Nov 2022
After contracting Covid-19 a couple of weeks ago, I was able to get back into the pool this past weekend. This got me thinking about all the starts and stops in my life as a swimmer. As I shared in a few of my earlier posts, I took up swimming as a regular activity in the summer of 2009.
However, I was not an avid, regular swimmer during that time. I lost my f/t job in October of that year and did not start a new f/t job until March 2010. My income decreased substantially and with 2 kids at home, money was tight. They were both active in sports and I did alot of volunteering in the community. For the next few years, I may or may not have done much swimming because of money and time constraints. Then in 2013/ 2014, I found that article in Readers Digest about the “10 Best Beaches in Canada” and my life did an about face.
I took up swimming at our local community centre pools, I got a gym membership with GoodLife Fitness which gave me access to their pool, 24/7. I had no qualms about going for a swim at night – the thrill of turning on the seat warmers in my car, on a cool/chilly fall/winter night and then coming home to a glass of red wine, motivated me enough to go back again and again and again……I kept up this routine for a couple of years. On days when I didn’t swim, I would ride my bike to work.
When my mom passed away in Dec 2017, I didn’t see a pool until March of 2018. I then took on a part time job, in the evenings, working “Skipthedishes”. That commitment cut into my swim times. I kept at this job for about 8-9 months, as I discovered, sitting for 3-4 hours in my car, was not so beneficial to my health, especially after sitting all day at work, in front of a computer.
In early 2019, I had a car accident, my car was totaled and I spent the summer months, busing, biking and walking to/fro work, as well as doing all my errands this way too. In November 2019, I bought another car and shortly thereafter resumed my nightly and weekend swim routine.
Fast forward, March 2020 – the world stops and we are all forced to stay home. I knew I needed another outlet for exercise and stress relief, with all the pools closed. So, I found all the local parks in our area to visit – I would venture out either right after work or go for a stroll on a weekend afternoon. It was during this time too, that I found those great Ontario Parks and Ontario Waterfalls books. The pools opened up again in August but the lanes were restricted to one person per lane and you had to book your time slot in advance. At least, I could swim at my leisure without the fear of hitting someone in the head…..
This stayed part of my routine until about December 2021. In September, I had fallen off of a picnic table, while visiting a park with a friend of mine. The ache and discomfort in my leg, did not concern me so much. Until December, when I walked into a chair and strained my right MCL…..What a klutz I was……
I ended up in physio for 2 months and did not feel ready yet to swim laps.
It would be another couple of months until I felt strong enough to get back in the water. In the meantime, I walked, and I walked and I walked some more. My feet ached, but I had to strengthen the joint and ligaments in my knee.
Wherein, I use to relish in those evening swims, the drive home with the seat warmers and the glass of wine before bed, I find myself scared now to go out at night. I’m afraid to leave my house, once I get home. There are too many bad drivers on the road, wet/snowy road conditions to contend with, strangers out and about, empty parking lots to walk across, etc. As walking became another activity I could enjoy, I did more of those in the evenings. I can be at a local park within 15 minutes from work. I can complete a quick stroll of 30 minutes and then be home before it gets dark. For the time being, my swims are on Sat or Sunday afternoons.
My dad is 89 and still walks almost every day. He worked in construction his entire life and even before he retired, he would walk an hour to an hour and a half every day. Walking is in our genes and in our make up. If he can keep going at 89, I can certainly keep going at 59…. and beyond!
As I look to my 60th birthday next year, I hope my love for swimming will not diminish. I plan to swim well into my 60’s and into my 70’s. I cannot imagine a life without the water and the feeling of pure joy, being in it, gives me. This is my peace, my zen, my comfort, my heaven and my tranquility.
Thank you for reading and letting me share.
Joye
Single Older Woman - Living Life Passionately 