But I have a new bathing suit and was determined to use the damned thing. I bought it because I promised Fernando I'd go swimming with him when I returned home. But then The Nanaimo Plan happened. So there I was with this new bathing suit... and a decision to return it or not.
I decided to keep it. There are two pool facilities in Nanaimo. The closer one has $3 swimming from 10:30 AM to noon, and the downtown one has it from 9-10 PM. I made the effort to get up early and go to the closer one.
The pool was really nice. They have a fun one for kids with slides and a fountain...
There's a training pool I didn't see--must be for learning to swim...
They have a smaller one which must be for physio therapy type stuff (there was lot of disabled parking spots outside). And I'm guessing for splashy classes*. Oh yes, there's a splashy class in the picture!
And then a big one which had 3 lanes for laps: slow, medium and fast. Yay! Cause I need a slow lane, otherwise I worry I'm holding someone up and don't enjoy myself. I was swimming with the gray hairs and the pudgy kid trying to swim the length of the pool without taking a breath.
I don't think there's too much chlorine in the water either, cause when I experimented with getting water in my eyes, it didn't sting.*
I'm not a bad swimmer, simply because my high school had a pool. Swimming was part of the curriculum every year for 5 years (Quebec junior high and high are together, and lasts 5 years). So I can do the basic moooves. I didn't have goggles though so no crawl, but tootling about on my back and sides.
I thought I'd throw in towel after 10 minutes, but my dad was coming back for me in an hour so I thought: 30 minutes then I can sit in the hot tub. But it actually got easier as I went, and I swam for 45 minutes. So pat on the head pour moi.
When I got out my legs were so shaky I had to sit for a moment. (Chairs thoughtfully provided for wilting flowers like myself.)
No idea if I'll manage to get out and do this again. But once is better than never. I'll let you know if I'm sore tomorrow. Right now it's just the muscles under my left arm. But exercise pain is nice.
__________
* Ah yes, they recently upgraded to UV light treatments, so there's less chlorine.
8 comments:
I LOOOOOOOVE swimming. Frank and I went pretty regularly last winter. I missed it this year.
Feel so good to be in the water and move in 3 dimensions!
I'm such a swimmer--3 days a week, it's how I exercise. And the lake in the summers is the best. I get in as soon as I can take the temp, which this year will be early since we had such a mild summer. Can't wait! Good for you for getting in the water--don't stop! You'll be stronger and happier for going.
I love the way the walls are painted. Looks so Fun! and not "institutional." And one looks like a Teddy Pirate ship! Frank Ney's spirit lives on in Nanaimo.
That place looks awesome! Our local Y is pretty bare bones and the other swimmy place, the health club, is too tres cher for moi. I love being in the water - ocean water is the best!
LOL! How the hell did you find that picture again?!
Thank you SO much for including the shot of that splashy class !
How great that you got to swim and enjoy such a GORGEOUS facility.
@Simone - Do you? I didn't even know!
@Nan - A few Betties write about swimming (or splashing) on their blogs, which helped give me the push I needed.
@ladada - Think they'll let me swim in the teddy pool?
@karenb - Except for the taste. Bleh!
@Julie - You make splashying sound so fun.
Since I've been here (Canada) I've been occasionally tempted to take a dip in the boamy frine, but then I remind myself how close we really are to the Arctic Circle, and go for a bicycle ride.
Brrr! No kidding. I'll stick to the indoor pool
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