It's funny to think of myself as a non-swimmer. Of course I can swim. I grew up with a pool in the backyard, we have a neighborhood pool that I frequent with the kids in the summer. We own a boat - I spend most Saturdays in the summer neck deep with a life jacket and a beer. But I'm not a "swimmer".
Other than taking lessons on "how not to drown" when I was about 6, I've never taken a lesson. Or learned to swim, or swam a stroke, been on a swim team of any variety. I just "swim". Or as my favorite author (Jen Lancaster) says, I "wallow" in the pool. I flounder, I doggie paddle, I float. But I don't know how to actually "swim".
Last summer I started going to the neighborhood pool to swim laps because I wanted to cross-train with my running and because I eventually want to do a triathlon. Mostly I swam what I think of as "the crawl". I would just swim with my head never moving and my arms and legs moving under the surface. It works, but it is SLOW and I'm burning very little energy.
Last week I decided it is time to learn to swim. Actually swim. I talked to the Aquatics Director at the Y and she said she'd hook me up with an instructor (I suspect she thought I was crazy when I told her the swim lessons weren't for my 5 year old, but for myself). By coincidence, a friend of mine, who is an employee at the Y, offered to instruct me for free.
FYI - the $65 I saved is going into my "I need a bike fund".
So this morning, with my swim suit on and my goggles in hand, I joined Shannon at the pool to learn to swim laps. Turns out my "freestyle" wasn't even close - and here I was thinking I looked like Michael Phelps while I wallowed the length of the pool. Not even close, but after a little instruction, I'm getting better.
I tend to turn my head forwards without meaning to after I've taken a breath. My legs go all crazy as I'm taking my breath and I suck in lots of water. But I'm getting better. I figured out how to twist my head side to side without looking forward. I learned to turn my head up further to grab that breath so I don't suck in a gallon of salt water. I'm trying to better control my leg motion as I'm concentrating on the breathing.
I am no Michael Phelps, but I can finally say that I can swim. I can't wait to get in the pool again and work on an actual workout. The pool swim for my first tri is about as short as they come - 150 meters. But I can say that in July, I'll be ready.
Now, about that bike............
