Swim Girl

8 Swim Catch-up: Last Monday thru this Monday

2005-05-09T14:51:00.000-07:00

So I swam every day since the last post. It's been great! I swim 50 lengths, 75 feet per length. 70 lengths equals a mile. I'm so delighted that nothing has interrupted my swimming. No colds or necessary engagements.

Swim Myth: In my opinion, it is a myth that you cannot swim if you highlight or otherwise dye your hair. I'm a brunette who highlights blond, and I don't have a problem. Of course, I wear a swim cap every day but water gets inside it. Also I use the shampoo and conditioner provided by Equinox, no special product for colored hair.

Swim conversation:
A man joins another woman and me in the pool. We start circling. Then I start stretching at one end of the pool. The woman swims up next to me. She looks around and says, "Where'd he go?" Her eyes dart around the water. I answer with a swim cliche: "Oh, well, let's just be glad he's gone!" She giggles.

4 Swim Catch Up: Tu, Wed, Fri, Sun

2005-05-01T14:27:00.000-07:00

I had a great swim today in the Village. I have a new routine in which I swim the first thirty laps underwater. Then I swim ten difficult back strokes, then ten easy backstrokes. It adds up to 50 lengths and takes me thirty-five minutes with five minutes of stretching afterwards. It's a fun routine because it gets progressively easier. I had a funny encounter in the locker room today:

Scene: I am in the locker room getting dressed, and a petite, fit, tan thirty-something woman walks in to the locker room in her work-out clothes (s/p her workout) and looks on the bench at another woman's wet swim suit. I am at the other end of the bench and quickly want to clarify that the suit is not mine, because the woman has a look on her face that's angry at that wet suit on the bench.

Me: "That's not mine! I don't know whose it is!" This is a lie because I just swam with the girl whose suit it is.

The lady shakes her head like it is just awful, that wet suit directly on the bench.

I want to exchange some locker room banter, so I say, "I don't know why people do that!" The truth is that I don't mind the wet suit at all.

The girl whose suit it is gets back, and I get excited about the possible upcoming confrontation which I plan to stay out of entirely.

The angry lady says in a sarcastic tone, "That's really considerate of you to put your wet suit there so that no one can sit down."

The girl wipes the bench with her towel and stammers a quiet apology. She's a great swimmer. She goes off to change in a changing area instead of with us.

Then the angry lady gets on her cell phone even though it's a cell free zone in the locker room. I am all about gym rules, so I'm thinking over and over, "She's breaking a rule! Someone should call her on it!" (No pun intended).

She connects to a hotel employee on her phone and says, "Put Liz on in Room 421." Then there is a pause and says, "We were just talking. She knows who this is." Then she says, "Liz, I want you to meet me in fifteen minutes at the corner of Washington and Horatio. WASHINGTON AND HORATIO. I'm want to photograph you with some grafitti that I found." Then she pauses and says, "Wear those gym shoes. I like those gym shoes." She pauses and then asks me for a pen. I am quick to give her one, and she is thankful. I love it when mean people are nice to me!

4 Swim Catch-up: Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Mon.

2005-04-25T16:12:00.000-07:00

Thanks for all the help in the previous post. Everyone had great ideas and was very supportive. I'm happy to say that I am well again. I took seven days off from swimming (torture) but my cough went away completely, and now I am symptom-free. Oh, I hope that I stay well for more than a week this time! My swims on Friday and Saturday were great, particularly that first day back in the pool. My swims yesterday and today were tough, especially yesterday. I felt tired as I swam even though I slept well. It may be depression-related PMS, though I'm not sure. I felt depressed last night (Sunday) and consequently this morning, and I felt so much better after the swim. Here are some swimsuit tips for the every day lap swimmer:

1) Buy a suit that hooks in back, not straps, because straps get loose and start to fall down. Be careful to get a hook that's very easy to do. Don't worry about having the hook go all the way thru because the swimsuit never comes undone.
2) Never wring out water from a suit because it damages the material. Even squeezing the suit damages the material over time. As much as possible, put the suit on a towel, and then take it home in a double plastic bag. This will make the suit last longer. Don't hang the suit on a hook by the straps. Hang it over a hook in the middle so that you don't stretch the straps.
3) Clean the suit by showering in it.
4) Buy a high quality suit, especially if you are full-figured, because it keeps the body parts nicely in place. Suits from Target aren't good. I like to shop for suits at high-end department stores that will have suits for customers who go on winter vacations. Of course, if you are thin, you can go to a sports store, but not if you are big like me.
5) Buy a pretty suit, though appropriate, because it will make the swim fun.
6) Keep an eye on the material, especially in back, so that you can see if it's becoming translucent. If it is, it's time to get a new suit!

