Lessons

Today, for the first time in over thirty years, I had a swim lesson. Now I can swim, and I think if the casual observer saw me in a pool, he or she would probably think me a decent swimmer – I know I did.

But that illusion came crashing down when I started practicing for the Ironman. In comparing myself to other swimmers at my evening practices, it became apparent that I didn't have the stamina or the stroke to complete 800 meters (remember the event is about 5 times that). I knew that with time, I'd be able to work myself up to the distance – but the speed (or lack of it) and effort that it took to swim did not bode well for completing the Ironman. I needed help.

Help arrived today in the form of a group swim lesson – put on by Nancy McElwain of Train Smart (she is a triathlon coach and a darn good triathlete as well). Nancy instructs using the short version of a technique called "Total Immersion." Basically it's a series of drills that, teaches balance and streamlining. I'll go into the techniques in a later blog, but I will say that I went from doing around 23 strokes to get to the end of a 25 meter pool, to around 18 – all in a two hour swim clinic. Over the course of a 2.4 mile swim, that's going to save me a lot of strokes! Even better, it didn't feel like I was exerting as much effort to get down the length of the pool.

I doubt that I could have figured this out on my own by watching a dvd or reading a book. Yeah it cost some money for the lesson and I felt a little self conscious about getting a swim lesson at my age – but I think I just saved myself about two months of frustration. I can't wait to get to practice what I've learned at the pool tomorrow.