Most adult humans are familiar with the idea of retail therapy: the
My beautiful new wetsuit!
idea that sadness, anxiety and anger can be relieved through the purchase of a fun item at some retail store.
Yesterday, I got a little retail therapy of my own when I went to the Bonzai store in Falls Church to rent a wetsuit for the Bay Bridge Swim on June 14. I’d been feeling pretty awful about my sore hip. While rest, ice and anti-inflammatories have been helping it feel a little better, nothing soothes the pain of time off from running … like a new wetsuit of my very own!
It’s a long john by a company called 19, and it is beautiful. I promise to post details and photos this weekend. It’s a $275 suit that was marked down to $190. This lucky gimp was able to get it for a cool hundred bucks. Amazing, right?
The really cool thing: It provided instant swimming motivation. I kicked my own butt this morning in one of my last hard workouts before tapering next week. This was all done with a pull buoy, on account of the hip:
Timed 1,650 (screwed up the timing by losing count twice, but I got the same physical effect)
4X400 free, six hard strokes every 50
4X25 sprint
2X25 no breath
Amy Reinink 
OMG…I feel like such a swimming newbie!! First of all i can’t imagine swimming 2×25’s without breathing! I don’t think I’ll ever be in an all swimming event-mind you I never thought I’d get into the pool on my own accord!
You’re doing an open water swim, correct? Yikes! I have issues with that after a few horrible surfing outings!! Damn ex boyfriend may have ruined my ocean swim career!! ha ha!
I give you a lot of credit for jumping in (har!) as a swimming newbie! I can only do that stuff cause I suffered through about a bajillion such workouts from age 7 to 18, after which swimming and I broke up for a decade. Keep it up — it’s tough getting started, but so rewarding when it feels good!
how did you get it down from 190 to 100?? and how much does it cost to rent one? seriously… that is some AWESOME, meant-to-be retail therapy 🙂
Way to find the DEAL! 🙂 that was clearly motivation – look at that workout, whew! I’m with Penny up there, just don’t see myself doing a swimming event. I’d love to get into it but wouldn’t even know where to start! plus I don’t have access to a lap pool sooo that kind of makes a difference, ha. I’m excited to hear more about the bay bridge race!
look at you… ms. rock star mega-athlete!
um, and don’t EVER conduct retail therapy without me ever again.
(yes, i forgive you).
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