2 swim catch-up

2005-04-06T16:42:00.000-07:00

I went swimming Monday and Tuesday, both in the Village. Monday night was very blissful because it was a late night swim, and the pool was quite empty. There were two other swimmers after 10pm, and they looked like swamp alligators, and probably so did I. Last night it was wicked crowded but I managed. There was a mad fast dude who had to keep passing me, but he was friendly and pleasant. Tonight I'm going to swim after Shiloh Harper's minnows leave, so stay tuned!

4 Swim Catch-Up

2005-04-03T19:18:00.000-07:00

I haven't been able to use my computer at home due to pop-ups, so this comes a little late. I went swimming on Th, Fri, Sat, and Sunday (today). I had taken a few days off prior to that because of my bad cough. I also took a day off work. I think it all helped because my cough went away! I am so happy about that! Of course my swims are mixed up in my head by now, so here is a quick incident from the pool:

The Mystery Lap

Girl in My Lane (both of us at end of lane): "I forget which lap I'm on. I don't know if I skipped one or not. Don't you hate that?"
Me: "Yes!"
Girl: "I'll have to assume that I skipped it and do it."
Me: Nodding yes.
Girl and Me giggle.

Ratty Old Suit

2005-03-26T20:54:00.000-08:00

Today I swam in the West Village after attending a femme tea at Danal on E. 10th Street. Two of the girls went to a movie, and the other lady, M, walked me to the pool. I swam right before the pool closed. If you know me, you know that I looovve Saturday night swims, and tonight was no exception. I had a hard time with my coughing until lap 29, and then my lungs worked perfectly. That was a relief. The pool was not crowded, and the lifeguard who snapped at me last time was friendly. I had on a nice swimsuit, and perhaps he appreciated the gesture, LOL. I had been swimming in a really worn out old suit. If you swim everyday, the suits sure do wear out quickly. I have a hard time giving up ratty old suits. The thing is, this one looked so bad that I purposely just left it in the shower after I swam the other day! I had to run from in it in order to get myself not to take it with me! My favorite place to shop for swimsuits is Lord and Taylor. They sell nice, quality bathing suits that last a fairly long time, given the amount of swimming that takes place in them.

Bad Friday

2005-03-25T22:27:00.000-08:00

I had kind of a difficult swim today. Before I went swimming I felt hot and tired, a little sickly, and my cough was there. I took my honey cough syrup. By the way, P-f, it's seerup not sirrup, LOL. The brand is Robitussin, and I'll send you some in the mail. It's deelish! Anyway, today is Good Friday, so I had off work. It seems others did too because the pool was extremely crowded for 4:30. I had to circle swim quite a bit, and that messed up my breathing. I don't like to go fast-slow-fast-slow. I swim at an even pace the whole time. Swimming with people in front of and behind me throws that off. After the swim, my cough was still there, and I felt headachey and still pretty tired. My time wasn't too good either. I wondered if I shouldn't have swam. Does swimming hurt or help my bronchitis or not make a difference? Or on some days does it help and on others not? I guess I don't care because I've been melancholy and the swimming gives a much needed endorphin rush.
Conversation in the pool:
Guy who I shared a lane with: "Is it always so crowded? This is my first time."
Me: "No. It's because of the holiday I think. It's never this crowded."

Swimming in a Posh Zip Code

2005-03-25T11:26:00.000-08:00

I swam on the upper-east side after therapy last night. The upper east side pool is great because it's not too crowded and has a hot tub. It also has a cold tub but you won't find me there! I made great time despite still having this cough. I did fifty laps in 25 minutes. That's not fast but for me it is very good! I coughed at the beginning, and then my breathing regulated, and I ended the swim not coughing at all. It's strange how the swimming improves my cough. At the beginning I allowed myself one cough every ten laps. Is that a Jewish swim routine or what? LOL. After two coughs, I was done coughing. Today I'm coughing (haven't done my swim yet) but took honey cough syrup. Yummy! My cough is dry now, which seems to be a good sign. Well, I have established a new routine in which I do fifty laps in sets of ten. I don't stop inbetween each set but repeat the pattern of ten strokes. I am allowed two laps of back stroke within the ten laps, usually the last two. Anyway, I went in the hot tub after the swim, and it felt so good, as did the shower following the hot tub. Water, water, everywhere, so fun!

