This was me at swim conditioning class on Monday.
HA HA HA! RIGHT! HA HA HA!
WHAT WAS I THINKING?!
You can cheat your way through the other classes but when you're in the pool, you can't. And you find out VERY quickly just how out of shape you really are. And I'm SO out of shape!
I loved to swim when I was little but the extent of my swimming these days is chasing Little Man around the pool to make sure he keeps his floaties on, doesn't drink the pool water, doesn't pee or poop in the water and doesn't splash the babies in the face.
So on Sunday, I buy 2 swimsuits, a swimcap and a pair of goggles. I had to look up, How to Put on a Swimcap on YouTube...because I didn't have a clue and you can find anything on there! Very helpful and saved me a ton of embarrassment in the locker room. :D
Monday / First day, 3 women are enrolled (me secretly hoping we're all on the same skill level & glad there were no guys in the class) and I'm the only one there (at first) so I thought, "Cool, personal training on the first day!"
Coach P is great! Here's his bio listed on the club's website:
P was an Olympic Trials qualifier in the 200 Meter Backstroke and World ranked in several events, including the 200 Backstroke and 400 IM. A scholarship graduate of the University of Cincinnati, P has trained under several Olympic coaches throughout his career, notably Frank Busch (2008 Assistant U.S. Olympic Coach) and Jack Nelson (1976 U.S. Olympic Head Coach). P has been involved in all levels of coaching, including Head Age Group Coach, Masters Swim Coach, and Private Instructor. He is currently a member of The Woodlands Masters Swim Team, and has recently competed in Masters Nationals in both The Woodlands and Austin TX.
Wow! So I should be at Olympic level by the end of the month....right?! :D
Um, no.
Coach P - Your first drill is to swim 50 meters freestyle. That's down and back, so I can check your form, etc.
Me - That's like this right? (Me standing there doing my arms like I think I'm supposed to).
Coach P - Yes, that right. (I'm sure he's thinking, "Oh boy, we're starting from scratch with this one".)
So off I go, swimming along, trying to breathe, gulping in water with air and wondering, "how did I get so out of shape?" I was a runner and I've run 2 half marathons (granted its been a few years) how can I be this out of shape?!
I get to the end and Coach P is there waiting.
Coach P - How did that feel? (smiling)
Me - I'm already tired! (not smiling but happy I didn't drown)
Coach P - Are those new googles? I think you've left the plastic film on the lenses.
Me - Oh, yeh...um, here (handing him the plastic and feeling so silly).
Coach P - I bet you can see better now! (smiling)
Me - Well, I was so busy trying to get my stroke right and figure out how to breathe that I wasn't too worried about my vision. (smiling)
Coach P - O.K. Let's do the same thing again.
Me - O.K. (me thinking - If I do the same thing again, I'll sink to the bottom of the pool!)
By my 2nd drill, one of the other girls showed up. She was in great shape! But she's been doing this longer. Coach P asked her to do three 75's and something else I totally didn't understand and off she went. I sat there and watched how she did her breathing to try and figure it out. She made it look so easy!
Later, when Coach P and I were discussing my taking in water, she was so nice and told me how she went through the same thing when she started. That made me feel better!
So we worked on my stroke, my hands, my rolling of the shoulders, my kick, my calves that were cramping...basically everything. But by the end of class, my form was better and I learned how to roll my shoulders better so I'd have my face up out of the water more to get a good breath in.
Coach P even said I have "a natural feel for the water". (Me beaming) And my classmate said, "he never told me that!" (pat, pat, pat <----- me patting myself on the back).
This mermaid is going to kick some butt by the end of the month! :D
(Now where's my heating pad and Motrin?)
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