Walden - Half mile without stopping!

Today was actually pretty cold. It looked nice out, but it was about 53 degrees out. I was excited because today was the second to last day that I had to go into work until August. Tomorrow is the last. I'm eager to get this going-to-work business over with, and just work from the comforts of my couch office.

My office is always super hot, and it's been warm out lately, so I wore a sleeveless dress. I went to take a walk at lunch, but it was windy and cold, so I went back inside. My plan had been for a Walden swim, but I decided to wait until tomorrow when it's supposed to be warmer and sunnier and not windy. But, when I got to my car, google said it would take over an hour to get home, and I just didn't want to sit in traffic for that long, so I went to Walden.

I realized on my way over that I didn't have a change of pants, which was a disappointment. I thought about bagging it again, but the traffic was so unappealing. I've put some pants in the trunk of my car for the future, though.

Anyhow, I got to the pond and there weren't that many people there. Even though it was windy out, the pond is pretty protected, so though the water wasn't smooth it wasn't too wavy. I changed at the beach, and got in. It was feeling cold! I'm sure it's in the 60's, but I got in and didn't want to put my face in, and wasn't sure that I was going to be able to do a long swim. But then I started swimming and it felt just fine.

The exciting thing from today was that I swam the entire way across without stopping! At first I was focusing on my stroke, trying to keep my arm up and then roll it around an imaginary barrel. Then I did a little singing along with my tunes on my headphones - in my head only, of course, because of the whole breathing thing. Then, I realized I was about half way across, and I thought maybe I could make it the whole way, and I did! I got to the cove, gave myself a little pat on the back, and then headed back. On the way back I had to stop a few times - I think the water was blowing in my mouth in that direction.

I made it back, dried off, put on my underware, and then flashed the beach a little changing back into my dress. It was pretty empty - the only people there seemed like they weren't from the US, so I hoped that it wasn't that unusual for them.

I've been participating in a clinical trial, and I went yesterday for shot #3. Not only do I get the shots, but also they pay me for it. I've been kind of wanting a scooter since DC, and I decided today that I should use the $ to get one. I found a $500 scooter for $335 (I think it's last year's model - it's got good ratings) and I was able to buy it with my clinical trial money! I didn't realize I had that much on the card. I should get the scooter tomorrow, and I'm excited to ride it to the garden instead of putzing along in traffic in my car.

Bilateral Breathing to the Point

I decided that I needed to force myself to do some bilateral breathing. I met up with some friends at the beach around sunset, and the water was flat and beautiful - a perfect day for bilateral breathing practice. I started out slow and relaxed, and did about a dozen breaths - half on each side. Then I had to rest a little. And then I did it again, etc. I made it all the way to the point, taking breaks along the way. Much of the breathing on my bad side wasn't pretty. But, I did breathe! 

I started the way back with bilateral breathing, but it was getting hard, so I gave myself permission to just swim back. I tried thinking "long" as I reached out and "strong" during the stroke, and I think it helped me to move faster. 

Keeping my right arm moving forward instead of dipping down as I breathe is getting easier. Unfortunately it's really hard on the other side. Something to work on - I hope that by this time next year I can do bilateral breathing efficiently.

After we watched the sun set and chatted. Excited for summer!

Waldon Pond - my first one mile swim!

Today I did something I never thought I would be able to do - I swam the length of Walden Pond!! It's about a mile and it took me about 55 minutes. I think the water was probably around 60 degrees - it's been around that temperature at Mystic, and it felt about the same.

I went into work today because we took our work/study students out to lunch to celebrate the year. One of them is graduating, and we got her one of the official school diploma frames, and she loved it. It was a nice day. And, now I've gotten one of my days for the week over with. Yay!

After work I knew I wanted to go to Walden for a swim. It's getting a little more crowded at the beach, with kids and families at the beach, and a few people hanging out and catching some sun. My goal was to swim over to Thoreau's cove, but when I got there there were two people in kayaks fishing, and I didn't want to bother them, or the fish. Or get hooked with a fishing line since my direction is still pretty bad. At the cove I realized that the other end of the pond wasn't that far, and decided to go for it. I was so excited when I got there! I didn't go to the furthest cove, but I got about 10 feet from shore, which felt like close enough (at the shore when I got in I saw some really big fish under me, and I didn't feel a need to see more). I breathed for a little bit and savored my accomplishment, but then reminded myself that I hadn't really done it until I got back. 

The swim back was easier in some ways, because I knew I where I was headed, and because I was swimming closer to the land on the left, which is the direction that I breathe to. On the other hand, it did seem like a long time - it took me about 22 minutes to get there and about 30 to get back (with about a 3 minute rest at the other side), so I was definitely slowing down on the way back. It was a long swim for me, but it felt very doable.  

