Basking in my own Awesomeness...

 Well, I know it's been a while, but not because I've been slacking. I actually added another 6 laps since my last post. I'm at 36. My goal is to work up to a mile before the end of the year. This morning I felt so good swimming, and I even walked to the gym. When I got out and took a shower, got dressed and did all my usual getting ready for the day stuff, I was feeling pretty good about myself. I've been getting my whole workout done in about 30 minutes. I was confident that the mile swim I was working toward was attainable. I was only mildly irritated at myself for forgetting to bring my contact lenses to put on after. Then I realized, that I had at some point locked the key to my locker...inside my locker.
Dang it.
Well, apparently awesomeness is fleeting. We all can't have it all, right? Maybe I should think about a combination lock...but then I'd have to remember the combination. I have a hard time remembering my kids' names some days. Don't even ask me what I had for breakfast.

Caren E. Salas










photo: securitymusings.com

Almost There...

I am officially up to 30 laps. Next week I'll push that to 32 which will be....
drum roll please....a half mile!
I would love to say that it's getting easier, but I'd be lying. Sometimes my arms drag though the water and I feel like I can barely pull them out for each stroke. My leg muscles start to burn after, like...a half a lap. It takes all my powers of self persuasion to continue. This morning I was thinking to myself as I struggled through the laps. How is it I can love this so much when it's so hard to get through? Why do I look forward to this torture morning after morning? I still am not sure how to answer that really, but I think part of it is the way I feel the rest of the day. It almost feels like, after that workout, dang, I can do anything! I was talking to this man who comes to the pool about the same time as I do. He was saying that on the days that he swims, for the rest of the day he feels "lighter". That makes sense to me. Being out of the water seems easier after I've done my laps. Who knew?
Well, better get to the rest of my day. Feeling better helps me get more done. Unfortunately, it doesn't add any more hours to the day, because that would really be helpful.


Caren E. Salas




photo: myfitdecision.wordpress.com

Pushing it...

Today, I swam 28 laps. I pushed it up by 2 laps from yesterday. My original plan was to try and go every day adding two laps every week. Well, considering I lost a week because of well, life getting in the way, I felt a little discouraged. When I started up again, I kept thinking, I could do a few less laps. It would be understandable if I back-tracked a little. The thing is I just couldn't bring myself to, once again, backslide into that world of "Well, maybe tomorrow; maybe next week...maybe...next year..."  So despite not having a car (long story) and having to walk what I'm guessing is about 1/2 mile to the gym and then back after, I have continued to stick with my goals. This week I should have been to 28 laps. Next week I go to 30 and then 32 which, by the way, is a 1/2 mile. Really. Believe me, I did the math. Oh, okay, I used the converter on my cell phone, but I figured it out anyway.  You know, part of me just wants to be able to say "Yeeeaaah, I swim a half a mile every morning. No big deal..." Of course, I pray no one I know actually sees me swimming  as I gasp for breath every time I get to one end of the pool or another, haha.  I'm telling you, the breathing thing has been the hardest part. My arms and legs know exactly what to do. my lungs and heart...maybe not so much. I'm getting there though. I find that I get more laps done in less time. I'm not trying to race or anything; I guess I'm just getting more at ease with it. Each day I feel a little bit better, or at least closer to where I was before things got crazy (last week). So I just have to keep going. Two laps forward - NO laps back!! That's what I'm talkin' about.

Caren E. Salas






photo: William Salas

Circumstances Beyond My Control..

For those of you who don't know me personally, you may be thinking "What's your excuse this time?" I can hardly blame you. I've been off again, on again, so many times it's embarrassing. This time however, I think I can safely say, is justified. I had to take my daughter to the emergency room last week and it turned out that she had appendicitis. We went in late at night, and I spent the whole first night in a chair, literally. To give you the "Reader's Digest" version, she went to surgery the next day, spent the night in the hospital room (sleep wasn't part of the deal that night either) and then was released late the next evening. Such a fun week! I can't even begin to tell you.
Needless to say this did affect my workout routine. Even if I had had the time or the energy, leaving my daughter was not an option. I am happy to say that she is feeling much better (just don't ask her, haha) and over the weekend we went away and stayed at a hotel. This was a trip we had planned a while back and the doctors said it would be okay to take her. While there, I did go in the pool and get at least a little workout. It felt amazing. I can honestly say I missed my morning swim! (As in, I was disappointed I couldn't go.) Tomorrow things should be going back to normal(ish) so I'm hoping to get my laps in. I refuse to let this "break" to deter me from continuing. I'm still a little tired from everything, but that I know will pass.  Wish me  luck, wish my daughter a speedy recovery and wish yourself a great day!


Caren E. Salas


photo: William Salas

Side Effects

Normally those words make me cringe a little. Considering that half the meds I take are to counteract the side effects from the other meds I'm taking, can you blame me? In this case however I'm talking about another kind of side effect: the good kind. You know, when you do something and expect a certain result and hey...you get a bonus! That's how I've been feeling. Yes, I'm still swimming, every day! I'm so proud of myself. Honestly I figured I'd be sore and tired and it would just feel like one more activity to wear me out. I wanted to do it because I'm embarrassingly out of shape, and for the most part get no cardio-type exercise in my everyday life. I figured I'd do it a couple of days a week, and just get through it. Now that I'm going all the time, I find it almost addictive. I look forward to going the next day. I think about how to challenge myself a little more every time I go.
Here's the cool part. Instead of being more tired all the time, I have more energy during the day. I feel energized! It's awesome. Oh, I know that's what they tell you will happen and all, but they say a lot of other things too. To be healthy you have to do this! You have to do that! I guess there are some people who react well to negative reinforcement: people yelling at them, calling them names, trying to make them feel like a wimp for not being able to do 800 sit-ups. I've never been one of those people. I can put myself down well enough, thank you. I'm not running around saying "I'm in perfect shape, great health, and I don't even have to try." Hardly. What I want, is for someone to say "You can do this. It'll be hard, but you can do this. And just because you miss a day because you had to pick up a sick kid from school, or do some other unexpected errand, does not mean you have failed. You just have to get right back up and go the next day." Now someone does say that....me.

This, will not be happening, haha.

Today is a better day.


Caren E. Salas



photo: blog.helphub.com.au