Getting lapped by Grandma

Well it is official.  If the triathlon was tomorrow I would definately drown in the lake.

On Sunday I met my friend Naomi, who is a swim coach and also does triathlons, for a little swim lesson and training.  She put me through a bunch of drills and taught me the new technique for swimming freestyle.  Apparently they have changed since we were kids.  She encouraged me and told me I was much better than I had led her to believe and she thought I did a good job learning the technique she taught me.  It was a crash course and I was trying to remember everything she said and make my body memorize the new moves as quickly as possible.  I left feeling much more confident that I could swim laps without looking like I had no idea what I was doing.  I also left exhausted.

Naomi confirmed what others had already told me, I need to practice at least 2 times a week, 3 would be better.  So today I decided would be the day.  I woke up immediately dreading it.  Since Jake had late start and John was still home I decided to just get right out of bed and head over early without Isabelle to get it over with.  I felt that I would wimp out if I had to wait until Isabelle was up and organized to go.  I got there and did one lap down and back and almost died.  Tried to do another length of the pool and found myself breaking form and gasping for breath half way down the pool.  Thus began the routine of one length, catch breath for several minutes, length, catch breath, length, catch breath.  To add insult to injury I was sharing a lane with a 70 year old woman who, while much slower than me, never stopped swimming the entire 30 minutes I was there, had been swimming when I arrived and was still swimming when I left.  I told her as I left that she was going to be my inspiration to keep coming back.

I did find that the lengths where I was focused on one of the aspects of form that Naomi had talked about seemed easier than when I was just swimming and trying to think of it all.  And really, I need to relax so my breathing isn't so labored.  Naomi did say I looked like I was gasping for breath the whole time and that is exactly how I feel.  So I know what to work on.

All in all I felt like I have conquered a fear and am looking forward to seeing progress in this new activity.  I suppose it is like when I started running.  The first time I ran I could hardly go 1/2 mile but it was amazing how quickly I was able to improve when starting from zero.  A few years ago Iceman and I were meeting to take turns swimming laps and watching each others children.  I remember that each week I did seem to improve.  I look forward to experiencing that again.

Now could someone tell me how to get this chlorine smell off my skin?

Iceman and others who won't do the tri because of the swim.  Get a coach, take a swim lesson.  When the move is broken down for you by someone knowledgeable and you get to practice each piece suddenly it seems so much more doable.  I'm just saying...