I took swim lessons as a kid. Eventually the instructors at our community pool threw me in the deep end and said, “Swim or drown.” Obviously, I didn’t drown.
However, I don’t know how to breathe at all so I never put my face in the water and I have no idea how to properly do the strokes or kicks. I’m pretty much capable of an unattractive, inefficient dog paddle or some weird looking frog thing. This has served me well enough until now that I could play in a pool, stay afloat while water skiing during drop off and pick up…that kind of thing.
But I want to do a sprint triatholon in August — 1/3 mile swim, 13 mile bike, 5K run — and my dog paddle isn’t going to see me through this. :fryingpan:
So, last night I started swim lessons. Half an hour — which seemed ridiculously short when I signed up. Uh…no. I was glad I could heave myself out of the pool at the end of that half hour. The instructor was very complimentary of my freestyle stroke and my flutter kick…but that breathing business SUCKS. :cursing:
I’ve got to practice. Maybe I’ll run a bathtub full of water and practice. But I WILL DO IT. I will learn to blow out my nose. I can do it. (If I say it often enough and keep saying it…right?) And I’m going to buy a swim cap to keep my hair out of my face. Goggles and a swim cap…now that’s a pretty picture. 
And no, THAT picture will never show up on my website.:mrgreen:
Well, If it make you feel better I am 34 years old and never learn how to swim. Embarrazing since I was born in Cuba
where is surrounded by water 
:fryingpan:
Comment by Barbara — May 3, 2007 @ 8:09 am
Go girl! You can do it!
And a swim cap and goggles are the only way to go. You’ll look like all the other serious athletes in that triathlon. My son did one and I swear there were folks who walked on the bottom of the pool until it got too deep, then dogpaddled until they could walk again.
Keep us posted on your progress and your results in the triathlon.
Comment by Marilyn — May 3, 2007 @ 8:10 am
Jennifer,
You WANT to a triathlon? Wow, I’m impressed :bowdown:
You will get the breathing business down! I’m sure of it.
Now, about the swim cap and goggles…you know I’m moving back to Georgia. I have your address and a digital camera :twisted:
Comment by Carla — May 3, 2007 @ 9:14 am
Good luck! I ‘dream’ of doing such things… but that’s as far as my motivation gets me… :)
Cole
Comment by Nicole Reising — May 3, 2007 @ 9:36 am
I am impressed by you. Inspired, too.
Not inspired enough to do do triatholons, mind you, but inspired enough to put the baby pool up in the back yard and lounge while I tell others of your lofty goals.
Comment by Kimberly — May 3, 2007 @ 9:44 am
Barbara, it’s easy not to learn. I think you’d be surprised at how many people don’t.
No fears, Marilyn, that y’all will have to suffer blow-by-blow updates. blessedly there will be no pics. :happy2:
Carla, darlin’, I’d hate to have to hurt you…or worse yet, drag you out there with me. :happy2:
Cole, you can do it. It’s just one step at a time.
Sometimes you’ve just got to jump off that cliff — you know, sign up for a walk or run in the future and then work toward that concrete goal.
:happy2: :happy2: :happy2: at the baby pool, Kimberly. It’s just my mid-life crisis kicking in. It was cheaper and easier than switching husbands. :happy2:
Comment by Jennifer — May 3, 2007 @ 11:01 am
Damn. If you would have let me take the picture of you with the fluffy chicken hair last weekend, then I could get a picture of you with the swim cap, we could have a whole theme going on. :happy2:
Comment by Rhonda — May 3, 2007 @ 1:27 pm
I’ll trade you a pic of the fluffy chicken hair for a pic of you in the caftan, Crocs, and socks. :happy2:
Comment by Jennifer — May 3, 2007 @ 4:25 pm