Well last week’s plans to swim twice to kick start the training for Swimathon, (http://www.swimathon.org/index.php ) were only half fulfilled. An ill child, a cat with an unexpected fit and sheer exhaustion were the excuses. I hope to do the 100 length challenge in April and have not swum very much over the last year.
But now the child is better, the cat released from the vet and I’ve had a lie in this morning, so those excuses are no longer valid ….and it’s time to return to the training plan. The only problem now is the back. Yesterday morning I was hiding the card under the bed ready for this morning when my back went into acute spasm… necessitating hot water bottles, analgesia and very careful movements for the rest of the day. By bed time it was easing off as long as there were no sudden movements.
This morning the back was generally a little better and swimming is a non jarring exercise, so I decided to go for it. I took a rather reluctant Techie Adviser with me. Sunday mornings are for a lie in, which for him can mean lunchtime. We didn’t get to the pool until 11:15. I thought I’d done well.
A Sunday morning dip at the local baths is very variable in its quality and depends largely on how many small folk are there with parents or grandparents. This morning wasn’t too bad. One large father chucking his two small children around, a granny with an under five and a handful of mums and toddlers were there in addition to the five or six of us plodding up and down the lengths.
Techie Adviser (16) has now been equipped with new goggles (Zoggs) and a ‘borrowed from father’ pair of budgie smugglers. His swimming was considerably smoother than last week, which he put down to reduced drag and an ability to see where he was going. I managed to match him over 4 lengths, while he did back stroke and breast stroke… but he creamed past me on the crawl.
Last time we did the challenge both of us did 200 lengths. At the start of the training sessions back then I beat him quite easily. By the end he beat me quite easily. He does crawl, I do breast stroke and we each completed in less than two hours. We are both two years older. Which for him is two years stronger. And for me is too close to fifty.
Anyhoo, today I did 50 lengths in half an hour. So I should be on target for the 100 in less than an hour.
On the way home Techie A asked if he could have his own pair of swimmers. Fair enough. What did he want?
“A proper pair of streamline Speedos, please.”
I knew I’d get him hooked.
Boadicea's Chariot 
Thank you Bearsy for the message on my Swimathon page.
Go for it, Pseu – it would take me all day to swim 100 lengths, never mind a whole hour.
Thanks Bravo! (PS how do I insert that ‘read more’ thing, so I don’t tkae up too much front page?… can’t find it. Most probably in a very obvious place)
Hello Pseu, the ‘more’ tag is covered in the FAQ’s
😉
” I found this: “If you want just the first part of your blog to appear on the home page, but the rest of it only to be visible when a reader clicks on “Read more” (my “It’s not cricket” blog does this), use the “More” tag. This is very clearly explained in the support pages, it’s easy to use (when you get the hang of it) and it means you can have a little ‘teaser’ shown on the home page. People will click on it to see what else is in your fascinating article, and it keeps the home page tidy, too. Give it a whirl!”
Which support pages, please?
Pseu
Edit your blog
Place your cursor where you want the break
On the top row of the ‘options’ (4th from the right) is the one you want.
Click on that, and the break identified as ‘more ……………’ should be inserted into your post
Thank you, Soutie.
Again 🙂
Well done
Your child’s was the inevitable winter flu, I’m guessing (and hoping), but what in the world caused your cat to have a fit?
Swimming sounds like an ideal balance for the trials of the family caretaker. This is apart from the glory of doing well in the Swimathon.
Yes, Marinaid I think it was flu for the child. The cat, however was more complicated. Low potassium levels, probably due to an inability to concentrate urine, probably related to reduced kidney function, though other parameters OK. End result? Two potassium tablets a day, for the cat, plus a treatment for toxoplasmosis, just in case. Poor thing. The potassium must taste horrid as usually he’s OK to medicate. but is resisting these.
My son swam 5000 metres, 4 times with one leg for the Swimathons. He gave up in 2005 after they chopped one hip out.
He refused a spot on the paralympic team, he found clubs unpleasantly competitive and bitchy.
