Baby steps across the pool

I've been told I was made to swim, like a Manatee. I'm buoyant in the water.  It's now my favorite exercise because I don't sweat; In the water I mean. I sweat constantly during exercise but swimming is wonderful.   No sweat just cardio.

I started swim training today and it was a big hit.  No knee pain, no back pain, no sweat; Just good old fashioned fatigue and some welcome soreness that says I was working hard.

Here is how it went.

The only public access swimming facility in McComb has a 25m heated lap pool. 4 lanes wide and about 3.5 feet deep.  The place has changed hands several times since it opened.  It was a gym/health club twice and now, in its third incarnation, it lives on as a rehab center. 

I arrived at 5 minutes to 8 and waited by the door, with several others, for staff to arrive and open up.

There was a lovely woman waiting to do a drug screen for a postal job and 4 others waiting to work out or swim.  At 8:03 a young woman in pink scrubs pulled up, parked and quickly scampered past the growing crowd to open the door.

I had my paper work ready and asked if I could go swim and settle up with her later.  She seemed relieved and off I went.

There were 3 other middle aged guys there.  They came ready to swim as did I.  One jumped right in after shedding shoes and shirt and started swimming laps in lane one.  His regular routine it seemed.  I looked around a bit first and was the third to hit the water.

Along with me and the lapper in lane one there were two other middle aged men and a few ladies in the water with aqua weights.  It was perfect.  No chatty Kathys everyone was there doing their thing.  I can make this work.

I haven't ever swum competitively, my sister did and my son does.  My wife was a summer life guard but not me.  I'm sure my form is bad and my technique is worse. 

I swam a few laps in my ragged freestyle and then did a few with a kick board and a few with a float under my legs (arms only).  Then finished up freestyle.  I was taking a breath every 4 strokes. When I got winded I went to breast stroke and huffed and puffed till I was able to continue freestyle.

First swim session. 550 meters, 30 minutes. The pros in the Iron Man 70.3 in New Orleans this year did 1931.21 meters in 23 minutes. Baby steps across the pool.   At least I can swim for 30 minutes. I was worried about that.

I'll need to do the nose plug thing it seems. The chlorinated water was in my nose a bit and draining down my throat. A weird sensation. I wore goggles and that was a good call. 

I want to add an MP3 to the mix so I can grove and swim.  Get a rhythm going.  Don't know if that will happen the water proof ones are pricey.  Looking into it and work arounds.

June 29th I need to swim 1000m, bike 20 miles and run a 5K.  The swim in in a lake.  I've rarely swum in "open water".  More Baby Steps I Guess.