I JUST got back from the pool. Literally, my first swim since I was... Oh, I dunno... 15 years old???
Wow. Talk about humbling. I am a total beginner!!!! (This entire triathlon training thing is nothing if not humbling!)
Okay.... Here's what I did today for my inaugural re-entry... I jumped in, put on my cap and goggles and tried swimming a simple 25M length. Of course, I semi-freaked out (not like, "I'm drowning!" freak out, more like, "I can't breath" freak out). At the far end of the pool. I quieted myself and said, "Okay dude. Go SLOWLY. Keep your head down. Try and be a little sleek/low drag, and just relax." All I wanted to do was swim a single 25M length in a semi-calm way. I did it! So then I tried to do it again. Woo hoo! It's amazing how much of a mental thing it is... to just relax and stay focused. It's odd how easily your heart/breathing rate can get out of control and then your stroke gets out of control and then you're gulping air and treading water in the middle of the pool, feeling like an idiot.
So I'm basically at square one. I'm reaching out to a few friends of mine who are strong/experienced swimmers (one is literally a silver medal winner in swimming from the Olympics in Seoul, Korea). I'm getting some simple drills, tips and mental images that I can focus on....
My triathlon swim will be 750 meters in open water surrounded by 100-200 people kicking me in the head and splashing all around. (That's for a sprint -- i.e. short -- triathlon. Ironman swim distance is 2.4 miles!).
Today is my starting point: a single 25M length.
:-)
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3 comments:
You haven't gone swimming since 15 as in you haven't done laps or you literally have not had to been in water that required treading since 15? You certainly like challenges either way.
Good luck and stay afloat.
Wow John, this is really neat to read about... keep it up! And keep blogging about it, it's great!
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