Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Wednesday Workout Update - GEAR!!!

Ricky Bobby has a sibling!
Thanks to all the advice from last Wednesday's lap-counting question, and my birthday money, I bought this nifty Sports Count lap counter!  Of course it reminded me of my Garmin, Ricky Bobby, so along those same lines, this little guy is Baby J.
Baby J is incredibly easy to use - you just slip it on your index finger, push the button to turn it on, then push the button each time you complete a lap.  At the end of a workout, you push and hold the button one final time, and it gives you all sorts of statistics, none of which I'm particularly interested in beyond the lap count.  (There was a lower-end model for about $5 cheaper, but that one had nearly $5 worth of shipping, and on this one the shipping was free - Amazon Prime is strange sometimes.)  Anyway, should I want, I can see my average lap pace, fastest, slowest, etc.  Not being a numbers person, I don't care about all that stuff.  But I'm thrilled to have this!  The only thing is that I can't wear my aqua gloves with it...but that is working out, because I also bought (again with the birthday money, woohoo!) fins!
  
How much do I love the orange toenail polish with the yellow fins?

After a lot of back-and-forth emails with Stacia, and testing out a couple different pair of my pool buddy, Nancy's fins, I ended up ordering the Finis Zoomer fins in gold, which is their new, softer fin.  Nancy's were the blue Zoomers, and these are actually more comfortable than hers, which I thought were pretty dang comfy!  I've worn them Monday and Tuesday for about half the length of my workout - I hear you are supposed to work your way into wearing them.  So far, I really like them!

Also, Baby J is working out just great - it's really easy to use.  The only thing I had to change up after my first day was to do my laps in sets of tens or twenties so I would know that I just needed to do whatever stroke to an easy number to remember.  It's hard to describe - heck, I had to write it down to keep it straight (and we've once again established that numbers are NOT my thing, lol!):
So I do all this, and it takes me about an hour and a half.  I'm not fast, but I am steady.  And when I'm done, I'm tired!  As this is Shelley Swimming™, I count every lap - up and back.  The pool is either 25 meters or yards long (I really have no idea), so 100 laps equals 2,500 whatevers, and I'm pretty happy with that.  Also pretty tired.  Did I mention that already? 

25 comments:

  1. LOL! You and I are kindred spirits - no numbers are my thing, too!

    I LOVE that you are having fun with your new gadgets! I can "hear" the excitement in your voice...I think Shelley Swimming is going to be waaaaay cooler than running :D

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  2. Baby J. is so cute. Hope Ricky Bobby won't get jealous of him.

    It's so great that you're ahead of me with this swimming thing. I can learn from you and get tips.

    Tomorrow will be my first swim. I think it was you asking if it was an indoor or outdoor pool. It's indoor and it's not very big. I've asked how long a lap was and it was about 15 yards. I've already got my swimming program in plastic like seen on your blog :)

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  3. You're killing me. So glad your new gear is making swimming more tolerable. I'm telling ya, I smell triathlon up in here.

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  4. You're DAISY Duck in those swim fins! I love them. Maybe that will be the motivation that gets me back in the pool. Some neat new equipment!

    And yeah, an hour and a half in the pool should make you tired!

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  5. Love the new gaget. The toe nail polish is super duper awesome! I been spending alot of time with my Gkids..."super duper"

    slow and steady wins the race...

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  6. wow! didn´t know that something like Baby J exists! incredible! I remember when I used to swim, how much trouble was counter every lap! It is for sure I cannot get it in Spain, I will see ifis available by AmazonUK.Thanks! Marina

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  7. Baby J is adorable.
    I was having (still) having a rough time getting motivated this morning and said "let's go check out a Wednesday Workout Update" for some shits and giggles.

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  8. so glad you got the lap counter! I didn't know you could get gold Zoomers - I have the blue - but it's nice they are making some less stiff ones! so cool! have fun with them!

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  9. Shelley,

    Your Baby J lap counter is very cute. I am very impressed that you are swimming 100 laps in a 25 meter pool. That amount of swimming should really burn a lot calories. And those yellow fins should help speed up the time by helping you swim a lap a little faster.

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  10. Love those fins!!! And the BIG green hands in your special Tuesday post. Have a great day Shelley!!!!

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  11. I might have to get me one of these Baby J's! What a great idea. I just put my fingers over my thumbs each lap and when I get to 10 I start over and obviously I don't forget that I did 10 already. :)

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  12. yay for new gear! Glad you're embracing swimming :)

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  13. Katie J wants a baby J! :-) Love your toe polish!

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  14. You go girl!!! Thanks so much for the info on the earphones. Its funny how before I was a runner, I never imagined how these little things make such a big difference. I have decided to go way back into your archives and read up on when you were training for your half. How far back is that? I cant wait! Thanks again for the info. You are the best!

    Jennifer
    http://www.wecanlosethepounds.blogspot.com/

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  15. Baby J is cute enough to wear out on the town!

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  16. Welcome to the family, Baby J! And, the orange polish ROCKS!

    Winks & Smiles,
    Wifey

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  17. Bahaha - you named your Garmin Ricky Bobby. I love that, and I'm glad I found your blog!

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  18. Okay, now I REALLY want a pair of fins!! Great job on the swim - I am slow and steady too - but 40 minutes is my max now - I need to build up to your endurance!

    Happy Thursday!

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  19. I am going to have to get one of those things! I am also impressed at how organized you are about keeping track of what you are doing in the pool. Thanks for sharing the pics!

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  20. It's a riot that you named your Garmin and your lap counter! So funny! I think 100 laps is a LOT of laps, good for you. I also swim in a 25 whatever pool, and I think I can do 20 laps in one session.

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  21. I'm always learning something new from you. Lap counters. Fins. Very cool.

    So how did you come up with your swim routine? I really need to get out to the pool. I have no excuse really. What's the saying? Just do it? ;-)

    Do they sell those fins in shops or do you have to get them online? What are they supposed to do for you?

    Go, Shelley, go!!! :) A much cooler way to exercise in the summer. Cuz our temps have been insane.

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  22. A 2.5km swim 3 times a week is truly fantastic! Something I can only dream of at the moment... I LOVE your gadgets and bet they're really motivating too. Hm, am sorely tempted by the lap counter myself. Thank you Shelley!

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