Shiloh and his Minnows

2005-03-23T21:12:00.000-08:00

Today I arrived during Shiloh Harper's lap class. I've always wondered if the Wednesday evening lap class really happens, and if so, does it close down the other lanes. I had a sneaking suspicion that it was a myth. Anyway, I turned out to be wrong. I was doing my laps and sure enough Shiloh and his minnows trooped in. I didn't want to interrupt my own lap routine, so I decided to try to blend in with the class, yet not take the class. If I took the class, I'd be doing sprints, thus losing my cardio high that I so need. I'd be stopping to listen to Shiloh, not that that would be bad, but you know, just not where I was at. So I swam darn fast (luckily having taken cough syrup before swimming) imitating the strokes of Shiloh's pack. I got to lap 47 (!) before being reprimanded. The lifeguard smiled at me sweetly and told me that there was a class going on. I was like, "Oh, really? Sorry." Then I went by the ladder to stretch and Shiloh approached me so kindly. He said in the most welcoming, unassuming way, "Would you like me to start you in on some drills?" I told him I was getting ready to shower but thanked him. Shiloh, you rock, dude!

Sick No More!

2005-03-22T19:08:00.000-08:00

Well, actually I am still a little sick but quite improved. I got sick last Sunday night. Everyone on my office floor has been sick too. I have missed swimming DEARLY. My cold has been in my nose and throat (as they so frequently are), and I always struggle with whether or not to swim. How soon is too soon? There are two swimmers at work, Amy and Carmen (an Italian man). Carmen said that he "swam thru" his cold quite well. He went in the steam room after he swam. I'm too "all business" to indulge in saunas and hot tubs much. Today I swam without taking any cold medication. I have this bronchitis cough that I tend to get every year but it was infrequent. Today I swam 50 laps, though my time wasn't so hot. I started out coughing a little bit, particularly with backstroke, but by the last 15 laps I felt energetic and wasn't coughing at all. Multiple Swim cliches from today in one exchange:

In locker room after my swim and shower,
Pregnant woman, "You wouldn't happen to have been swimming, would you?"
Me, "Yes! That's all I do here!"
P.G. "I know, can you believe we pay all this money just to swim?"
Me, "Yeah, but it's really special here."
P.G. "It's like a haven!"
P.G. "I thought of joining the Mcburney Y. It was just redone."
Me, "Yeah, but it wouldn't be as peaceful as here."
P.G., "I asked if you were swimming because I'm hoping that the water is warm today."
Me, "Yes, it's warm."
P.G., "Oh, good, sometimes I don't mind if it's cold, but other days I do."
Me, "Me too!"

2 Swims (catch-up)

2005-03-14T16:08:00.000-08:00

I swam last Thursday and Friday. I can't remember the swims too well except for a lifeguard snapped at me for switching lanes wrong during one of the swims. He was right, but still: "JERK!" That's meant for the lifeguard not for me :-)

Famous Swim Quote:

"All good writing is swimming under water and holding your breath."
Francis Scott Fitzgerald

Swim Swam Swum

2005-03-09T20:33:00.000-08:00

I was feeling very tired tonight from not getting enough sleep the past two nights but I did my swim anyway, and it felt good. I think I took two minutes longer than usual, but, oh well, I won't go to hell for that. I felt more energetic afterwards. I love that about aerobic exercise.

Overheard locker room conversation:

"It's way too crowded here."
"I know. I'm letting my membership end here and going to Chelsea Piers."
"YOU ARE?"
"Yeah, they have rock climbing and a sun deck."
"It's too bad they don't have an outdoor pool."
"And it's hard to get to if you don't live nearby."

P-f Love your comments. I answered on your last post :-)

Icy Hot

2005-03-09T14:51:00.002-08:00

Yesterday I swam in the Village around lunch time. It was a wonderful swim, and then I had a veggie burger and brussel sprouts from the Equinox cafe afterwards. Last night I had muscle soreness as I was going to bed. It was pretty bad so I used Icy Hot, and it went away. I hadn't felt it during the day. It just hit when I lay down in bed in a still position. My muscles felt tight. The next morning I felt fine. I think it's because I am not getting enough sleep. When swimming every day, good sleep helps soothe muscles. It also helps to take a day off once or twice a week, but I'm loving this groove too much to do that! I plan to get a good sleep tonight and do some extra stretching right after my swim.