He only did it for exercise and to amuse himself, to make it any kind of challenge he used to challenge himself to doing a good portion of it in butterfly.
It was embarrassing to collect the money after a couple of years so I just used to cut him a cheque.
He always had preferred swimming to walking and could swim before he walked growing up in a hot climate.
I was always the keeper of the medals, they festoon my bedroom to this day, he wouldn’t keep them, just used to hang it up somewhere when he was home.
Strange child.
Thanks, Christina. Amazing to swim like that with one leg. What stroke did he do? Presumably crawl?
I decided I wasn’t fit enough for the 200 length (5000) metre swim this year and your son’s record puts me to shame.
It put everyone to shame! So embarrassing it was funny! Especially when the able bodied were trounced, or they didn’t realise he was one legged.
I refused to go in the end, left him to it. He could get in the pool by himself by merely handing his leg to the attendant and hurling himself in backwards, but getting out was another matter. If he wasn’t tired he would just straight arm himself up, but otherwise it was the great palaver of fetching the hoist etc etc!
He preferred crawl and butterfly, he was very powerful on his upper body.
He learnt to swim under water before he was one, we had a pool, I ended up paying good money when he was five to have him taught to swim on the surface.
He used to swim and play with the young seals off the Cardigan coast, he alway said that they would accept a human if you didn’t wave your arms about, he used to swim with his arms at his sides, ducking diving twisting playing tag with them, the parents were suspicious at first but got used to him and left them all to it.
Sometimes there were a couple of hundred people on the cliffs watching him and them playing.
Water was his elemental home rather than land, he did ludicrous things like swimming off down the Thames as a child! I used to just let him get on with it, became totally sanguine about it by the time he was three or so, if he drowned he drowned, little sod would dive in and swim in a puddle.
It was a dreadful day when the orthopaedic surgeons banned any more swimming after the hip operation. He went a couple of times, but it hurt him too much.
One of the reasons he lasted so long was that his lungs were so big, developed from all that underwater swimming without air, he did sub aqua too,but used to get fed up with the tanks, would take them off, prop them up somewhere go off and explore and come back for the odd drag of air every now and again!
Totally bizarre.
Pseudonym – Budgie smugglers!! Still wiping the Scotch-and-soda off the screen. 🙂
OZ
So lovely Christina to hear about your boy. Thank you. I think I shall think of him when I next swim.
What OZ? It’s an Ozzie term I with which I thought you’d be familiar 😉
Pseudonym – No, not heard that one before and com liçenca for going off topic for the next moment.
Christina – There seems to be a lot of pain hidden behind your comments. I’ve been there too. Want to talk or should I mind my own business? Either response will not offend.
OZ
Hey OZ, click on the link to extend your education in Strine!!
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/will-abbott-kill-the-curse-of-the-budgie-smuggler-20091202-k53b.html
You have heard of Tony Abbott?
Bearsy – One of the things I love about Orstralier is that an article couched in such terms can still appear in a major newspaper. OK, I know that Crocodile Dundee’s furry bits are already residing in the bottom drawer of some romper-suited, lezza researcher’s desk in Parliament House, but there’s still hope.
OZ
… that’s ‘Orstrayia’, blue! 😆
Bearsy – Orstralier in an English accent. You’ve been in Orstrayia too long, or perhaps I wasn’t there long enough. 🙂
OZ
Speak of Strine speak – just been watching Billy Connelly in Oz.
(We spent the first year of marriage there. A pretty good start. 6 months in Mildura and 6 months in Geelong. 1987-8.
Bearsy I presume, thank you for the support message. 🙂
Mildura’s nice – I have a different opinion of Geelong, but the Ocean Road is worth more than just a quick look.
Billy’s a hoot in any language!
When you get to ‘Support’, type “More tag” in the search box, click search and you should find what you’re looking for.
😆
Hello Nym: well done! Sorry to hear about the back problem though, I hope the swimming helped.
Thank you OZ.
No nothing helps, never will.
