Stroke

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Finally got to get some swimming in again today. I am always reluctant to give up my running time to swim...and, admittedly, I am such a new swimmer that I'm still afraid that I will have to share a lane or that the pool will be crowded. Logic tells me that it would be fine (and hey, if I want to do a triathlon, the water will be FULL of people) but I'm still new, so I get shy. :D

Today I did some different things. I got brave (thanks to the fine example of my swimming friends on DailyMile) and sought out a Kickboard. Once I warmed up with a few laps of the breast stroke, I used the kick board to hold on to and just...kick. It was nice to be able to concentrate on the rhythm of my kicks and figure out how to get maximum velocity for the least effort = efficiency. I did about 250 yards with the kickboard.

I raced (and beat) my 12yo son in a back stroke and freestyle 25yd race. *grin* I went ALL out with my terrible newbie form and my chest nearly exploded...but I WON, darn it! After that, I finished up my hour long workout with the back stroke. It was easier to get some speed going since I had practiced my kicking. Also, I don't have to worry about rotary breathing while doing this stroke. I did try some front crawl today, but I got halfway down the lane and felt like I was fighting for air. I tried several times, and just gave up in favor for more water acclimation and the building of confidence that doing more yards of a familiar stroke gives.

My next adventure is to buy a little thing called a Pull Buoy. These little babies serve the opposite function of the Kickboard, and allow me to stay afloat while I work on my arms pulling me through the water. I assume there is a proper hand position and way to do all that, but those things will have to wait. After only two attempts at lap swimming, the swimming part of a triathlon no longer terrifies me - it only scares me to pieces. I'm confident with more practice I will move on to mortified and then finally to just totally freaked out.

In case you're curious about where I am getting my swim training from - well, I'm not. I'm looking up training drills and equipment needs on BeginnerTriathlete and Google searching for videos of how to do the stuff in the drills and what the heck the equipment is! I need to save a little and get some swim lessons from the YMCA to assist me in proper form - but this is a good start.

Maybe when the Half Marathon is down in the history books, I can concentrate more on my swimming. New year goals 1 and 2 are looking good!

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