Back to the Pool!

I'm back to aqua jogging, and I hope it's a good idea.  My orthopedist had told me as of three weeks ago that I could go in the pool as long as I don't touch bottom.  I waited an extra week just to be sure.

This is EXACTLY how I look when I make a perfect 4 in aqua jogging!

The first time I tried aqua jogging, I thought it was mind-numbingly boring, especially since I can't listen to music while I do it.  This time I feel different about the whole thing.  I have been very stressed lately, and I thought that my mind would be racing while I was in the pool.  That's one of the reasons why I like music while I run; it drowns out the scary Voices in my head.  (Read this post for further explanations about what goes on inside my head.  Spooky!)

As I drove to the pool at five in the morning, I made a list of things I should be working over in my mind.  Then I added some hypothetical challenges to my day that I anticipated having to overcome.  What I actually thought about when I got in the pool was. . . nothing.  I just kind of zoned.  It was actually very relaxing.

It started when I was trying to pay attention to my foot to see if there was any pain during pool time.  Then I decided to use the opportunity to work on my running gait.  Before my injury, my coach was encouraging me to practice a mid-foot strike without taking huge steps.  I focused on making my legs look like the Road Runner's, a blurry circle.  This is surprisingly difficult on a track but easy enough in a pool.

This is exactly how I SHOULD look when I'm working on my gait, but the reality is  that I probably look like the coyote, tongue and all, when I run.

I now know how people can take more than five minutes to "scan their bodies for information," something that I used to think was bizarre.  I was continually thinking about my legs, feet, and arm motions as I ran.  It made for a quick forty minutes.

I'm seeing the orthopedist on Columbus Day, and I'm hoping for good news!