He was a total eccentric, but then he would be wouldn’t he?
Nothing like any other young person I have ever met. With the wild things he did, I’m surprised in a way that he lived as long as he did!
I try not to think about it, just sometimes something will jive up a memory and pseu’s Swimathon did just that.
I mean can you imagine a 22 year old marching up to a nuclear power station in Uzbekistan and telling his entourage to interpret to tell them he’d come to inspect it?
And getting in and getting the full engineering tour?
I used to get one line emails.
‘Do not worry mum, I am alive’
Half the time I didn’t know what continent he was on.
The only thing I ever insisted on, he had to travel with $1000 in crisp new one dollar bils and carry a full medical kit. Both of which I topped up regularly.
Then he always had the gall to return with a months rotten laundry.
Most of which I put in the dustbin! Seen better rags on tramps!
RAin has stopped, got to go, greenhouse calls.
Christina – It’s cathartic to unload once in a while, though, isn’t it?
The global warming it still coming down here in torrents.
Nighty night.
OZ
One of the funniest TV shows I’ve ever wtached was the Big Yin with ‘An Audience’ – or something – made up of other show biz folk. His timing and sheer exuberance just take over.
Just watched him last night on ‘Dave’- travelling ‘Strailia, on his three wheeled motor-bike, interspersed by clips from his live shows.
Marvellous.
Tuesday night: the time for length swimming is 9-10 pm, which isn’t too bad in the Summer, but rather a struggle to go out when it’s cold and dark. At least the pool is sectioned off at this time of night. One fast lane and a medium lane, then a wide double lane area for the rest of the swimmers. I went in the latter as there were only three ladies of the ‘heads up mustn’t get the hair wet’ style of swimming, while the faster lanes were fuller and mainly male of the budgie smuggling kind. (Specially for OZ 🙂 )
I arrived later than intended: in the water at 9:30 and out again at 9:59, having done 50 lengths. (The attnedant was champing at the bit…)
Now all I have to do is double the distance and do it in (why did I say this?) 55 minutes.
Well as long as it’s under an hour, she’ll be right.
I admire your determination, Pseu.
My trouble when I used to swim energetically, many years ago, was finding the effort to pull myself out of the pool after I’d stopped.
My hat’s off to your will-power and determination. Couldn’t do it!
I know that feeling, Bearsy. can’t have ben swimming hard enought I levered myself out and walked to the changing room…
My legs were ‘burning’ in the car on the drive home though.
Pseu and Bearsy. May I humbly suggest using the steps next time.
OZ
Nope. Wimps go up the steps….. 😉
My thoughts exactly!
‘Ere! Who you calling a wimp?
OZ
Sorry OZ, but that’s what I think about steps…. 🙂
Morning all.
I had intended to try and train twice a week, but there were 8 days between the last reported and last night’s swim, primarily because of M-in-L’s visit!
I did 50 lengths in 28 mins this time, shaving off one minute compared with 16th. (So if I could maintain the speed I could achieve the 100 in 56 minutes, one minute slower than planned. More training needed…)
Nym, I’m exhausted just reading about your exploits. Why not read a book or something? 😉
Bed time reading, currently :
“Brighton Rock”, G Greene. Have to finish it by Thursday next week, 4th March, book club. But the draft essay (3000 words) is due in on 3rd March.
I’m a wimp who goes up and down the steps…
i could only do 200 lengths in a inflatable dinghy with provisions on board
Update:
No swimming since last reported above, until today. I can only blame the following:
exhaustion, parents evening, book club and scouts.
So this morning after dropping Scout at Judo I was a little downhearted to see the pool teeming with small families.
“I’ll just do 30 and not time myself.”
I arrived at target and a few splashers had left.
“I may as well do another 10,” I thought. At the end of the next target another few plodders had removed themselves for Sunday lunch. “I’ll carry on up to 50,” I decided.
At 50 the pool was nearly empty, so my next thought was, “I may as well do the mile.”
