relaxing. I’m also loving the Olympics and your cute bookmark!
well – You are like THE swimmer. Man.
I am most def not a “swimmer” swimmer and especially now — man I have lots so much endurance. It’s funny to like struggle when I used to swim two miles.
Your pool looks amazing! Can I come live in Florida with you?
I feel the same about swimming but I got a bit obsessed and sickened myself so it’s a good idea to take a step back when you aren’t feeling it and swim when you want to swim! I learnt the hard way and went back to swimming yesterday. It was blissful! That’s how it should be right?
Also I’m lame and can only do breaststroke! I would love to pluck up the courage to do front crawl but I’m terrified of putting my head under water.
Yes come live in Florida. Or visit!
We have Butterfly World where I live. It’s like an aquarium – but for butterflys. And it’s outdoors. And above water.
yeah – My break from swimming was certainly necessary – then mandatory – but now all systems are go and suddenly I am just lazy. Swimming is like a “production” whereas a simple stroll is easy peasy no sweat no wet <–literally. And, I'm not really looking for exercise yet – though I aspire to I just needf to be smart about calories weight etc.
I love the swimming and gymnastics most too. Aussie swimmers are very very cute,too, btw. Some of them that is.
I can’t swim to save my life, and this year my proudest swimming accomplishments have been 1. getting in a pool 2. going in the DEEP END! and 3. being able to stay afloat and travel (even though it’s a very ungainly doggy paddle/thrash about thing). I love it. I want to learn to swim properly – in the summer though (too cold right now). Oh and 4. I ‘swam’ in the ocean
Don’t feel too discouraged by your physical strength. I did, too, it was really scary to not be able to do anything like I used to do, in fact, less than beginners in what used to be ‘my’ ‘sport’ (ballet). BUT = Contrary to my expectations, our bodies DO remember, even we’ve lost and replaced the actual muscle we used to use to do our thing – and it gets back to it’s old form very very quickly when you have given it the fuel and just a bit of hard work for a bit – which I know as a swimmer you already were used to in the past :0) you can totally be back to your swimming best some day xxx
Oh girl,
I know all about them Aussies trust me. I am equal-opportunity over here.
Fiona, it is wonkity wonk how out of shape I am – I watch a body pump or kickbox class in like amazement. It’s motivating.
You know what? I was never a swimmer-swimmer. Like never competed or whatever. I am actually self taught and picked it up only 5 or 6 years ago.
It is ironic that you mentioned “being used to a swimmers body before” because I actually do not “appreciate” the typical women swimmer body.
I mean, it’s not ugly. They look better than me! And if I could be comfortable in my skin I don’t care WHAT I looked like. I don’t think about it much but certain figures do not appeal to me – in much the way that most people do not fine the extreme fitness and muscle competition gals “appealing”
Ah no, I didn’t mean how you looked, I’m sorry! I meant how you could swim – how you felt in terms of strength and function. That always used to be more important to me, pre-nutty days – what my body could DO rather than what it looked like and I’m really sad that it got lost along the way. In fact, I’m hoping that with returning to ballet I can again get more interested in feeling strong and able to do things like I used to – it could be a godsend if it helps me appreciate my body instead of battle it. I hope that you can become strong enough to really enjoy swimming again like you used to, Missy, for your own enjoyment not for any other reason. And anything, like dancing or jumping or going for a hike through a beautiful forest, going skiing in the snow etc. I hope both of us get set free from the ED enough to be able to enjoy our bodies again and therefore really fully LIVE.
I agree about feeling that you wouldn’t care what you looked like if you could be comfortable. Thing is, I’m confused. It’s NOT about what it looks like for me at all. NO WAY never was. And yet, when I’m put in a situation (like hospital) where they are tackling the nutrition/weight head on, oh it most definitely IS about what I look like. I feel like a traitor to myself for crossing over to side with the enemy ED brain.
Gosh, Fi. I feel like everytime we comment-banter it turns into a therapy session serious ED talk when I’m like … why so serious child? lol.
I went to the pool. It was a good day. Smile!
life is what happens when we are busy making other plans….recovery is what happens when we are busy living life is what I like to say.
as usual you are right
I’m usually never right…and you weren’t “wrong”…well-until you wrote that. (0:
You have a great pool there
. I really don’t swim but I love laying by the pool and reading, that’s the best part. I think swimming is a great exercise though because it’s a low impact workout which is really good for you. I’m not that great of a swimmer though.
