“Swimming Swimming in a Swimming Pool”

I must admit that I detest swimming, it ruins my chemically straightened hair and the smell of chlorine infuses itself within my nostrils all day long. However, with an injured foot the water takes a lot of the pressure off weight bearing. Therefore a lot of my therapy called for me to be immersed in water, it was tedious and a reminder of what I could not do but necessary to keep up my running cadence.

I use a community pool west of Toronto and the first time I got in the pool I sank like a rock. With such little body fat there is nothing buoyant about me. The lifeguard on duty had to attach two aqua belts to my torso to keep me afloat.

Bless her.


I know I must stick out like a sore thumb: toned, Ramada shower cap adorned and easily annoyed when innocently splashed by tweens performing canon balls around me. However the pools patrons and staff had come to recognize me and embrace me as their own sprinting water baby.

After being out of town for a few weeks in June I went to the pool and started my warm up drills in waist deep water as usual. The plan would be to attach a short coiled rope to my belts, then hook it to the side of the pool (to act as resistance) then do interval sprints for 35 minutes.

Five minutes into my routine the pool suddenly gets infiltrated by dozens upon dozens of senior citizens. I sensed something was up, they were not the usual suspects.

Quick to investigate I waded over to the life guard (coincidentally the same one who saved my life the first day at the pool), come to find out the lady at the front desk had me pay for the last five minutes of the public hours. Apparently I had just crossed over into aquacise for the oldies.

Gulp.

Not because there is anything wrong with being surrounded by senior citizens who glide through the water with more grace than I. But the lump in my throat was because I thought I had wasted my $3.50, now I would have to demand a refund.

I asked to speak to the head life guard who informed me that in the last few weeks public swim hours were cut back. And while normally this time would be open for lane swim it was now for senior-cise.

Who the hay?!...

I had to get this workout in, and coming all this way to leave without doing it was not an option for me. I hate to start a training session and not finish it. Leaving the track with anything undone guilts me the entire night. I have been known to drive back to the track late in the evening to finish any portion that got interrupted for any reason earlier in the day.

And besides the goddess of victory who watches over all athletes, great and small was certainly watching me from her perch above and taking notes on my dedication.

What will Perdita do?

That left me with two choices: tempt the powers that be or join in! So for an hour I bobbed, twisted, high kneed and swung my arms back vigorously with the best of em.

It was quite the experience and it had been so long since I had exercised to Phil Collins (however i'm drawing a blank recollecting the first).

Stay tuned for more tales from summer Rehab :)
Perdita