Back on the Workout Regime... Sort Of

After beginning my physio on my ankle last week (consisting of writing the ABC's, making circles and repeating a series of point and flex with my ankle), I was given the go-ahead to do a bit of swimming as well. Eager to for a good cardio workout, I headed to the pool after work today. The physical therapist said I could swim slowly, only if I used a float on my legs to keep my ankle still.

When I first arrived to the pool, it was fairly empty with clearly marked "slow" and "fast" lanes. I met a nice girl (while gathering the courage to get into the water) who was there for a water aerobics class. She also had broken her foot and said swimming was a great workout - this made me feel better about being there.

I hobbled up to the edge of the pool, took my boot off and lowered myself in. With a giant purple noodle in between my legs, I began an awkward, stiff-legged free style down the length of the pool. The few other people in my lane had to swim around me, so I opted to switch to the slowest moving lane (and I figured this much because of the 85 year old lady in her white bikini slowly making her way down the length of the pool doing a frog-crawl. She was zig-zagging across the entire lane, attempting backstroke, by the time I reached her. I tried to stay against the side wall to let her pass all the while trying to keep the noodle from slapping her in the face and despite my attempts to pass by unnoticed, she whacks me with her arm, which startled her more than me. She then proceeds to flail hopelessly for the lane rope while screeching in a raspy voice - "pay attention, I'm old! Why don't you watch out? I am an old lady!" Glaring in a confused and utterly disgusted brow-furring way, I continued my swim and immediately moved back over to my original lane.

I got down a routine, but without using my legs, I was wearing out fast - its a tough workout! Stopping for a rest at the far end of the pool, a guy walking along the edge asked if I would be so kind to move out of the way - his water polo team was now using the far two lanes for water polo practice. If I had to get out of that lane, then the old lady should have had to get out too - she began to squawk at every water polo zipping by her as well! By my last 50m lap, I was having to rest with a little side stroke from time to time. So I hoisted myself out of the water - too tired to move over two more lanes to one of the two free lanes left in the pool - ever filling up with more people who would have to swim around me and my purple noodle. Sitting on the edge of the pool, a nice man retrieved my boot for me - and as I sat recovering and warming up, the cocky water polo coach wandered over to inform the lifeguard that the old lady "had to go."

Leaving to head back to the locker room (and being cut in line for the water fountain by a 40 year old squash player) - I of course got all sorts of looks for my mighty boot - but felt good for having finally done a cardio workout.

Despite a cranky old lady, a pompous water polo coach and a line-cutting squash player, I am happy that I am able to become active again, a little at a time. Here's to recovering and beginning my triathlon training!