I learned something today.
When the alarm clock starts beeping at 4:45 a.m.? It's still pitch black outside. And driving anywhere at that time of the morning will require headlights. It's early. And black.
And I've got 13 more weeks ahead of me to get used to it.
See I signed myself up for a triathlon swimming class at the YMCA. It's 14 weeks long, meets every Monday morning (not so) bright and early at 5:30 a.m. and runs for an hour. It's supposed to help us become better swimmers - whether it's speed or endurance or comfort that we're aiming to achieve. Me? I just thought it would be a good way to keep myself going to the pool and in the back of my mind maybe I'm hoping I can learn a few things to make myself a tiny bit faster in the water.
So today was class number one.
I admit, while I was sitting there with the rest of the people who showed up this morning, listen to the instructor rattle off his impressive swimming resume, I felt a little intimidated. I wasn't sure how this was going to go. Yes, I took swimming lessons as a kid. Learned how to freestyle and backstroke. But the butterfly or breast stroke? No idea. And once I hit 10 years old, I didn't continue with lessons and didn't even step foot back into a pool until last year when I decided to do my first tri.
We eventually got in the pool. Jumped feet first into the deep end where we proceeded to scull for about 20 minutes. Funny, I always thought it was called treading water. Apparently "scull" is the term. So we sculled. And then we were supposed to sink down 10 feet to the bottom of the pool and push off towards the top. Epic fail. My sinking? It was about 3 feet, if that. Apparently I don't sink. Other people could sink, but I couldn't. Needless to say I was happy when I got to don a pair of flippers and work on a bit of kicking. I can kick. And apparently inhale a lot of chlorinated water. Because I did that too.
Yes. I didn't drown. But I did walk away from the pool this morning feeling a little intimidated. Like maybe I was in over my head. But I'll keep going. And maybe after a few weeks it'll start to get easier and I won't feel like a fish out of water.
One thing's for sure. It's not going to be getting any lighter at 5 a.m. If anything, it'll probably get darker.
5 comments:
Man, that's just early....for anything!
oh man yea. i hate the 5:30 am start time. just won't do it. good luck with that.
Hey you got the 1st one done, keep at it! I need to get in the pool this winter, and need motivation to do it. How? A few of my race buddies made a bet on the 2010 Spirit of Racine 70.3-winner gets their entry paid! And, I don't want to finish last!!
That was TOTALLY me a few years ago! Swim lessons as a kid, no idea how to do fancy swim strokes, then hitting the pool for the first time in years!
Don't be intimidated. Join in and do your best. This class could make you SO much better, so don't let it scare you!
And you're not a sinker? I know TONS of people that would LOVE to have that problem! ;)
Best thing that I ever did - swim lessons. I couldn't swim very well at all when I started. It'll give you a HUGE boost of confidence!
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