controlled drowning

Good morning. I am still alive, despite the title of my blog today. Thanks to Phil for sending me the link from about.com. TOO BAD I didn't read it until after this mornings swimming attempt. I will try to learn from my mistakes and this good article over the next several days. How can swimming be so hard. Didn't we all love playing in the pool as kids? Didn't I spend endless summer hours in the creek as teenager, terrifying every snake and catfish in the county? Maybe it has something to do with age . . . . back then I was 16. Now I'm 46. My body has detrained from swimming after 30 years of abuse, I guess.

Anyway . . . . I did a couple of easy warm up laps mixing it up with side strokes, back strokes and crawls. This was at a nice easy pace just to get the blood moving and everything was comfortable. Then something magical happened when it was time to do my 200 meters and started my stopwatch-my body became an oxygen sponge. I needed more air inside my body than I have in weeks . . . same problem as before-you cannot breathe when your face is in the water. 3 strokes breathe. 3 strokes breathe. BS! I need to breathe every stroke. Not very effecient. I wonder if I could cheat and use a snorkel?

200m in 5:40. I did not crawl (freestyle) the entire distance. I still think I am more comfortable using side stroke . . . I can breathe more often and since I am not worried about the breathing, I think I am more relaxed. Thus, I am moving just as quickly. I'll keep working on it.

Last night I ran an easy 6 miler. Actually, an easy 4 miler and then a brisk 2 miles when Animal joined me. I needed the push. Thanks Marc!