April 25, 2005

Exercise

I've packed on so much weight over the winter I've decided I need to try and get at least some parts of me back in to shape. So after work I headed to Bull Run Marina for about an hour workout. Well, maybe not an hour, but give it some time.

I focused on my forward stroke - trying to conjure up some torso rotation and keep my legs straight. It was a bit gusty and the first half of the trip was straight in to it.

I was actually pleased with my forward stroke. It isn't often I get to dust off the way it is 'supposed to be done' and open the throttle a bit. But the first mile seemed to drag by. It takes about 15 minutes for everything to loosen up but after that the distance seemed to drift by without much effort.

It was a mile and a half before I missed a single stroke. I stopped at the confluence of the Occoquan and Bull Run to drink some water and spin around to head back. I had kept up a pretty quick pace and doubted I would be able to maintain it for the trip back.

On the way out I had hugged the corners, but since I was feeling pretty good I decided to hang to the outside of the bends for the trip back. I don't think I pushed things as hard on the return trip, but with the wind adding a little shove I was traveling faster. In no time I was back to the marina and on the road for home.

Tomorrow I need to add a little distance but keep the same pace. If I can get up to 6 miles each day after work it will begin to make a difference on the spare tire I'm carrying around. And it not, at least I was on the water :)