How This Woman Uses Swimming (Even In the Winter!) to Clear Her Head
Photo: Bill Lott
After a long swim in the San Francisco Bay, my whole body is exhausted in the most amazing post-workout way. If you remember swimming when you were a kid, it’s just like that—when you’d get out of the water and you would be happy and hungry and need to take a nap. (Related: Cool New Water Workouts That Have Nothing to Do with Swimming)
Growing up, I was always the first one to get in the pool or ocean, but as an adult, running had become my cardio. I often heard people describe the experience of running as being in the zone, but whenever I ran, I would instead spend most of my workout thinking, When will this be over?
One unseasonably warm day a year ago, a friend who is a triathlete asked me to meet up for a swim in the bay. So I went down and got a thermal cap, ear plugs, and goggles and waded in. I remember doing 30 strokes, then stopping to catch my breath, then doing 30 more, zigzagging my way to the edge of Aquatic Park. I was a little worried about sea lions and getting swept out to sea and my fingers going numb. But it was exhilarating. I was instantly hooked. (Related: This Woman Just Set an American Record for Finishing a 10-Ironman Triathlon)
I never get tired of the view of the Golden Gate Bridge from the water. And the current is always changing—some days, it’s easy swimming, but others, you have to fight all the way back to shore. (Related: The No-Swimming Pool Workout That You Can Also Do On Dry Land)
I swim nearly every weekend, even in winter, when the water hits the low 50s and I need to wear a wet suit. I track my swims on my Fitbit and watch how I improve. Cutting through the cold water stroke by stroke, I finally understand what runners mean. Swimming clears my mind. It helps me focus. It erases my stress. And when I get out, I will be shivering and running through the fog back to the swim club, and it is just this amazing physical and mental high.
My Swim Must-Haves
A few hours before diving in, I like to make myself a veggie omelet that will stick with me throughout the workout. But if I’m short on time, a handful of almonds or a Clif Bar ($30 for an 18 pack,
) will do.
I moisturize my skin with coconut oil in the sauna after a swim. (Try Kopari Organic Coconut Melt, $28, sephora.com. The pure coconut oil is solid at room temperature and can be warmed between the hands to apply.)
I put on Super-goop Everyday Sunscreen ($19, sephora.com) before getting into the water no matter which season it is.
By wearing my Fitbit Versa ($200, fitbit.com), I can see my trends in the Fitbit app, like how much I’ve increased my time in the water and how many calories I burn. It helps me keep track of my progress since I’m not exactly doing.
