Slice #20, Are You Getting Enough Water?
I'm choosing to explore my identities this month, focusing on a different angle of me each day.
Today, a slice on my cardio habits.
My understanding of exercise is to include strength training, stretching, and cardio into your routine. I don't know if I would say that I ever identified as a runner (because I was soooo slooooow)), but something in me last fall just kind of snapped and I suddenly found running to be the most boring thing in the world. ...but, you neeeeed cardio, right?
My solution was swimming. Initially, it was a bit harder to control my heart rate (I have a complete heart block & pacemaker), but it didn't take long to find my rhythm. Cardio AND boredom problem solved. What I didn't expect is just how fulfilling swimming would actually become for me mentally.
We have a membership at our local YMCA, and swimming has been a mental health solution all winter. Starting the day with the warm water, the meditative rhythm and silence, and then topping off the routine with sitting in the hot tub has been glorious.
Today is the first day of spring, and this morning, I shared a lane for the first time. Normally, I would shy off and think, I'm not a real swimmer. It felt nice today to just keep swimming.
This is my first time visiting your blog and now I want to go back read your posts becasue exploring identities is an interesting way to write about yourself. I wish I knew how to swim better because I could use this form of exercise. Walking is my preferred method because of knee issues. Thanks for visiting my blog which led me to yours! :)
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you've found swimming! I have blogged about it a few times and know exactly what you are talking about when you share the feeling of lane sharing (when someone actually invites you to share with them, you know you've made it!), and staying with it. Congratulations! On the days where you get into a meditative head space, doesn't the time in the pool disappear? It's amazing. Stay with it; I love to think of fellow bloggers as swimmers, too, and now I can think of you!
ReplyDeleteI am a runner, but there's something absolutely meditative about swimming. Also, the Y has the hottest showers known to humankind -- the most refreshing thing ever after getting out of a chilly pool.
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