Tag Archives: Swimming pool

Seeing the light

My swimming kit is simple (isn’t everyones?): Trunks, Goggles.

I upgraded my trunks some time ago. Since I started swimming ~~seriously~~ regularly I decided that beach shorts probably weren’t performance enhancing… they were literally a drag. As I lost weight, they became a liability… literally a threat to common decency!

So I upgraded to something a bit sportier and a bit snugger. Job done!

My goggles were fine. I acquired them while we were in the Middle East. I remember being presented with a very limited selection at the local sports shop and selecting the best of a bad lot. They had orange lenses. I presumed they were light enhancing, but in reality they were just orange.

These aren’t an exact match, but you get the idea!

On Sunday I discovered my goggles were missing. I had obviously left them in the changing room. Being such a fine pair, I assume they had been “re-homed” rather than being handed in to lost property. Of course, their new home could be a rubbish dump!

Last night was my first outing with my new goggles. I had gone for a simple pair with clear lenses. When I tried them on, I discovered the lenses were slightly larger than I’m used to. They looked a bit like ~~googles~~ goggles that you’d wear if you were Wing-Walking, or Driving a Vintage Car. However, they looked like they’d do the trick.

My new goggles look like they could be multi-purpose!

When I got in the pool… WOW!!! What a difference they made!

It seems fairly obvious in retrospect, but I had no idea how different the under-water experience would be with clear lenses. There was light!!! I could see!!! (Actually I could see a little more than is required for an enjoyable swim!).

The environment was exactly the same as I’d experienced in the past, but the way I engaged with it completely changed that experience. It was a real eye-opener!

I appreciate that in itself this is not a life changer… but it’s got me thinking about whether there are other things I do that could be similarly enhanced by small, simple changes. I’ve got my eyes peeled!

The many benefits of swimming

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Friday morning in North East of Scotland was cold; “Baltic” as we’d describe it. Having braved the conditions to get to the swimming pool I was greeted by a large “Information” board. Apparently there had been a problem with the heating at the pool, and the water temperature had been up to 34 degrees C…

“Don’t pay your entrance fee if you think the temperature will be too warm!”

…was the message.

I thought nothing of it and headed in to the changing room to get ready. As usual, I was in the pool just before 7 am and started my swim. Also as usual, just after 7.30 am the swimming club members started to leave and a number of “Silver Swimmers” (presumably retired members of a slightly older generation) entered to begin their slightly more relaxed session.

As he entered the pool, a gentleman sporting a well maintained, military-style moustache (let’s call him “the Colonel”) greeted me with the words…

“Lovely and warm isn’t it!”

To be fair, the pool was indeed lovely and warm. In comparison with the temperature outside I think anything would have felt warm. However, the Colonel’s comment, together with the satisfied look he had on his face got me thinking… what if the “Silver Swimmers” were also “Silver Surfers”?

Perhaps they had hacked into the Aberdeenshire Council computer systems and updated the temperature settings to create a warm haven, thereby saving money on the heating bill at home. The Colonel was definitely on the inside and, recognising me as friend rather than foe, decided to share his delight! You certainly shouldn’t judge a book by its cover!

***

One of the reasons I was keen to get into swimming was that it’s exercise you can do for life. It’s a low impact, cardiovascular workout that is great for mobility and fitness, which all bring additional health benefits.

Not everyone appreciated the super-heated water!

My interaction with the Colonel reminded me of some of the peripheral benefits of swimming too… access to warmth (the whole building tends to be warm, not just the pool), access to a hot shower (the best bit about a visit to the pool according to the Colonel) and, social interaction (the Colonel certainly wasn’t operating alone!).

The other thing is, it’s never too late to start. So, no excuses really.

Whether it’s to get out of the cold or to get yourself fit, swimming has to be the way forward. Just watch out for the organised crime!

Just the three of us

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The maintenance work at the Local Pool finished yesterday bringing the week-long closure to an end. I don’t usually swim on a Saturday, but I was keen to get back in the pool, particularly as we have visitors this weekend and an early morning swim seemed like a good way of getting some exercise without impacting our plans for the day.