I worked on getting my right arm to stay up while I lifted my head to breathe - I have this idea that this is the most important thing that I need to do to be able to improve my stroke. After 55 minutes of work on it, I did feel myself improving - there were a lot of strokes where I felt like I was breathing right. I feel like this week is going to be the week of the right arm. Then I need to work on my bilateral breathing, my catch, and the pull with elbow above hand. I feel like bilateral breathing will take the longest, but also be the best addition to my swimming. 

Swam 3/4 mile!

It was a beautiful day out today, kind of like summer! I went to parkour in the morning, and then did some clean up at the garden. After I went to a friend's house because she's fostering a puppy, and the puppy is nervous. So, I'm helping to socialize. The puppy is so cute, but also so scared.

Later I went to the beach, and we swam to the point from the dock instead of the beach! According to google maps, it's about .75 mile swim in total. I swam the whole way back without stopping - it took 20 minutes! I was pretty excited about that - I will say that there was some wind and a little chop, so the way there was harder. Also, the water is still like 58 degrees, so it took a minute to want to put my face in and swim - no booties or gloves though for a while.

After, we sat on the dock eating candy and drinking tea, watching the sun set and chatting. A couple other members of our group came later for a swim, and they found some packets of seaweed in the water. It was so funny - they were all sealed, so a couple people ate them. 

Working on my swim stroke

My one mile swim race is in just 6.5 weeks, so it's time to get serious about training! I went to the Y to practice my stroke in a controlled setting, where I didn't have to worry about cold or current. I really practiced my breathing drills on both sides, doing the bad side first. I also tried doing regular, bilateral breathing, swimming with fins on, which was really helpful. It got me moving my legs more correctly, and I moved faster. I understand in theory that when you are swimming there should be a little pocket of air when you come up to breathe, and when I was moving with the fins I actually found it a few times! It was pretty awesome.

One thing that I noticed is that I have a hard time keeping my arm forward when I breathe on my good side - it always seems to trail down, which I think makes my stroke shorter and weaker. And maybe is why I don't swim in a straight line? I'm going to have to do a lot of practice on this for the race - you only have 40 minutes to swim a mile, and it would be a bummer to be pulled on my third every swim race.

Swim to the Slide

The water temperature is measuring a pretty consistent 59 by the dock, though when we got away from it today there was a really big drop in temp, probably a few degrees. Anyhow, it's warm enough for a little bit more swimming. Today we swam over to the slide, climbed out onto the deck (not at all gracefully) and went down. It's so fun! 

I tried practicing my breathing that I learned from my swim lesson, but kept getting a mouth full of water. So, I went back to my old ways. I did notice that I'm moving a little faster, and am keeping up with the pack while swimming (well, there were 5 of us, maybe that's not a pack?)

Over the weekend at parkour we played this game where we got to fling people. It was really cool, because when you were being flung you could really feel the extra boost to your jump. I think this summer we should fling people off the dock. 

Mt. Major and a swim lesson

I took the day off today because I realized that I had 10.5 hours of personal time that I need to use or lose by the end of June, and things are going to be so busy for May and June. I was so glad that I took today, because it was a beautiful day, and it's supposed to rain all weekend. 

The reason I chose today was that I had a second swim lesson at the Y in Oak Square, which is actually kind of far to get to - it was a 30 min lesson that was a 45 min drive. I spent the whole ride there feeling grumpy and questioning my judgement on going there, but then the coach that I took the lesson with was so good, and she gave me some tips on breathing that were so effective! I actually feel confident that if I practice her drills I will get the bilateral breathing down eventually.

After, I went to the kittery outlets, mostly to go to the lulu outlet there. I tried on like 15 things at lulu, and not a single one of them sparked joy. There was a pair of hiking pants with the zip off legs that I though about getting but they were $100 at the outlet, and I though that once the legs were off, the shorts would bunch when I walked. On the way out of kittery I stopped at the eddie bauer and they had a pair of shorts I really liked, and a cute summer dress. They had the shorts in 3 colors and the dress in 2, and I bought all of them :)

I was excited to hit Mt Major - it seems like it's become my traditional first hike of the season. The weather was so nice, and the leaves were just coming out. It took me 50 minutes to get to the top. Once up there I admired the view. I think you can actually see Mt. Washington! Last year I hiked Mt. Straightback and enjoyed the ridge line so much I decided to do it again. I really like walking over there, but then I decided I didn't need to go all the way up straightback because it's viewless, and turned back. I went down the main trail this time - it was a little wet in a couple of the steep places, but still a nice trip down. 

On the way home I wanted to stop at this new place I saw called buns and bowls (because that sounded yummy) but they were closed. So I got ice cream instead, which was delicious! 

On Thursday I bought new running shoes. I tried on every pair of la sportiva trail runners, but in the end I got the exact same shoes as the last time. Now, just have to put them on and run.