Reflection

On Friday October 29th, two friends and I ventured away from the aquafit world and went lane swimming.  One friend worked out this way all through college.  The second friend was a competitive swimmer until her mid teen years.  Then there was me.  I major lover of the water.  A strong swimmer but not as strong after reaching some pretty high plus size poundage.  The place where I came alive, feeling so free and light.  But to swim lanes ... hell no!  On this particular occassion, why not.  It wouldn't hurt.  Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would love it so much.  Now, here we are 6 days shy of the one month mark for lane swimming and I am addicted.  I also can not believe how much change I have seen in myself after only 3.5 weeks. 

• approximately 20m across, I was winded and out of breath after my first freestyle crossing .... but it was manageable.  The return trip however, not so manageable.  I needed to stop between laps to have water and regain control of my breathing.
• fortunate to have a relatively smooth stroke (i think), I still didn't carry the grace that more experienced and in shape swimmers have.  I also had to lift my head out of the water higher than I should when breathing.  Favouring the right side, I breathed every other stroke, never every third stroke as most swimmers do.  Every fourth stroke?  Forget it.  Not enough oxygen in my lungs. 
• after a quick warm up, we did a timed swim.  It took me 25 seconds to swim 20m freestyle as full out as I could.  I could barely breath afterwards.  Talking wasn't an option.

Fast forward to today:

• Yesterday I swam 2000m in an hour and two minutes.  I barely stopped but to quickly move my counter after each lap and maybe, after a few hundred meters, stopped for a few extra breaths.  Despite being out of breath at times, I pushed on and continuted swimming, not letting my lungs get the better of me.
• today I swam 1650m in 53 minutes.  My muscles were a little tired from yesterday's swim but again, I pushed on.  A bit slower of a pace but pushed on, none the less.  Stops to catch my breath were even more infrequent than before and often only because I had to constantly readjust my goggles as water kept seeping in on the right side.
• thanks to the addition of a swim cap and goggles, my freestyle breathing is more streamlined.  I don't life my head out of the water as high and almost have the technique down. 
• While I still favour breathing on the right side, I can now breath every 4 to 6 strokes, depending on my pace, if I wish and do not feel winded or short of breath
• after 1650m and a few minutes of rest, I did a timed swim and swam 25m in 25 seconds.  Unlike my 20m in 25 seconds at the beginning of a workout, this was 25m after my workout and I was breathing heavy but controllably as my friend and I talked about our progress immediately after the swim.

Believe it or not, the best part of the swim wasn't the reflecting as I did my final laps.  It wasn't thinking about how far I feel I have come in just three short weeks of dedication and passion for what I am doing to lose weight and get healthy.  It was the compliment from a man who was swimming in the same lane as us and whom we have seen there on a couple of other occassions.  He is a man of decent physical shape - not stong and buff but a bit soft and snuggley (however this is only known because he is in a bathing suit.  In street clothes, you would be none the wiser).  He said "You girls need to slow down.  I am 45 years old, swimmng longer and I can not keep up with you."  Outside of the Hubs telling me how proud he is of me, the best compliment thus far.

For now, I set my sight on some goals. 

1. see how many laps I can complete in an hour and two minutes, trying to improve on the 2000m mark, over the next month.
2. improve my breathing techniques (especially breathing more comfortably on the left side) as well as my freestyle swimming abilities.
3. take a swim class that helps improve strokes.  Back stroke ... good.  Freestyle ... needs fine tuning but otherwise good.  Breaststroke ... arms are good, legs - a conversation for another time.  Butterfly ... you mean those pretty little insects that caterpillars transform into, right?
4. learn more about Total Immersion Swimming.  It is so smooth and graceful.
5. master my flip turn so that I can use it when swimming laps comfortably, efficiently and effectively.
6. keep working towards better health and fitness.
7. and finally .... convince my friend - who is already running and spinning - to get herself into a pool and start swimming and training herself to become a triathlete.  I know she could do it!

And with that, I bid you a happy, healthy and super fit day.