Waterlogged and All Shook Up ...!

So full complement of four angels for the Monday TRY training - our group had swim/core on the schedule. We thought we were pretty lucky since it was at least a zillion degrees out, plus very humid, plus not a cloud in the sky and - for once - not much wind at all. The other group had bike/run and we were very gracious to them as they headed out.

After the 200 'warm up' we were treated to the news that we would be swimming our 'snake' routine. The 'good' was that we would swim in a line - everyone in a given lane would be headed in the same direction and swimmers who felt a need / ability to pass someone ahead of them could practice that maneuver. So, we were all lined up according to swim times, entered far right lane one at a time, made our way to the end of the lane, switched to lane two, came back, etc., etc. until you popped out at the end of the 6th lane. I was pretty much ok with this until I was PASSED in lane 5 - apparently I missed the part that this was a 15 minute continuous swim, so the faster swimmers (which would of course be everyone in the class) that started much earlier than I did had caught up to me! I also had missed the point that once I got out at the end of lane six I was expected to get back in! ooops...

So, after some major mental adjustments (ok, and some resting on the side too) I went back and forth between lanes 1 and 2 (the lanes I've always 'swum' in) so as to not gum up the entire process. I always let a group of faster swimmers in ahead of me and tried to time my laps with big gaps in the line. Where is a leg cramp when you need one?

After that adventure we did aqua-cize (not sure how this is different from water aerobics...) with styrofoam 'dumbbells'. That was ok and I was almost lulled into a sense of security with that as we were in shoulder deep water and had to keep our feet on the bottom of the pool!

Last exercise, however, was treading water in the deep end while tossing around a ball. Of course I had put my goggles up on top of my cap to do the aqua-cize and forgot to put them back down so that the ball that landed in front of me splashed water into my face, which caused me to drop my mouth open in surprise, which caused me to swallow water (again). I consider it nothing less than a miracle that I was able to throw the ball at all, but I will concede it was a pretty wimpy toss.

Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, we 'graduated' to treading water solely via flutter kick (which wasn't too bad) except then we got to put our hands in the air. The first time was for 15 seconds, which actually wasn't too bad, but then we went to longer and longer periods - I only went under once and was able to right myself without the instructors and lifeguards having to fetch me out!

We no longer bat an eye at the little boys who come through the dressing room after their swim sessions - which end at the same time our sessions do. If their moms don't want their children to be scarred for life they should blindfold them! Although, since there are no men swimming at that time, couldn't they go through the men's dressing room? Will have to check on that although I suppose there may be a stray man or two who uses that area to change before/after other exercise.

Still grateful for being 'inside' instead of bike/run, we made our way to the core session. Swimming had gone a little over so we only had 20 minutes of workout but we surely packed 40 minutes of work into it before we got out!

We did - in 20 minutes -
50 ab crunches (these while perched precariously on exercise falls - err, balls)
more ab crunches (on the ball) doing right-center-left or maybe left-right-center
25 obliques left then 25 more right
planks - front then each side then front again
superman
fire hydrant
mule kicks - both sides
a 'quick' 50 more abs to wrap it up before
stretching

I am still totally amazed that the instructors actually count while they do the moves (and they do - I watch!) and never sound winded or strained.

So it was a rather subdued group of angels that ever so slowly made our way back to the car for the ride home - still grateful we had a comparatively 'easy' day. Wednesday we get to bike/run - better buy more sunscreen for that!