If you’re a regular reader you know that swimming isn’t my thing. I frequently joke that when I’ve been a triathlete I’m a “last out of the water, but not rescued” triathlete. My profile, when I did a few triathlons, went like this: last out of the water, speedy on the bike (pass all the people, whee!) and then a middle of the pack runner.
I’m very comfortable in the water though and I can swim. Fear of drowning has never been a thing in my life as I float pretty effortlessly and can tread water for days.
At the lake in the summer, I love spending time in the water. I grew up in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia where swimming was mostly a lake thing but I loved spending time in the ocean. Very big waves would pick us up and throw us back into the shore. That was probably dangerous but I didn’t know it at the time. The water was also seriously cold. Tourists would never go in and those who did wore wetsuits. Breathtakingly beautiful empty beaches. The south island of New Zealand was the same actually. Gorgeous but too cold to spend very much time in the water.
But I’m slow.
I trained with the university triathlon club solidly for a year but never got faster. I was the anchor person for the slow lane.
I’m not sure what it’s about. I’ve always found the breathing tricky. And I hate getting out of breath in the water. Its hard to go fast at anything and not get out of breath.
My daughter, Mallory, who occasionally guest blogs here, mostly about cycling, is also a very good swimmer. She’s a lifeguard who occasionally lures me back into thoughts of swimming. I was inspired recently by reading Caitlin’s Fit and Feminist post about becoming a swimmer at the age of 35. 35? 50? What’s a few years?
So this summer I think we’re going to get a family membership at our local outdoor pool, Thames Pool pictured above
We are also planning some trips to the quarry in St Mary’s. It’s Canada’s largest outdoor pool, a former quarry filled with water. Very deep and clear, with some fish, and it’s low on children since you have to pass a swim test.
If all goes well, or even okay, I might move it indoors come the fall and try lane swimming again. I like multi-sport events and I can’t run that far. So one answer seems to me to be to swim. That’s one way to avoid the dreaded second run of a duathlon!
I’m a slow swimmer and I love the rhythmic breathing. It’s like a moving meditation. Awesome. We should swim together this summer!
Would love to.
I’m like you Sam I’ve never been scared in rough or deep water or in wave starts etc, but I always struggled with the breathing until someone told me (or I read somewhere) to breathe out continuously while my face is under, no holding my breath – because you’re not running out of air, you’re filling up with CO2. Now I can do 6-8 strokes between breaths easily for the length of the pool & back without ‘running out of breath’ and the whole thing is a far more enjoyable experience. I hope you find your swim breathing zen too – it is such an enjoyable thing to do when you do!
Thanks!
http://www.swimsmooth.com/exhalation.html
Here ’tis
Yay! I’m excited that you’re going to try swimming again. Once you get the breathing pattern it should start to feel better. I’m happy to meet at the pool anytime! Good luck!
Swimming seems like a great summer addition. I’m thinking of doing the same, and have the same issues with breathing. Hopefully we can both make that meditative breathing turn that Nat mentions. Keep us posted!