Hallenbad Season

I am trying hard to like running. I have been faithfully running fast every day along the river Dreisam (Dear Reader, I'll let you decide if "fast" has a literal meaning or if it is an attempt at being clever in my use of the German language, in which fast means almost). Whether or not I have gone running everyday I am getting faster every time, which does help one to feel as if progress is being made and it provides motivation to try and outrun the previous time. I also give myself motivation for these runs in telling myself that these runs are helpful for my German studies as it provides opportunity to listen to the German public radio. It's good to feel like I'm multi-tasking. But this past week the Hallenbad (indoor swimming pool) has opened. I have thoroughly enjoyed the Strandbad http://www.strandbad.de/ and the benefits of its 50 meter pool, a swimmer's paradise. But it is outside, the weather is more unpredictable these days and it's a good distance away so it makes for an outing and not just a swim. So, I've been waiting eagerly for the Hallendbad to open. I really love swimming. Not just swimming but everything that is involved in swimming. I love to go especially when it's dark and cold outside. The swimming pool becomes an oasis as I walk inside and am greeted by the thick smell of chlorine and the immediate rise in temperature and humidity. Looking through the glass windows down at the swimmers below the water is inviting. It's crystal clear, even when the skies above are cloudy and overcast. I make my way to the locker rooms and insert the 1 Euro coin into the locker to secure my key, but not to worry, I'll get it back when I'm done swimming. As I change I think back to my youth and times spent in locker rooms while on swim teams in Bad Aibling and Aurora. Maybe when I was in Bad Aibling I was too young to worry about being self-conscious in the locker room as the times there were filled with good memories and excitement toward practice. Or maybe High School was too stressful to find it as enjoyable. There is something different in German indoor pools that make them much more inviting. I made my way to the swimming pool to begin the laps. The first lap is always the best as the water glides past you and the strokes come more effortlessly. Swimming here brings with it challenge as it's a popular sport. For some unknown reason lane ropes are not utilized, so in a country that thrives on punctuality and orderliness swimming is chaotic as you dart around the others who go wherever they please. Maybe it's a necessary break from the regular orderliness of the day and even the Germans need a place where little rules exist and you can go where you wish. I finish the 1.5 kilometer swim and prepare for the walk back home. The wet hair makes the air outside feel colder than it really is, but it feels fresh and I can still smell the chlorine, making my mind go back to the warmth of the Hallenbad. I am relaxed and ready for a good night's rest.