Thursday, September 08, 2005
Taper Time Diversions
Yesterday was another hot day, 32C/90F, sunny, warm and just kind of beautiful. I was really tempted to go for a run, but remembered it’s Taper Time and went to the garden instead. I haven't taken my scooter for a ride in a long time so I decided to drive this. I was standing in front of my garden gate when I realized that I had forgotten the key to the gate and the utility shed. Rather than drive the 11K home again I borrowed a bucket from a garden neighbor, jumped the fence to my garden and started pulling weeds by hand. In the warm sun I grew thirsty, so after an hour I gave up and went home as I my water bottles were locked in the utility shed as well.
On the way home I was thinking about whether to do my weight training and maybe take a quick spin on the bike, but as soon as I walked in the front door my wife said that my neighbor desperately needs my help. He got home late from work and has to get everything ready for his daughter’s birthday party today, can I please help him with the party tent! As there were 28 people coming including us, and my neighbor is a heck of a nice guy I went over and we worked till dark. Now I generally try to go to sleep between 9:30 and 10:00 p.m., so this was the end of my weight training. At least I stayed active and didn’t lay on the couch!
Tonight is little Saskia’s birthday, she will be 4 years old and her mom and dad are all about celebrating with the rest of the family and a few choice friends. My wife and I are honored to be among the latter and look forward to pigging out on the bar-b-que and homemade cakes. Did I say that my neighbor’s wife is a baker and has her own bake shop in the shed behind the house! I received a Black Forest cake from my friendly neighbor on my birthday and can confirm that she has real talent! I will try to get a picture of the cakes if I make it before they are devoured.
Swimming Ponderings
I am a self-taught swimmer, probably capable of saving my own life in the bathtub and cooling down in the summer, but limited. I can do a homemade breast stroke of sorts and a modified backstroke for an extended period of time. The latter is dangerous as our pools are always so crowded (at least when I have time).
Anyway my wife always told me I should take adult swimming lessons. Up to this year I have never really considered this, but now I am thinking that swimming should become part of my overall fitness program. I think it would be cool to say that I can swim 0.75K (0.46M) or 1.5K (0.93M), you never know when this ability could come in handy.
So I was reading the newspaper last night and found a basic beginners course that starts September 30th, 10 sessions of 45 minutes. There is also an advanced course and several courses that deal with specific styles such as the crawl or butterfly style. I only need to call the folks offering the courses and figure out where I should start. I worry that the beginners course is just that, the first three classes consisting of trying to talk the people into the water. I love swimming and have been known to jump from the high dive on unsuspecting people that might be in the way, so I am beyond the "scared of the water stage". We have a public swimming pool in the next town from us (6K), with a very good bicycle path in between. I can foresee biking to the pool and back, thus getting in some quality cross-training along with my running.
So I'm getting all excited about "finally" learning the proper swimming techniques. I think this will be a good step in my overall fitness program and future activities.
On the way home I was thinking about whether to do my weight training and maybe take a quick spin on the bike, but as soon as I walked in the front door my wife said that my neighbor desperately needs my help. He got home late from work and has to get everything ready for his daughter’s birthday party today, can I please help him with the party tent! As there were 28 people coming including us, and my neighbor is a heck of a nice guy I went over and we worked till dark. Now I generally try to go to sleep between 9:30 and 10:00 p.m., so this was the end of my weight training. At least I stayed active and didn’t lay on the couch!
Tonight is little Saskia’s birthday, she will be 4 years old and her mom and dad are all about celebrating with the rest of the family and a few choice friends. My wife and I are honored to be among the latter and look forward to pigging out on the bar-b-que and homemade cakes. Did I say that my neighbor’s wife is a baker and has her own bake shop in the shed behind the house! I received a Black Forest cake from my friendly neighbor on my birthday and can confirm that she has real talent! I will try to get a picture of the cakes if I make it before they are devoured.
Swimming Ponderings
I am a self-taught swimmer, probably capable of saving my own life in the bathtub and cooling down in the summer, but limited. I can do a homemade breast stroke of sorts and a modified backstroke for an extended period of time. The latter is dangerous as our pools are always so crowded (at least when I have time).
Anyway my wife always told me I should take adult swimming lessons. Up to this year I have never really considered this, but now I am thinking that swimming should become part of my overall fitness program. I think it would be cool to say that I can swim 0.75K (0.46M) or 1.5K (0.93M), you never know when this ability could come in handy.
So I was reading the newspaper last night and found a basic beginners course that starts September 30th, 10 sessions of 45 minutes. There is also an advanced course and several courses that deal with specific styles such as the crawl or butterfly style. I only need to call the folks offering the courses and figure out where I should start. I worry that the beginners course is just that, the first three classes consisting of trying to talk the people into the water. I love swimming and have been known to jump from the high dive on unsuspecting people that might be in the way, so I am beyond the "scared of the water stage". We have a public swimming pool in the next town from us (6K), with a very good bicycle path in between. I can foresee biking to the pool and back, thus getting in some quality cross-training along with my running.
So I'm getting all excited about "finally" learning the proper swimming techniques. I think this will be a good step in my overall fitness program and future activities.
# posted by Jack : 7:06 AM
