The Neither-Here-Nor-There News

I went swimming yesterday. In a pool. At a gym. There was a point in my life when propelling my body through water was fairly easy, but that was about 30 pounds and 11 years ago. Marni, Amy and I took my mom's boat out onto Pleasant Lake, the mighty ship was tossed, and we all swam ashore. Well, at least I did. I think my parents' scotch-slugging neighbor picked Marni and Amy up in his foot-pedal watercraft.

Anyway, I swam pretty well back in high school. Now? Not so much. I lasted about 15 minutes and something like 20 laps. Maybe 18. I don't recall. The lack of air made me lose count. Why did I go swimming in the first place? Good question. Over the past few weeks, I've had several conversations that basically go like this:

Workout Ted: "You should go swimming. It's a good workout for your entire body."
Sensible Ted: "I tried that three years ago. It didn't go very well, remember?"
Workout Ted: "Yeah, but maybe you were just being a baby. You can go longer this time."
Sensible Ted: "Why would I be able to go longer? I'm older and not in swimming shape."
Workout Ted: "Come on! You just need to push yourself!"
Sensible Ted: "No."
Workout Ted: "Yes."

...and so on. I finally caved in, and sensible Ted was basically correct. Sensible Ted's other argument is that my total workout time (walk to gym, change in locker room, shower, swim, shower, change in locker room, walk home) is over an hour, but I only actually workout for about one-fourth of that time. Seems like a waste, right?

Workout Ted: "Let's go again on Tuesday! We'll get better at this and be able to swim longer."
Sensible Ted: Sigh.