First Swim Lesson

You know, I thought I knew how to swim fairly well. I mean, I don't sink and I move forward in the water.  Maybe not Ryan Lochte fast, but I get there.  So, I was excited to fine tune my already sufficient swimming skills with a few lessons at the Y.  What I found out is that my swimming SUCKS and I am doing just about everything wrong.  My new coach stops short of saying she can't believe that I don't just sink to the bottom, but I think she was just being kind.

Ok, first - I don't put my head down far enough into the water.  The waterline is supposed to be above my hairline and I need to tuck my head down.  See, the reason it was up higher is that I LIKE TO BREATHE AIR.  Apparently, there is some trick for breathing air this way and it has to do with...

Second, my hips need to open up more.  I should be almost sideways with my hip up as I rotate to take a breath.  This will pull my side up and my face will be above water.  Or I will roll over.  Not sure which.

And third, I have to kick up and down like a crazy person (with pointed toes!) during all of the above.  So yeah... that was hard.  My coach, Heather (who is a tri coach as well and she seems super knowledgeable), gave me some drills as homework which basically have me holding onto the pool wall while I kick/rotate hips/breathe so I can get that down before moving forward in the water.

I was a little discouraged because I honestly thought my swim was ok and this was just to help me swim more continuously without breaks.  But, no.  This is going to require some serious practice and commitment on my part to improve.  Just keep swimming, just keep swimming...

I'm baaaaack!

Ok, I've been away.  Regrouping.  And I didn't want to post until I had my act at least somewhat together.  (Note the "somewhat"!  I am still very much a work in progress!)

The last three weeks, I have started doing a 30 minutes bike followed by 30 minutes on the treadmill at least three days a week.  I have done a longer (1 hr) treadmill on Saturday or Sunday.  I am only walking fast on the treadmill, but will start working in intervals next week.

I am trying to not expect perfect fitness and perfect speed right away - which is really hard for me!  I honestly think one week at the gym should make a huge difference and it just doesn't.  I read somewhere recently that it takes 6 weeks to see improvement, so I hope to see better results then.  But until then, I have got to celebrate the small victories (who I am kidding - HUGE victories) of just getting out there and doing it each day.

I am 8 weeks away from Dumbo.  I am doing back to back Friday and Saturday longer runs to prepare.  Two weeks after Dumbo, I have an Olympic Triathlon (the Outer Banks Tri that I did last year) so I CAN NOT SLACK.

Ok - this is my public declaration.  I will try my best and work hard now through Dumbo, through the Oly Tri, through Wine & Dine, and keep moving forward.  I can't be discouraged that I am not faster.  I must appreciate that I am just getting out there.