modesty overboard!

Swimming in February, dare I? We have a beautiful new YMCA in town, filling a long-standing need for recreation. Its two pools are gorgeous!

So, with a new membership card hanging from my key ring, off I go for a dip. I chose a great time: right after lunch, with few people around. First thing I see is a notice: "leisure pool closed for hygienic reasons." Hmmm, any mom knows what that means.

That leaves the lap pool which, rumor has it, is kept several degrees cooler than the leisure pool. Pulling on my very worn swimsuit, I tiptoe to the pool's edge. At 57, I feel grossly more self-conscious in a swimsuit than 30 years ago. But hey, fitness is the reason I'm here, right? And so I slip into a lane (brrrr) and swim.

For 30 minutes, I swim slowly. At times with a kickboard, but I keep moving. It feels marvelous! I love the water and though I'm in and around it a lot in summer, I'm not exactly doing sprints. Yesterday, some soreness. But back I go. This time only the leisure pool is open, with fewer lanes but a more welcoming temperature. Sharing a lane with another swimmer, I repeated my 30 minute swim. Feelin' pretty proud.

Then. This morning. Calf muscles, hip muscles, shoulder and arm muscles: all yelling at me: "What have you done to us?! We are too old for such foolishness!" Well, get over it, you muscles and joints. We're in this together and will press on and it can't get any worse. I'm giving you today off, but we'll be back at it soon.

Have you been swimming in a while?