Those bookmarks are awesome, much better than my dog-eared pages, haha.
My fave is reading by the beach – the sound of the water is like…beautiful beyond description or comparison.
ya, so those men are some nice eye candy this morning! thank you for that. as for swimming itself…i’m too lazy for even the breast stroke, i’m all about the doggie paddle. i know how to swim perfectly well…just lazy now. AND, i am a super-obnoxious women’s soccer fan. like, scream and swear at the ref thru the tv, and jump up off my seat- ya. i am like a man when it comes to soccer.
oh, and how is your book? looking for something good to read. just finishing up a book for book club that is depressing as hell about human rights crimes in africa..enlightening, but adding to the ‘i’m a piece of shit because i’m not saving the world’ tape i have playing in my head.
I could watch soccer too I forget. Especially the men’s.
It’s the male swimmers, soccer players and surfers for me. My “men in uniform.”
And Rick Schroeder.
Matthew McCauhowyouspellit.
Various other actors on Tv/Movies catch my eye too.
I like the book so far. Check out my goodreads — I can’t remember if we like the same books or not so I dunno what I’d recommend.
I read a lot of diet/nutrition/food industry politics books – sometimes just for sport. I can recommend lots of those.
And PS – Christine.
‘i’m a piece of shit because i’m not saving the world’
That’s some Smokey Bear shiz right there girl. Only you….Only you….
Don’t make me come over there. lol
ha! girl,you would not last for five seconds after your plane landed at logan. you would hit the tarmac and turn right around. according to my conflict-ridden, congolese-killing, phone its a mere 71 degrees at 10:25 this am…you would freeze!!!! i stalked you on goodreads so will check out your list. i do read all the food industry, nutrition-y books…fast food nation, change comes to dinner, forks over knives…i do love those and don’t find them bothersome in an ed way. the only one that has totally sent me into a tail-spin is brendan brasier’s (sp?)…
Crazy Sexy Diet crewed me up for a hot minute before I noticed. So sneaky these brains.
And 71 …sigh. I could do it. I’m okay on California (during summer too — just nothing lower than that and make sure it heats up during the day. To like 80. At least.
Yeah! You did it again! You enjoy torturing this middle aged european with your posts!
And today is some sexy swimmers and your own pool and reading and sun and Florida!!!
And I’m pretending I’m so cool and not jealous here. Hehehe.
Not a good swimmer but adore swimming, preferably in the ocean (sharks excluded)!
ಠ▃ಠ HEY. WHOA THERE. WHO YOU CALLING MIDDLE AGED.
?????
Stop that. Immediately. We shall never speak of it again.
We may have to come up with a replacement “word” though…
We are —>fillinblank<—
PMSL!!!
“Fillinblank” would do to me!
I’ve just gotten up the guts to actually swim in the lanes at my pool this summer (usually, I figure I’m not good enough to warrant a lane, but this summer I’ve been sharing one with my husband). I soooo wish our weather was more like your’s though!! It’s been gorgeous swimming weather here for the past couple of weeks, but I fear we’ll be back to 60-70s here soon. I’m more the kind of person that needs 90+ degree weather to not freeze in the pool (probably because I don’t swim well enough to actually keep warm!!!).
Seeing your pictures just makes me want to move to FL all the more!! I haven’t been down there in FOUR years now… ahhh! You’re sosososo lucky
Also… I’m really glad that you’ve been enjoying the olympics and your pool
xoxo
I pay out the wazoo to live here so don’t be too envious.
I’m a soccer fan myself, but all of th athletes are so inspiring. I wish I weren’t so lazy these days! It’s a bummer that I’m too exhausted to get my butt movin, but hey! At least the pride of my country doesn’t rest on my ability to jump in the pool everyday. Mostly, I lazy beside it and watch kids play.
Soccer. I’m a fan, too.
Not to play, but to watch.
And I get distracted. LOL.
Swimmers indeed…yummy
I like to watch soccer, volleyball, swimming, gymnastics, track and field…
Glad you made it out to the pool! Keep working on your goal to get back in the water with lots of strength
Hugs!
Hecks yeahs- gymnastics. I get sick with nerves.