At 64 lengths (1 mile) I rested, readjusted the goggles and thought I’d go for a sprint. Three more lengths as fast as I could with enough energy to get out without resorting to steps.
Done.
I wondered as I wandered around Sainsbury’s afterwards why I had a few odd looks. Back in the car I realised the goggles must’ve been pretty tight as I had noticeable indentations all around my eyes. Not a good look.
(no-one noticed the error… altered now!)
Perhaps some are to polite to mention 😉
Well done Pseu!
🙂
Had a good Sunday Soutie?
I lay down for a few mins at 5 ish and woke up at 6:45. No one had missed me! They may have done if I’d slept a bit longer. Then it would’ve been,
“What’s for tea, Mum?”
Thanks, Boa.
I did Pseu, thanks for asking, not as strenuous as yours though 😉
I made my own ‘tea’ today, I wrote about it elsewhere, perhaps you’ve seen it!
I missed it Soutie, and have just skirted around keeping my eyes open for it, but not found!
Pool pretty empty tonight. All men but me. Women’s changing rooms being cleaned so I was sent to the sauna changing rooms, which are rather disconcertingly mixed sex. A bit inhibiting for the shower afterwards. (Had to keep the costume on.)
Training:
50 lengths in under 28 mins then 14 more fast as possible.. I’ll have to get a proper stop watch, as the pool wall clock is rather giving a guestimate each time
Additional problem noted this evening while sorting out the swimming togs.
Chlorine Cloth Erosion.
I have transparency in areas that shouldn’t be transparent. Urgent shopping expedition required. Can’t swim again in this one!
You are good, Nym: how many costumes are you going to need before you achieve total fitness?
Well, it depends….
I’ve heard that I can get a £28 costume for £7 at TK Maxx. So four at least.
Whilst I admire your determination, quite why are you pushing yourself like this?
Work, chidren, partner, garden, swimming, book club?
Where does all this achievement actually get you?
Where is the time to ‘Stand and stare’?
Much more and you’ll have a nervous breakdown, do steady up a bit.
There is actually nothing to prove to anyone including yourself.
I’m trying to push myself past a period of ‘de-motivation’ that has been hanging over me, back to usual self, Christina. Probably just time of life. 🙂
I don’t think you can go back, and age does sap too, I do think it is a time when women especially can have a dreadful time both psychologically and physiologically.
I think too that one can neglect other areas in one’s life. I found at 50 I could no longer do the 16-18 hour days that were necessary to run restaurants. Just couldn’t do it anymore so relentlessly. I got out and bought another type of business, fortunately I wasn’t encumbered by a husband at the time so could suit myself, only the boy around who was manically independent. I must admit I didn’t even bother with a boyfriend for years, just didn’t have time for it all.
I do think you have to be very careful about what you really do regard as a core necessity in your life and sometimes have to work quite hard to ensure that it is safe and sound and doesn’t become a chimera whilst you were diverted elsewhere.
Believe me I have a draw full of T shirts on that score!
I suppose I was fortunate at that point only two things needed me, my bank balance and my son!
You just take time to stand and stare a bit, we don’t want to hear you’ve been carried off in a straitjacket doing the crawl whilst writing the essay!
It always struck me that things seemed to go in about ten year phases then one had to gracefully move on to the next, relinquishing what had been without a backward glance, seemed easier on the soul that way!
Thank you Christina.
(PS breast stroke for me. Never did master the crawl properly.)
Sunday: Mothers Day.
60 lengths in nearly empty pool. Marvellous, very little toddler dodging required.
Race with Techie advisor, crawl, he easily beat me, breast stroke, I nearly kept up, but he still beat me.
New costumes, I bought three at £7.99 each, Speedos from TK Maxx (cheaper than the £24- £28 usual prices)
Supper cooked by joint effort of my three boys.
Failed to get in the garden , but otherwise a good day!
Well done Pseu!
Can I add my concerns to Christina’s?
CO, interesting point about life’s ten-year phases. I agree but one can only judge in retrospect of course. My phases tend to have been in actual decades too. Weird.