Not being a regular on a Saturday, I didn’t quite know what to expect. Given it had been shut all week I assumed the pool be busy.

I arrived to find 6 lanes marked out. Normally the swimming team would have been using 4 of the lanes but today they were all available to the public. There were some early comings and goings, but shortly after my arrival there were only three of us in the pool, and it stayed that way for the duration of my session. What a difference it makes to have a dedicated lane. A rare luxury. Bliss!

Sharing a lane can be frustrating!

After the session, one of my fellow swimmers asked me a question:

“What are you training for?”

I thought this was a fantastic question to ask in a Swimming Pool / Gym type setting. There’s no real downside… if you’re not training for something you’re likely to be pleased that someone considered you might be, and if you are it’s obviously a good conversation starter.

Personally, I was really pleased to be asked. It’s the first time anyone’s openly mistaken me for someone who’s fit for a long time. I took it as a sign that I’m making progress.

As it turned out, the chap I was speaking to is training for an Ironman event in South Africa in April next year (2.4 km Swim, 120km Cycle and a 28km Run). Clearly he has a little more conditioning under his belt than me!

The delights of competitive Open Water Swimming!

I have to admit, I was a little bit jealous. I suspect I’ll never be in a position to take on such a gruelling challenge. I’ll continue to set myself challenging goals, but they will always be within the context of my medical history, long term medication, etc.

I was recently asked a question about what I can’t do as a result of my Heart Attack. The list of things didn’t extend much beyond “some rides at Disney” and “scuba diving”. I suspect in reality the list is much longer, but I’m not going to add Ironman events to it just yet. Instead I’ll focus on doing what I can, taking it one step at a time. Who knows where the journey will end up!

Probably a step too far for me right now!

Make time to play

One of those weeks

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It’s only Wednesday, but it’s already been one of “those” weeks…

We had our first dusting of snow on Monday. Winter is definitely on its way. This means frosty mornings, traffic chaos and general disruption. Great!

Fortunately the snow wasn’t quite as deep as this!

The cold is one thing my medication doesn’t help with. Whether it’s the blood thinners, my weight loss or something else, I feel the cold much more than I used to. Gone are the days of me being a one-man, furnace with unlimited internal heating. Reluctantly, I have had to invest in extra layers to keep me warm. Perhaps I’ll even be “ne’er casting a clout” come next May!

Tuesday was my birthday. Another year older. I’m grateful for the gifts and cards, and it was nice to be the centre of attention for a day (at home at least!). I guess it’s natural to have some sort of emotional reaction to my first post-Heart Attack Birthday… a reminder that I’m well and truly in the “lucky to be alive” club! To be honest, I’ve just found myself feeling a bit colder and older.

Birthday

To compound matters, it feels like I’ve hardly done any exercise recently. I think this is largely because the grind of the week has made the days seem longer. I was therefore looking forward to my swimming lesson on Wednesday evening.

As I arrived at the pool it looked like there was a gala on and my plans would be ruined (“Please, not those pesky Brownies again!!!”). There were cars everywhere. Just my luck! Fortunately the pool was just busy, “Zigzag down the pool to find some space” busy as I had a quick swim to warm up (in more ways than one!) in advance of my lesson.

Although my swimming has improved, and the distance I’m covering in each session is gradually increasing, I’m still finding it exhausting. I guess this is positive as I want it to be good exercise, but I’m not progressing as I hoped I would. Discussions during my lesson focussed mostly on this… and we concluded that I’m a “sinker”. I have not been naturally blessed with buoyancy. As a result, I’m generally too tense, and a lot of my swimming effort is spent preventing myself from sinking (or drowning, whichever way you want to look at it!). I am therefore inefficient, using much more energy and “puff” than I should need to.

My natural swimming position!

Short of getting floats installed, the only way I can see of addressing this issue is through patience and practice. So, more of the same. Onwards and upwards (to the surface of the pool at least)!

