Oh, that’s nothing to write home (or blogs) about, but I would like to have a record of when I hit the pool here.

It’s been a tradition for me to celebrate my birthday by going swimming since 2003. I bucked the trend this year by swimming a day early. I have a hair appointment on my birthday, see, so it was today or forget it.

And of course the temperature was 10 degrees colder than it had been yesterday. I didn’t let that deter me.

I was really tired in the pool, though. That was a disappointment after last month, when swimming was easier than ever. I thought maybe I was worn out from cardio tennis yesterday. Or maybe it was the fact that I was hungry. Whatever it was, I had to fight for my yardage today, and even went back to catching my breath at the wall.

My IM time was a second slower than last time; I was pretty proud of that, considering how much I struggled today. In the end, I swam 900 yards. I hope to swim sooner than in a month, and to add 100 yards to my set.

Today was another water safety day at my daughter’s job. She explained the rules of the pool: don’t dive in the shallow end, don’t distract the lifeguard, and the kids got to ride in a canoe. The first time my daughter had to push the canoe, she couldn’t keep it going straight. She’s better at that now.

In other news, she got her lifeguard certification card today! It’s good for 3 years. We’re so proud of our lifesaver!

I feel weird having a swim blog and never going swimming. So I go from time to time to keep myself honest.

Actually, today is the first time I got back to the pool since that whole miscarriage business resolved itself. You ever get that feeling like, “I can’t believe I’m actually swimming?” That’s how I felt for most of my set.

Things have changed since the last time I’d been swimming. For one, it wasn’t as hard to breathe. I noticed that right away. My muscles were sore from working out yesterday, but I didn’t have the overall fatigue that I usually have when I start back swimming after a long break.

I found myself analyzing this the whole swim. What was it? The cardio workouts I’ve been doing? The strength conditioning? The taper? All of the above? Whatever it was, I was so relieved.

I dreaded timing myself on the 100 IM. I mean, the last time I went swimming, it was September. Surely my time would be embarrassing. But I decided I’d rather have a baseline to build upon than cop out and not time myself. My time was actually 5 seconds faster than the last time I swam! I came in at 2:50.35, and that includes that split second I hesitated before starting my fly.

I still wimped out on all but the final flip turn, and was pretty spent by the 800th yard. But I figured I could eke out 900, so I did.

The workout was a great start to my day; I was able to get the kids done with school earlier than I have in weeks! I was able to get other things done today, including returning to the Y to work out with a friend.

It’s all good when you can get to the pool.

I got up this morning after having a dream that I canceled swimming. I was disoriented, but I couldn’t see any reason not to go swimming, so I went.

I got to the pool in the 6 o’clock hour, and the Y swim team was practicing in most of the lanes. I found myself grateful that there was a space right down the middle of the double lane for me. I’m sure we would have swum circles if this space hadn’t been there–and circles are almost a dealbreaker for me.

On my first 25 free, I almost got through the whole shallow end underwater on my push off. That exhasuted me, and I stood panting at the wall at the end of my first 50. Before I’d caught all my breath–isn’t that impossible in swimming? I swam another 50 free, relieved that I didn’t have to break up my first 100 free like I did last week.

My IM time today, 2:58.16, was 10 seconds slower than last time. I will be glad to see my numbers get more consistent, and then decrease.

I know my kids are getting sick of me obsessing over swimming, but I can’t help but try to work out swimming problems out loud. I complained to my daughte that freestyle felt like running while holding your breath. I was still feeling like such the failure for struggling with freestyle. Then she told me that it never gets easier, and that, yes, freestyle is like running while holding your breath, and that swimming is just hard. . .

I mused today that breast stroke is more like walking. Although you can break into a jog if you’re fast.

I’ll count myself lucky if I get in the pool on Saturday. Otherwise, I’m done until next week.

When I heard the Y pools would be closed for a week before the fall session, I became temporarily insane. I reacted as though they’d be closed forever, taking the little children to open swim right before bed-time the day before the pools closed.

It was just a week. Why was I tripping? I was irrational, and I know that partly had to do with the fact that I’d been out of the pool for a month, and just when I found out I could get back in the water, the pool was going to be closed. It might as well been another month, for all my raging emotions.

Then it clicked for me that, duh, it was only closed a week, when I learned that my daughter had an observation in the pool yesterday. I planned to swim the next morning.

I was in the pool at 7:08 this morning–a little late for me, but it worked out ok.

The fatigue factor was pretty high, since I’m still not all the way back up to my former stamina. I hate how fast that breaks down. I thought I could handle 900 yards again today, so that was my goal.

I had to force myself to swim 50 frees. Ouch. But I felt like I could swim backstroke all day. In the end, I had swum 200 free, and 300 back. My shoulders were feeling it, too. I had also swum 275 breast. That stroke count included a 100 IM. My time, 2:48.76 was about 8 seconds faster than my last IM, so I was pleased. And even though I struggled with my freestyle, I only swam 100 total elementary back, my recovery stroke, so it was a good day in the pool.

I hope to return next week. We’ll see what my body says about that.

I couldn’t believe it when I read that our county parks would have a free day on June 24th.  I decided that was worth checking out.  We live about half an hour away from Lake Michigan, which is a very frigid experience even on hot days.  But when I want to get to a beach a little quicker, I head to the county park, 10 minutes away.

When we drove up to the gate, the guy at the toll booth said, “That’ll be $10.”  I blinked.  I squinted at him.  I said, “Seriously?” And he said, “No!  You’d be surprised how many people know it’s free, but still ask me if I’m joking. . .”  Yeah, very funny.  It’s because we can’t believe it’s free today.

It was a perfect day for the beach, too.  90 degrees in the shade, the tiny lake was perfectly refreshing.

My youngest son, who usually freezes in pools loved the lake.  He ran in, splashing, pouring water, doing little keep-your-head-above-water tricks, and even entertaining the idea of pouring water on his head.  His next older sisters were swimming, doing handstands, and having a ball.  My 7 year old daughter noticed something that looked like a gymnastics bar, and she was content to play on that the rest of the day.

My older son had really not wanted to go at all.  But I thought maybe he should.  Get some fresh air, play in the water, you know, live a little.  He tried to catch some of the little fish swimming around.  I even saw him crack a smile as he traded splashes with his younger sister.

My oldest daughter managed to enjoy the water with a wig on.  Must protect the hair, you see!

And I held the baby.  The baby loves pools, but wasn’t sure what to make of the lake at first.  She didn’t want me to put her down, or really in the water.  It took her awhile to warm up to it.  Then we played ring around the rosy, and she was hooked.  She started splashing with one hand.  Then she noticed my feet out behind me, and she started kicking in the water.  That contented smile on her face was worth all the hustle and bustle it took to get there.

Not to mention the two hour nap(!) after we got home.