Pool Training! Or trying new things will keep you humble.

I have been spending so much time training that the training blog has been left by to languish, alone on the blogosphere…

No, seriously, I have been doing a lot of running (at least a lot for me, 40-45mi per week), but the real reason is my mum’s visit which has me spending more quality time with her (which is a good thing since I only see her once a year), and less quality time with my computer (which will still be here when she leaves).

As I’d previously mentioned, my first metatarsal joint has been really giving me grief, and so needed to try to have my insoles updated & get insoles for my regular shoes (in hopes that this will help) and it just so happens that my Podiatrist is the president of an athletic club here in town. While we were talking about my foot issue he of course began asking me normal questions like what my activities are and how many miles-per-week I run, etc. and he got so excited and insisted that I come to the pool to try things out.

My first try was a rude wake-up call. I know how to swim, like technically. I even saved the toddler-nephew of a dear friend of mine once when I noticed him sitting on the bottom of the deep end of the pool. But, I sort of forgot that I’m a wee bit freaked out about swimming with my head under water. Ok, not really, it’s more like I don’t like swimming with my head under the water once I start getting my heart rate up and get a little winded. Scared I can’t breathe and breathe in water, and well, I don’t have gills, so I just shouldn’t do that.

Despite my breathing issues, my first pool session went really well and I managed to swim a half a mile (with rests between lengths, obviously). Today was my second pool session, and I totally admit to wondering if I was going to go back…but I totally did and am very proud of myself. I feel like I am starting to “get it” as far as the rhythm goes, but recognize that my technique is pretty much non-existant. It’ll come.

Due to my schedule I can only go to pool sessions on Saturdays, so it’s hard to make any real progress with only one training session per week, but it’s better than nothing!

I also have a new training log – the one I was using was ok, but just had too many hiccups. I need to figure out how to get the new one up here on the blog to share.