Friday Kicking with Fins

I was going to swim as I did the last few days, i.e., not for long and without wet suit.  Well, I forgot my goggles and my watch, so I donned the wet suit and fins, and my very warm neoprene hat, and went for a kick.  I went out just past the small waves, lay on my back, and kicked away up the beach and back.  It was nice.  My wind is getting better and my low back felt like it was getting some good exercise. 
Before I got in, I chatted with a couple down from Michigan for the winter.  The wife was walking slowly like me, plus a cane, and we talked about the water here a bit and there (Lake Michigan) for a bit.  I asked her about being gimped up--I suppose I should have use some better terminology--but she didn't seem bothered by it.  Well, she told me she had problems with her discs (lumbar) and so we were off to the races with disc talk.  "Do you get those spasms where you sit up," she queried me.  "Oh, yeah, I get those about fifty time a day."  "I get them when I'm lying down in bed," she says, and I tell her, "I get them when I'm sitting down."  Oh, ha ha ha...blah blah blah.  We're at that stage of life now.  Great (not).  End of story.
"The first time you quit is the last time you try."

I feel like I'm getting used to the cold water again-a little so far

A handful of surfers today looking at some small waves.  Good visibility--about 8 feet in spots.  Water temp the same at 58 or so degrees.  I just swam out and did an arc back in for a swim of 15 minutes.  I didn't get used to the water until about 12 minutes, I'd guess.  But the brain is improving for now--and the old body too.  A beautiful day at the beach for a $2.00 close parking spot right on the sand.

"The first time you quit is the last time you try."

Good Blogs About Swimming. Real Swimming,not my candy-ass dipping my toes in the water

From Ireland, and including great photos of people and the country is www.loneswimmer.com

From the US, the blog http://marathonswimmers.org/blog/      farther, colder. rougher--that says a lot

From Monterey Bay, CA, www.kelpkrawlers.org        swim year-round up north

From Central CA, Avila Beach Swim Club, www.swimavila.blogspot.com

Good, motivating reading.


"The first time you quit is the last time you try."

Quick Swim Today--A Replay of Yesterday

  

I'm having a hard time getting my photos and words lined up today so I'll stop at two pics.  Today was almost identical to my short swim yesterday.  59 degree water temp.  Face hurts swimming in that.  12 1/2 minutes only today.  I'm still cold about an hour and a half later.  Boy, I really need to get acclimated to freezing again.  It felt good.

"The first time you quit is the last time you try."

Tuesday Oceanside CA Brief Dip

  I got in the water for a few minutes today without a wet suit. 
Our weather is beautiful here; I'm sorry for the vast majority of the country experiencing unnaturally cold weather lately.  But I'm not moving back there; nor would anyone want me back anyway.

Oceanside was quiet today.  Plenty of parking spots.  A handful of friends and families, and there were several surfers trying to look for a wave of any surfable size.  It was soooo flat.

I only swam for 12 minutes.  58 degrees feels colder than it used to.  Visibility was good-about 8 feet. A good quick visit.   "The first time you quit is the last time you try."