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Me Time
Swimming Becomes a Fit Escape for One Mom By Jenn Director Knudsen
I knew I'd gotten serious about swimming when I purchased a swim cap. It's electric-blue and made of silicone; it's not supposed to pull at your hair. As a relative swimming novice, I still take a while to adjust my new cap over my head and ears and pink goggles over my eyes before plunging into the pool for a nice swim. But that gear makes me feel I belong in the pool.
Not like before my injury, when I didn't even own a pair of goggles.
About a year ago, I decided it was time to fulfill one of my long-term fitness goals: to train for a half-marathon, a 13-mile run. I love running. I took it up as a college student and, 15 years later, I'm still at it. I used to vary my workouts, though, with walking, aerobics, bike riding and yoga.
But four years ago I became a mom, and running was the easiest solo activity to fit into my more limited and hectic daily schedule. We belong to an athletic club, but running didn't require schlepping myself and a gym bag downtown for a workout. Instead, all I had to do was set my alarm early before my baby awoke put on my jogging clothes and head out the front door of our house. No bag to pack or tote; no time lost driving to and from the club; no specialized gear other than my running clothes and high-quality shoes.
Jogging about three miles around the neighborhood before sunup was what I did for myself before each new day really began. It allowed me not only a daily workout, but alone time and peace and quiet in which to think and reflect. "Daily" is the operative word. It led to my injury but also my introduction to and new love of swimming.
I know from reading fitness-oriented articles and talking with athletes that doing one sole activity seven days a week is not good for the body. Rather, taking a break from and varying workouts allows the body to heal. But once I decided to train for the half-marathon after the birth of my second child, I ignored the sage advice of more experienced runners. I learned the hard way how right they were.