Only 30 days until the days start getting longer! 🙂

Pushing the boundaries

The “E”s

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At Cardiac Rehabilitation, we were taught that many of the key factors that impact the workload on a Heart with an “E”… Exercise, Environment, Emotion, Eating… (I’m sure there were others, but I can’t remember them… please feel free to chip in!).

Many of the “E”s are impacted by travel to foreign lands… strange place, unusual climate, different food, etc. As a result, I think going on a family holiday is a big step in the Cardiac Rehab journey.

A holiday obviously offers an opportunity for some Rest and Relaxation, away from the hassle of day to day life at home / work. For me, it provides a chance to diversify my exercise routine and build on the base I’ve laid down. However, I think it offers something more important. I think it offers the opportunity to embed the change that we’ve been through over the past few months. I say “we”, this definitely applies for me, but in a small way I think it’ll apply for Louise and the girls too.

The whole, “living with Heart Disease” thing was somewhat sprung on us. We didn’t have any time to prepare. One day we were “normal”, the next we were not. In some way, leaving home as a “Survivor”, being away for a couple of weeks, and then returning a “Survivor” makes it more official, normal. A little bit like moving house… you need a break of routine to really make it feel like home.

The Magic Kingdom… not sure my Heart could have taken the fireworks and the emotion of the whole thing!

Our holiday plans over the summer were severely impacted by my Heart Attack. The plan had been to visit Florida and enjoy some of the theme parks we have all heard so much about… you could call it a “once in a lifetime” trip… but when you’ve got growing children, they all are aren’t they!

We decided that a long haul flight, the heat and humidity, the thrills and spills of rollercoasters, driving in a strange place, and the good old American cuisine probably wouldn’t be the best recuperation-aid five weeks after my Heart Attack. So we spent the summer at home, making the best of what Scotland has to offer.

As it turned out, it had quite a lot to offer. We enjoyed one of the best summers for many years, I certainly can’t remember a better one since I’ve been living in Sunny Scotland (and I’ve been there for over 17 year).

The main pool and hotel complex. Always strangely deserted.

To compensate, we decided to book a “special” trip over the October School Holiday (Now!). The girls get two weeks off, so it’s enough time to get away… and really get away! We are in Rhodes enjoying a healthy holiday of sun, relaxation and exercise (in that order).

The “E”s have played quite a major factor so far:

The Environment is much warmer than back at home. The average temperature so far has been in the high 20 degree Celsius range. It’s felt hot! Perfect for lazing around and doing nothing very much!

The Environment impacts everything. It takes time for your body to acclimatise. Quite how and when it’ll make a noticeable difference is unknown, until it does! So, in the short term at least, this provides a need for a certain level of caution.

The lounging pool. Beautiful, but treacherously chilly!

We have access to several Outdoor Pools and the Mediterranean Sea (I’m sure it used to be an Ocean when I was growing up!). Both can best be described “refreshing”. Again, perfect for a cool down if you’ve been lazing around in the sun, but they’re a little too bracing for my liking. I’ve never particularly enjoyed swimming in cold water, but I suspect a fast immersion in any of these could be the last thing I do! Definitely to be avoided!

There are guided Mountain Bike rides twice a day. Definitely for me! The temperature plays a key factors in these too, as well as the terrain over which we ride (I know this doesn’t start with an “E”!). Being on the competitive end of competitive, the key thing for me is to ride at my own pace, to not worry about what everyone else is doing, and to listen to my body (and my heart rate monitor!). My body has definitely reacted differently. I guess I have to learn my limits again given the new conditions.

Dad’s pool… before the kids have woken up at least!

Given I can’t swim in the outside pools, the Indoor Pool has become “Dad’s Pool”. Unfortunately there are some other guests that might also lay claim to it, so I have to pick my times carefully! It’s not big, probably 10m in length, but it’s enough for me to practice my breathing. If it really were mine I’d keep the temperature a few degrees cooler, and get some fresh air circulating in the room. It is as close to a sauna as I’m willing to get right now! Hopefully it’ll serve its purpose.

We’re in a great place to chill out, relax and enjoy a break. There is a lot to do. I just need to make sure I don’t overdo it!