Time when the pool rush hour ends on weekdays: 7:15pm.

Laps

2005-03-07T13:34:00.000-08:00

Today's swim felt so good. Since I have been in the groove of swimming every day, it feels so incredible. I swam next to an anonymous swimmer, and we stayed out of one another's way.

Lifeguard (seeing me walk into pool area about to swim): "How many today, Jenny?"

Me: "Um...42."

Lifeguard: "How about 44?"

Me: "Deal!"

Hot Pockets

2005-03-06T19:42:00.000-08:00

I shared a lane with a young woman who is easy to share a lane with (business-like, appropriately suited up, not a splasher, etc.). When I joined her today, she said, "Just to warn you, there's a cold pocket by the ladder." We shared a small giggle, and I thanked her. That's a definite swim/gym cliche. It's an unneccesary but irresistable exchange. I mean I was about to find out about the cold patch soon enough, and there's not much to do about it. What am I going to do? Put on a scuba suit? Frequently pools are unevenly heated, and sometimes there is a zone that may last a few moments that is very hot or very cold. It throws off one's body temperature repeatedly. However, in the scheme of things, it's not a big deal, just annoying.

Swim/gym cliche:
"Brrr...it's cold today."
"I know. It feels colder than usual."

The New Girl

2005-03-06T13:02:00.000-08:00

Last night I swam on the upper west side at the mall (Columbus Circle). The Equinox is right next to the mall. I get sushi at Whole Foods in the basement of the mall afterwards. I got into a lane with a cute woman with piercings. She smiled shyly and said that she was new to swimming and didn't know any rules. If only all new swimmers would do this, then life in the swim lane would be so much easier! I explained the basics, and then we got down to business. This pool has become my absolute favorite. It is always cold, has long, wide lanes, and has excellent water pressure in the showers.

Swim/gym cliche:

Me as I'm getting out to a swimmer who is just getting in: "It juussst cleared out!"

Swimmer: Happy smile and nod.

Gaydar in the Locker Room

2005-03-04T20:13:00.000-08:00

Today there was a lesbian in the locker room, even two! Of course, the Village is full of lesbians but perhaps, having grown up in Ohio, I get so excited when I spot a dyke! I did what I usually do which is assess if I am correct in assuming the lesbian is a lesbian. This one had so many signs, one after another:

1) Wearing men's underpants

2) With a woman, and when the dyke bent over, the femme said, "Are you trying to flirt with me?"

2) Matching intricate tribals on both upper arms

3) Short hair

4) Jeans

5) Pierced nipple

6) The femme said, "What do you want to do tonight?" and the dyke said, "Go to the girl bars."

I made sure to flash my labrys tattoo!

Catch-up Post (3 swims s/p return from San Fran)

2005-03-02T19:06:00.000-08:00

I swam this Monday, Tuesday, and today. All three swims took place in the Village. I am in a great groove with swimming lately and couldn't love it more. I thought I'd do these catch-up posts, so that I can return to writing more about the fine details of the pool experience, part of the reason why I started this blog. Tonight I came towards the end of the rush-hour, around seven-thirty. I was the last one allowed into the pool, and did all front-stroke to be kind to my neighbors. By the time the second half of my swim came, the pool had cleared out enough for me to have my own lane, and so I luxuriated in some back-stroke. When I first went to the pool, I had felt tired with a headache. After swimming I felt energetic and headache-free. I feel so in love with the water.

Catch-up Post (4 Swims in San Fran)

2005-03-02T18:55:00.000-08:00

In San Francisco I swam at the Palace Hotel. It is a swimmer's paradise. The water has chlorine but is also salt-flavored. Another exotic touch is the low water depth, 2.8 feet. The pool is so clean and serene that coasting along the bottom makes one feel like a grateful reptile. The pool is of excellent size: 20 yards (21 yards is standard). I generally found it to be empty and wonderfully free of children, any swimmer's nightmare. Furthermore, a basket of apples is available as are poolside towels. The ceiling is glass, so there is a great view of the sky. I did a routine of fifty laps in 30 minutes for four days: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. There is an Equinox in San Fran on Pine St. (Anyone know where that is?) but it was very special to be able to roll out of bed and into the pool. I enjoyed that when I lived at the Y in NYC too. It makes a big difference.

