People Soup for breakfast

So I started swimming.  The first day I just used a kick board or did the side stroke.  I swam with my 12 year old daughter for about 30 minutes.  I discovered that you can  not giggle and swim.

There was a Fo Real swimmer in the lane next to us; swim cap, speedo, googles, and a chamois instead of a towel <---DUDE!.  He was SERIOUS about swimming.  Freestyle up and backstroke back.  Non-stop.  Cutting through the water like a hot knife through butter or a ravenous toddler through a bowl of dry Cherrios.  I was a bit intimadated.

At one point I was kicking with the board near the lane line and Mr. Louganis came unsplashingly by at 30 knots.  His wake swamped me and caused me to actually go backwards a little.  Then the giggling started and the sinking ensued.  He would swim with military precision past me, swamping me and my little kick board, and I would giggle and begin to sink.  Lap after lap.  So my first go at swimming was not as successful as I had hoped.

Every Saturday my Y offers deep water cardio at 8:30 am.  I went.  My 12 year old did not want to go because she didn't want to swim with the "old ladies".  She also didn't want to get up at 7:30 on a saturday.  You've got to have your priorities!  It was a great class and I was indeed the youngest person there (40).  I was still a bit afraid to swim laps so I came home.

This past thursday my friend Heidi met me at the Y and taught me to backstroke and breast stroke.  She gave me great encouragement and confidence.  I swam with her for about 30 minutes.  It wasn't pretty and it wasn't fast but I did it and I ENJOYED it.

I am not a swimmer.  I don't like to go to the pool and here are my main reasons; it's wet, chlorine is stinky and I hate the way it makes my skin feel, I didn't really know how to swim (I am so claustrophobic that I can not put my face in the water to swim freestyle), I am terrified of moving water (tried white water rafting - was thrown out and under two boats - no joy), and wearing a bathing suit is like sitting around in your underwear in front of other people.  So being in your undies in "people soup" - aka "the pool" has not been an appealing thing to me since I was about 10 years old.

I know that I need to exercise (high Cholesterol, diabetes, and MS demand that I do).  I have enjoyed my time in the water these past three weeks and I actually look forward to it, even plan on what days I can go.  Today I did the deep water cardio for an hour and then I swam 150 meters non stop.  (ok...I took a 5 minute pee break between the two because holy cow! water makes you have to GO!).

I am planning on swimming 3 days a week during my summer break and then at least 2 days a week during school.  I have surprised myself.  I like swimming.  I may even begin to consider myself a "swimmer".

Look out Mr. Louganis with the chamois instead of a towel, I might swamp you next time we meet!