Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Wednesday Workout Update - Mishmash Style

My pool buddy Nancy had the audacity to take a couple of days off this week, which meant I was all alone with no one to chat with.  (everyone:  awww!)  I know.  Quite sad.  Anyway, it also meant that I didn't get to mindlessly kick board like I do with her (she's cooling down and I'm warming up), so I did a quick 20 lengths and then started in on my combination back and side stroke for 50 lengths.  Now, it was Monday, and I'd had two days off so I was feeling really fresh.  I decided that I'd go for 60 lengths.  Plus, that way I'd only have 20 more kick board to do (I always do a total of 100 lengths (or 50 laps) every workout).  So I did, and felt fine.  Huh.  I got to thinking about when I first started swimming...back then, I threw in 10 lengths of kick board after every 20 lengths of side or back stroke to give me a bit of a rest, because I was truly winded and needed it.  But I'm not winded any more, and I don't know when that happened.  Wow.  Endurance is sneaking up on me!  So I guess I'll work on increasing the side/back stroke portion, and  start phasing out the kick board afterward.  I still want to keep my workout to 100 lengths (or 2,500 yards) per session, since I am swimming Monday through Friday.

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I am really, really enjoying my hot yoga classes.  I love my instructor, Kimberly - she's been so helpful in teaching me how to do the poses correctly, and what do you know - it really feels different when you're doing them right!  For example, we were doing the tree pose on Monday night - looks simple enough, right?  But I didn't have my foot flat against my thigh, and I was wobbling all over.  Kimberly stood next to me so I could hold onto her shoulder for balance while I placed my foot in the correct position, and then I was able to let go and balance!
Not me doing the tree pose.  Also?  I can't get my foot that high.  Yet. ;)

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I have been swimming for four months now - who EVER woulda thunk it?!?  Certainly not me, that's for sure.  For my swimiversary (it's a real word, I swear!), I treated myself to my very own kick board - now I don't have to borrow one from the gym, which is nice since most of them have either shark bites in them (I may be exaggerating a bit on that one - but there ARE bite chunks missing.  Maybe not done by sharks.  Who knows???) or finger indentations - I can only assume death grips from nervous swimmers?  Anyhoodles, if you know me (and I know you do), you won't be surprised to see what color I chose:
Purple!  So some days I will match my suit and cap entirely, and other days I will contrast nicely with my turquoise suit.  Hey - it may not be as much fun as my running gear, but I'm working with what I have!

21 comments:

  1. Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!

    Shelley once again you don't disappoint me with your purple colored kickboard. I love this so much in you: matching workout outfits. Can't wait till the yoga outfits show up on this blog.

    I do like the tree pose but have to be honest and admit I can't do it with my foot higher than my calve :)

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  2. Hi Shelley! Well, I love this post! I really enjoy hearing what you're doing for fitness. There's a very fun undertone in your writing.

    Totally agree about yoga poses done right being *completely different* than done wrong. So many people say "that's easy" and then do it wrong. It IS easy to do certain yoga poses wrong, with butt sticking far out (of alignment) and face not facing upward, etc... It's totally worth learning to do yoga correctly.

    :-) Marion

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  3. So you bought a purple kickboard just as you are phasing out of needing it? :) Go you, and GO YOU.

    I cannot do that dang tree pose to save my life. I have the worst balance ever. EVER.

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  4. Happy Swimiversary! I love your smile with your new kick board. I am loving your hair like that too. It's getting longer!

    I need to really "try" yoga. That 1st time made me so sore I never went back. "chicken" I know.

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  5. Love the purple! And thank you for the shark bite comment...it took me back to my swim team days and yes, our kick boards looked exactly how you described them. It must be little kids who gnaw on them :-)

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  6. Ha - love that you got a color coordinated kick board!

    When I was getting dressed for my bike ride yesterday I had stains on the front of my shirt and thought "Shelley would never approve!"

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  7. It's actually sort of funny to read your swimming updates now " I still want to keep my workout to 100 lengths (or 2,500 yards) per session, since I am swimming Monday through Friday." Oh, excuse me, is that all? LOL

    I'm glad you got the kickboard to reward yourself for sticking to it - you totally deserve that pretty kickboard!

    Next up you'll be some sort of hot yoga master putting us all to shame.

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  8. YAY! for your very own purple kick board :) And your hair looks really cute in the last picture :)

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  9. Cool kickboard! I love how your bring style to sports.

    I thought of you last night. The store had purple running shorts with a little bit of blue trim. There was a matching shirt that was blue with purple trim. LOVED it. I think there was some gold hidden on there somewhere because it was expensive.

    You're kicking butt in the pool!

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  10. Isn't it cool when you see progress?
    How is your foot?ankle? you know, down there?
    I see a tri in your future.

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  11. You look so blonde and tan!! I'm glad you love yoga so much. Tree is hard for me because it's really quiet and I can hear the drip, drip, drip of everyone's sweat :)

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  12. Got to say I am becoming envious of your swimming (not your fitness!) because you make it sound so darn fun.

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  13. That is a great picture of you. Looking very swimmingly fit. I love the way you go kicking and screaming into a new sport, and then you become the poster child for it within a month or two! Very inspirational (as you know--you got me back into the pool.)

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  14. I'm so happy that you've settled into a swimming & yoga groove. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for some running love for ya, but I love your new routines!

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  15. I use my carryall to stick my foot into to hold that pose in yoga. I'll bet you didn't know that's what the vag is called at my age.

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  16. That is one JAUNTY kickboard!!!! Great color choice, and yay you for your swimming and yoga commitment!!!! You look fantastic in the photo! Have a great Wed Shelley!

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  17. 5 days a week - wow! Just wow...

    You are going to grow some gills soon.

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  18. Endurance is awesome! Are you going to do weights while you are at the gym? That is the one thing I miss about the gym which really helped with my swimming. I love those days when you realize you can go farther and do more. Congrats!

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