As many of you know, I started going to the brand new Y in our county in early June 2016. It has changed everything in my life.
I overcame my extreme fears of going someplace by myself, driving by myself, and being in a position where no one knew me. I also changed my schedule to being awake during the day and sleeping at night.
I also fully expected to go one or two times, and then blow it off. That has not happened (and it's a miracle!) I missed three days for swimmer's ear, 2 tropical storm days, and one day where the pool was closed for construction on the retractable dome roof. Something like that hasn't happened since 6-grade.
There are lots of things I love about my Y, and about water exercise and swimming, and I thought that I would write about that.
I haven't met a mean person that has worked for the YMCA yet. And some of them even like reptiles!!
Needing to know what to bring. I ended up separating everything into two bags. One for swimming crap, one for shower crap. They get a lot heavier when I leave. I think the three wet towels and the bathing suit add at least a ton on.
Chlorine Removal!! So to keep my hair healthy, there is a routine I do. I don't shower before going since it removes any natural oils that could protect hair and skin. When I get to the Y, I wet my hair, put in coconut oil - organic, unrefined, and stinky. and then put on a swim cap for long hair. And I'm ready to go!!
Afterward, I take a shower in one of their family bathrooms off the hallway leading to the pool (there are also lockers in this hall too.) I use chlorine remover shampoo and conditioner, and chlorine remover soap. After I'm out of the shower, I use a body lotion that moistures the dry skin that is caused by...yup, you got it, chlorine.
Another thing to keep in mind is *start evil music* swimmer's ear. I got it once and it was painful. I felt like my canals were swollen shut and the pain - OW! I think I hit the ceiling when the doctor put the speculum in. Apparently, the cheap ear plugs that came with my goggles did not work as they should.
Remedy for swimmer's ear as follows: Mack's Aqua-Block flanged soft earplugs. It kind of looks like a purple Christmas tree with a long trunk. They're reusable and washable. And they're purple. What more can you ask for?? I also use an "ear dryer"...basically, a bulb with a speculum that blows air in your ears. The coup de gras... a solution of 50% alcohol and 50% white vinegar. The vinegar kills any bacteria and the alcohol dries it up. It's much, much cheaper than the solutions you can buy over the counter that dries your ears out.
And that's not all. When I get home, I soak my chlorine-resistant suit in a sink full of cold water and chlorine remover...for water to be used in aquariums. It's the same thing as those products that are to remove chlorine specifically for swimsuits. It's cheaper.
And don't forget any equipment you use. To make it last longer, it's important to rinse any goggles, ear plugs, face masks, snorkels, nose plugs, and swim caps. (In the case of swim caps, you also have to coat it with talcum powder, both sides. It keeps it soft, and it also helps when you're putting it on.)
Back to the Y...since I mentioned showers, I have to talk about the bathrooms. And I'm by no means complaining. In fact, I think it's hysterically funny! Everything there, except the faucets in the sink and shower is motion sensor activated. And the lights can't detect me in the shower cubicle. The lights go off when I'm in there at least once, sometimes twice. I have to stick my arm out of the curtain and do some serious symphony conducting with large swirls and loop de loops until they come back on. The toilet mysteriously flushes when you walk by it. It flushes when you are sitting on it and bend down to pick something up...and flushes. When you actually are using this device correctly, and stand up and walk away and it doesn't flush!! That's when you start dancing and jumping in front of it until it does flush. Yes, it is as hysterically ridiculous as it sounds, especially right before my shower when I don't have a stitch on. There isn't any knob to push to get it to flush, so sometimes you just have to do the Twist. And if you have to use the Twist to get the toilet to flush, you also have to learn the Hand Jive to operate the paper towel dispenser. It's really good at sensing your hand the first time. The second? Not so much. I finally figured out that if I tugged at the first sheet that comes out, I get it to give me a second sheet. And when I walk away, it offers me two more sheets!! I must be Sandy to the paper towel dispenser's Danny when we're dancing that Hand Jive.
One more thing motion activated that isn't in the bathrooms...water fountain. It's filtered water and it's set up so you can put your water bottle in and it will fill.
One of the competition pool's coolest feature is the retractable dome roof. It was finished shortly after New Year's Day. Up until then, it could be quite chilly. Not the water, that was heated. But the air temperature - I went once when it was 37 degrees out. Now that it's done, it's wonderful. It can still be a little cool on deck, but nothing like what it was. Especially important are the side panels when I'm in water exercise class..no more side breezes!!
The pool is a 25-yard short competition pool, which means that it's 25 yards long (or 75 feet) and 59 feet wide (or 20 yards - actually 19.6667 but I thought that was a little possessed, er, I mean precise. Easier to round up.) When fully set up for a local high school swim team to use it, there are 8 lanes. Normally five lanes are swim laps with lines in place. The remaining three are open so people can exercise, where exercise classes are held, or for people who can't swim straight and gets bruises when swimming in a lap lane from the lines (I take the Fifth.) Nineteen laps equal 1/2 mile or 880 yards (19 laps for 900 yards - .51.) One mile equals 1,760 yards. That would be 36 laps for 1800 yards (1.023 miles.) On Mondays and Wednesdays, I swim the half mile and on Fridays the mile.
My water exercise class!
It deserves a gazzilion stars! First off, our instructor is just the sweetest. Her technique is to get in the water and do the same work that we are doing, and I like that. It's more one on one, and personable that way. I love hearing about her horses too. We use noodles and dumbbells and sometimes nothing. And the people that come to the class are so very nice. We love to laugh and joke while working out. It's what I look forward to the most during the week. If any of my Aqua-Nuts are reading this, thank you for being a part of my life, and for all the laughs!!
The YMCA is my happy place. It is where I go to relieve stress, think things through, and just totally zen out. If I lived closer, I would be there every morning of the week. Except for Saturday and Sunday. I don't like crowds.
My only goals in going to the YMCA was to show up and have fun. I'm on medication that not only causes weight gain but makes it almost impossible to lose it. One of the swim instructors told me that I look great and that I've lost so I took a look. It was like 30 something pounds! I'm still not emphasizing weight loss in going, but I do keep an eye on it, and so far, as of this writing, I've lost 57 pounds.
I learned that I could commit myself to doing something to the point that on weekends I'm desperate to go. All of my appointments are made on Tuesdays and Thursdays so it doesn't interfere, and there is a trip that I'm going on that involves me missing a Friday and I hate it. This is nothing less than a miracle.
Other things I noticed - chewing gum helps keep you awake and alert when driving at the crack of dawn. Watching the sun rise while in the pool and seeing all the colors that God has to share fill the sky, I'm more flexible and love swinging my legs up on the bathroom sink to dry my legs after a shower, I stretch constantly at home, I can sit on the floor at home and don't have to worry about how I'm going to get up, and swimming is a great stress reliever, gives me more energy, and helps to structure my days - whether that it's a swim day or not.
And finally, I love being a Pisces ♓️
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