The time I went swimming

I am still in major Holiday Mode.  The kids don't have school today, they had an extra snow day to use up, so we have a four day weekend. The weather is sunny, and it's supposed to be hot and steamy today, so after I write this I'm heading out to Green Lakes with the kids and my sis-in law Jeannine for the day.

Well it happened, I got in the pool, and I didn't sink. The pool in our development opened on Saturday, the second the kids got out of bed they were asking to go to the pool.  There is a lap lane that I wanted to use, to see what kind of a swimmer I am.  I'm a swim for fun/cooling off/relaxation type person, so this was going to be interesting. 

I told Mike I wanted to swim 40 laps (600 meters) because that is the distance for my sprint triathlon.  I got in the pool, did two laps, and was out of breath! wha wha whaaat?  Mike was the captain of his swim team in high school, so he immediately gave me some tips on my form, then I was off again.  I don't know why, but I felt kind of nervous.  Mike swam with the kids, and I kept plugging away.  I got to lap 28, and a woman joined me in the lane.  She asked if we wanted to circle each other, or choose a side.  The lap lane doesn't have any lines painted on the floor to use as a guide when you swim, and I felt a bit intimidated about sharing a lane, so I told her I was finished for the day.  Although I felt like I could have completed the whole 40 laps.

Sunday I rode my bike, my foot is feeling a million times better, but there are moments where I step a certain way and it hurts.  I'm going to be good about this no running thing. 

Monday it was time for the pool again.  I got in, and thought of the advice Mike had given me:

• keep my rear end high in the air, and keep it dry
• keep my palms facing out, and when I bring them down towards my torso, push the water away from my body
• make some bubbles with my feet while I kick, to give power to my upper body
• and my favorite, find a rhythm. Just as I find a beat when I run, try and find a rhythm to my kicking.

I was moving along, having a good time, and at lap number 8, the same woman from Saturday showed up in the lane.  This time I said I would circle her, and it worked out well, she was faster than me, so I was able to keep my own pace.  She was a strong swimmer, I watched her after I was finished, and she was doing one armed drills.

So I did the whole 40 laps, I forgot to look at the clock when I started, but Mike said it took me about 25 minutes. Which is slow, but I also stopped a few times to catch my breath, and I didn't do kick turns at the ends of the lap lane.  The one and only time in my life that I tried to do that, I banged my head on the side of the pool, and that was that.

I'm pretty happy, my back is a wee bit sore today, but overall I feel good. I wasn't exhausted after the swim, and I know I can pull off a bike ride and run after swimming. 

I do need to find a good bathing suit, one that doesn't accentuate back fat.

: )