Just Keep Swimming

Sixteen days ago, I resolved to swim every day. Back and forth, back and forth, breaststroke over, backstroke return. Not fast, nothing fancy. My goal was to get the habit restarted. First for 5 minutes, then add a minute every day. I’m up to 22 minutes. It was fairly easy. Granted my right shoulder is really sore, and my left hamstring still aches, but I just stand on the second pool step, turn, and fall in backwards. Once wet, I swim until my timer goes off. All good until the temperature dropped three days ago. From the 70’s at night to the 50’s. 

Even though the air was cool, the first day the water hadn’t cooled very much. I’d struggled into my wetsuit top a few weeks ago when the first fall days came, but I deemed that too much trouble for the little extra warmth it gave. Now, shoulder ache be damned, I would have to start wearing clothing as I swam. My first time was with just the top, next day top and my swim pants which aren’t thermal, but help a little. Yesterday I tried tucking the top into my pants so the water doesn’t flow through. All of this has helped. Today I added rubber bands at my wrists to keep the sleeves tighter. Now the warmed water stays in, rather than flowing out at each stroke. Much better.

Currently, the water temperature is 72°, and the air 63°. I know northerners would scoff, but this south Florida gal thinks that’s cold. I am looking at ordering wetsuit pants for the rest of the winter swim season.

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