Monday, March 1, 2010

I felt like Buzz Lightyear

The Brockville Y is very nice, considering what it could have been, and considering the geezer quotient. It's about a half hour drive from Linda's sister's house, where we are staying for a few days. I was determined to get in at least one workout. Today was the day.

Linda dropped me off. They have a short track square upstairs. 18 laps to the mile, 11.25 to the K. I didn't bother counting, just ran easy for half an hour. I'm hoping to get through this whole winter without going onto the dreadmill. I went aroundaroundaroundaroundaroundaround, ect, till I was a bit sick of it, and my right knee got sick of turning right. You're not allowed to run in the opposite direction until tomorrow.

I was dodging geezers every lap. There were 3 lanes, slow, medium, and fast. It took a little while to realize this meant something different to them, than to me. I started in slow, because I'm a slow runner and was warming up. Then I realized slow was for people new to walking after graduating from their wheelchair. Medium was for those gradually being defeated by life and trying to stave off being plopped into a wheelchair. Fast meant what I would consider a slow walking pace. One of the geezers wandered back and forth in his lane, elbows out. I was careful around him. Most of the people on the various machines or getting stuff from storage nooks just wandered out onto the track. I startled a couple of people, and they apologized. They weren't used to people actually running, and having to look if the track was clear before crossing. I was weaving around them like nobodies business. After a while they clued in and stayed somewhat right.

Then 30 minutes of core. Plank, and pigeon, and stepups, and feet up, and other stretches. Then down to the pool where I got lucky as some floaties were getting out and me and another guy were getting in. He was a bit nervous, wondering if I could keep up to him. HA! That shoe was on the other foot. I ended up doing a fairly fast (for me) 1500 m swim, though it was considerably slower than Jenna. I'm still pleased at my consistency. For a while I was chasing a coach in the next lane, which helped my speed. She normally swam just a bit faster than me. Then some fast 100 m intervals on 2 minutes. They were all faster than 100 seconds, though the last was just barely. Then some drill, and easy swim thinking about form. Tried a couple of golfs and got 78 each time, which is great for me. Swam 60 minutes altogether.

Chatted with E from the local running and swimming group, and was invited to join them next time I'm there. Which given the reasons I'm here, I'm hoping it's along time before I HAVE to visit again. It's clean and well maintained. Expensive by my standards, though if I lived here I'd suck it up as it's one of the few indoor pools around.

Then we visited with Linda's sister in her new house, and had a wonderful chat. (Hi M if you're now following my blog!) Then back to the hospital to pick up another sister and take her home. Yes, this is lots of sisters, K, A, and M so far, and we got in a visit with another sister K. Brother D is busy working. Aside from the funeral, it's been a good visit, better weather than we expected.

7 comments:

  1. Geezer dodging...gotta love it! LOL!! What exactly about the lane markings do old farts NOT understand? It isn't rocket science!!

    And I can't believe people started just wandering around onto the track. Unbelievable!

    Nice swimming!! :) :)

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  2. Don't worry. I have pnemonia now so everyone can kick my ass ;(
    Good swimming!

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  3. Better weather?! Did it finally hit -10?

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  4. Keith, I'm so sorry about your bro-in-law. My condolences to your whole family.

    BTW where I come from "floaties" don't get out of the pool on their own. In fact, the pool is generally closed to clean up the "floaties." (Yes, I make immature comments right after a condolence line...I'm so sorry).

    Hang in there.

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  5. You are scarily close to Frostburgg. I'll leave a light on...

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  6. This part made me crack up, "Then I realized slow was for people new to walking after graduating from their wheelchair. Medium was for those gradually being defeated by life and trying to stave off being plopped into a wheelchair. Fast meant what I would consider a slow walking pace." You're funny, Keith.

    I'm sorry you're in town because of a funeral. I'm behind on my blog reading but I'll catch up. So, so sorry to hear that.

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  7. Good workout Keith - you're a tri-rockstar :)

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