My Triathlon Adventure

Today I upgraded to the lap pool from the kiddie pool.  I made a rough measurement, and I think that the multi-purpose pool (a.k.a. kiddie pool) at the YMCA is about 15 yards long.  The lap pool is 25 yards long.  The lap pool is also 9′ deep on one end.  Standing on one end of the lap pool after being in the other pool reminded me of that scene from Poltergeist where the Mom (actress JoBeth William) is running down the hall and it gets progressively longer the more she tries to run.  I’ve seen shorter runways at airports.  I’m not sure if it was the length of the pool, or the fact that sections were so deep that my safety net was missing, but I lost my form.  I struggled a little with breathing compared to yesterday.

I did manage to pull it together and get full lengths out of my swim.  That is more than I could do last time I was in the lap pool.  Hopefully things will get easier as I get my brain over the fact that I am in a deep pool and can die any minute!  I think building endurance is going to be huge too.  It will be much easier for me when I’m not panting after going 25 yards.  Tomorrow is my swim clinic, I sure hope that I don’t make a fool of myself.

I have been practicing here and there, and I was feeling much better.  Other than the Tuesday swim clinics, I have been doing all of my training so far in a short pool that is only about 4′ deep.  Today I tried the lap pool, and I struggled to make it even one length without gasping for air.  I was there about an hour, and I never even made a single length without having to flip on my back, or break form to get air.

I spent a lot of time today watching other swimmers.  They looked like they were fish.  Even though a lot of them had what looked to me like inefficient strokes, they were swimming effortlessly.  Clearly I am doing a lot wrong.  It is so frustrating to not be able to do this.  I know that I will get it, and I can’t wait until the day that I look back at these entries and kind of snicker, but that just seems so far away after today.  I’ve decided I will keep going back to swim every day until I get this right.  Hopefully it won’t take long.  Practice makes perfect right?