Catch-up Post (4 swims before San Fran)

2005-03-02T18:52:00.000-08:00

Before leaving for San Francisco, I swam on Friday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday while I was on vacation from work in New York. Here’s the catch-up of those swims: Wednesday, 2/16, I arrived home from New York in the evening. Friday I swam before going to see the documentary movie, Inside Deep Throat. Sunday I swam in the village after doing work. I swam even though I felt tired. I was depressed and the swimming helped. On Monday I swam before getting together with David, and on Tuesday I swam on the Upper West Side in the evening.

Hold Your Umbrella Upside Down

2005-02-19T14:37:00.000-08:00

I went swimming in the Twin Towers in Ohio again this past Wednesday (the last day of my visit in Cincinnati). In the dressing room there were a number of golden oldies and one of them was singing: "Hold your umbrella/ upside down" or was it "Don't hold your umbrella upside down." I think it was the first because I remember it as being counterintuitive. I tried to find the song on the web but couldn't. I think it is a real song, an old song, so if you know it please tell me. It's hard to get the tune out of my head. Everyone else was quiet as she sang the line again and again:

Hold your um-brell-a
Up-side down!

Then a voice on the overhead system said, "Code 10, apartment 61. Code 10, apartment 61."

Review of the Twin Towers pool, available to join by those not living in the retirement home for a fee:

The pool is a good 75 feet and clean. There is a large hottub by the pool. One lane is available during classes. The atmosphere is lowkey. The hours are good.

Jen: "Why didn't you join the Y [Y.M.C.A.]?"

Mom: "Because I don't like the smell of it."

Isn't my mom great??

Swimming in the Twin Towers

2005-02-19T14:26:00.000-08:00

I went swimming this Tuesday in Cincinnati while visiting my mom s/p her thyroid surgery. By the way, my mom is doing great. They did not find cancer and the procedure was minor (she did not need to have her whole thyroid removed). My mom is energetic and feeling good! She joined a pool called "Twin Towers." As a New Yorker, this is a loaded name to hear! The building actually is composed of twin towers. They look majestic. It is a retirement home with a pool. I knew that because there were elderly people that the pool would be too warm. It was too warm. The temp was between 84 and 86. Still I was able to have a good swim. I had not swam in awhile for a few reasons (not in any order): slacker, having a cold for over a week, tummy problems -now resolved- from switching from Celexa to Zoloft (anti-depressants), and travel, to Boston and to Ohio. The swim was tough maybe because of the water temp but also because I hadn't swam for so long. At the end I did my stretches and my mom sat on a bench nearby the pool, and I saw that she was following along with my stretches. My heart ached with love for her, my sweet mother.

Oy vey

2005-02-19T14:21:00.000-08:00

I went swimming on Monday Jan 31 but I don't remember it. Damn. I gotta be more timely with these swim posts.

Crowds Spell Disaster

2005-01-26T21:12:00.000-08:00

I was feeling glum today, and I thought the swim might be helpful, but instead a man argued with me about where I was doing my stretching. It was at the end of my swim, and the interaction really irritated me! It's pretty infrequent to have a verbal altercation but it was rush hour, and just like it is on the subway, crowds spell disaster. When I was getting out, he said, "Good," and then I let my mood get the best of me, and I said, "Actually I think I'll swim some more" and I jumped in. Jumping is against the rules, but I jumped on in anyway.

Blizzard: Day 2

2005-01-23T18:10:00.000-08:00

The blizzard let up a bit today, and I swam in the Village. The water was too warm, but what else is new? It wasn't too crowded, particularly towards pool closing time. Swim gym interaction:

Woman (entering locker room, not yet having worked out): "Hi, Sally!"
Sally: "Hi!"
Sally and Woman exchange personal data re: how are you.
Sally is done working out and getting dressed.
Woman: "What time does the gym close today?"
Sally: "It closes at 9."
Me: "Actually it closes at 8:30."
Sally: "Are you sure?"
Me: "Yes."
Woman: "Then I don't have time to work out." She had taken her clothes off but puts them all back on.
Another woman walks by, and Sally asks her, "What time does the gym close?"
The woman says, "9."
Sally and the original woman look at me. I say, "I come here at night all the time. It closes at 8:30."
A swimmer who is changing says to me, "You're thinking of the pool hours."
I give a sheepish smile and say, "Oh, yeah....Sorry."
The woman who has to take her clothes off again heaves a big sigh.