Swimming

I went swimming this morning, been trying to do that once a week in between running days. I used to hate swimming and finally took some lessons this past year. Now I can't believe how much I love it.

It's the perfect antidote to the pounding of running. I love how it feels to slip into the warm water, how my body floats, how it sounds as I start doing laps, how my breathing is loud but only in my own ears, how I reach and reach and turn my head to breathe, concentrating on going smoothly, not too fast, keeping my hips up, legs straight, toes pointed. How I sort of hum when I blow out through my mouth when my face is in the water and wonder if anyone else can hear that, but don't really care if they can. How trying to remember all the little things I learned in my lessons and focusing on my form makes it impossible to think about anything else at all.

This is the only exercise I have ever done that truly empties my mind. It's like meditating. For an entire half hour my mind is completely empty of all my worries and obsessions, all my plans and ideas, all the things on my to-do list. The rhythmic breathing is a lot like meditating too. I'm hooked, and know this is something I can do for the rest of my life.