Pool Running

I love this time of year, though not my favorite (August). It's the time when *every* single day something changes. This is probably true throughout the year but I'm to obtuse to detect it. Trees begin awakening, one day they're dead, then they look a little perky, then they've got tiny buds, it quickens, it soon will go too fast for me to keep up with, and then we've climaxed, it's summer (and the livin' is easy.)

Up early yesterday for Z & J's soccer games; M drove them, I biked, a couple miles or so, and back, freeezing, 40F maybe, I thought it was gonna be warmer, underdressed. Surprised that the right quad didn't complain a bit biking, sitting or standing, especially since I'd figured biking while standing is virtually the same as elliptical, which nudged my quad last Friday.

Pool running was something I've vaguely thought of doing but really figured I never would (same as I felt about elliptical a year and a half ago; I've since put in at least a hundred hours.) But with the thigh bothering me even on elliptical, and a suggestion from Duncan, I thought maybe I ought to at least give it a try. My health club turned out to have pool running gear. Took the plunge.

I went for 52 minutes of pool running. I'm pretty sure I'm not doing it right. The good thing was it wasn't as horrible and boring as I'd expected (novelty helped I'm sure.) But it just didn't feel difficult enough. I started with the ankle floaties, but took 'em off because they bothered me, but that probably made it too easy; next time I'll try to get them more comfortable. It was a while before for I felt comfortable at all, for the first half, I wasn't dorsiflexing at the ankles at all, which made them ache after a while, and I was using my arms too much. Relaxing the upper body helped, paying more attention to form and "landing". Finally got my heart rate up, according to my breathing anyway, to a decent level, I gulped a few quarts of water. It'll take some more sessions to get used to it. I'll give it a chance, but so far, elliptical is a far more intense workout for me.

Today, resting, can still feel the right thigh, even walking, just a little bit. Walked a half mile or so to Borders at lunch (got the Narnia DVD for the kids, and me) and back. Then walked two miles on the home Landice, 30 minutes, this evening.

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April — A Child's Calendar
by John Updike

It's spring! Farewell
To chills and colds!
The blushing, girlish
World unfolds

Each flower, leaf,
And blade of turf —
Small love-notes sent
From air to earth.

The Sky's a herd
Of prancing sheep,
The birds and fields
Abandon sleep,

And jonquils, tulips,
Daffodils
Bloom bright upon
The wide-eyed hills.

All things renew.
All things begin.
At church, they bring
The lilies in.