Tuesday, November 20, 2007
I've been swimming regularly again at the Broad Street YMCA. I often run into the same black guy who was swimming there years ago. For some reason, the pool does not seem as heavily chlorinated at it was before, which is good. I always ended up smelling like a chemical plant before, with itchy skin and a runny nose.
Anyway, I've been slowly increasing the distance I swim, working at a pace that does not tire me. Yesterday I got back to the 40 lengths that had been my standard distance. It felt good, a real accomplishment. Before, it would take me 21-22 minutes, without stopping. This time, 37:25 including my rest stops. Besides the pleasure of how I feel after swimming, I want to use the exercise as a way of guaging my physical condition and stamina. Time for 40 Lengths will serve as my baseline.
The Broad Street Y is a real gem. They have a beautiful pool, well maintained, and friendly personnel. But it serves a black area, whose culture is such that the gym and the weight room get heavy use preferentially. Few people bother to go to the pool. There are often a group of women there doing water aerobics, but never more than one or occasionally two people using the three lap lanes. Other times it is just the lifeguare and me. They do keep the water too warm to please real swimmers out of deference to the aerobics ladies, but right now that suits me just fine, too.
Anyway, I've been slowly increasing the distance I swim, working at a pace that does not tire me. Yesterday I got back to the 40 lengths that had been my standard distance. It felt good, a real accomplishment. Before, it would take me 21-22 minutes, without stopping. This time, 37:25 including my rest stops. Besides the pleasure of how I feel after swimming, I want to use the exercise as a way of guaging my physical condition and stamina. Time for 40 Lengths will serve as my baseline.
The Broad Street Y is a real gem. They have a beautiful pool, well maintained, and friendly personnel. But it serves a black area, whose culture is such that the gym and the weight room get heavy use preferentially. Few people bother to go to the pool. There are often a group of women there doing water aerobics, but never more than one or occasionally two people using the three lap lanes. Other times it is just the lifeguare and me. They do keep the water too warm to please real swimmers out of deference to the aerobics ladies, but right now that suits me just fine, too.
