Day 42

Have you ever needed to do something that you just weren't very good at or have much experience doing? Maybe it's changing a flat tire, or learning a new language. Maybe you need to cook a meal for a date you wanted to impress, and aren't exactly Emeril or Rachel Ray material. Maybe you have to do something new at work that you haven't done before or been trained on. I think most people have been in this type of situation, and it can be frustrating, scary, and possibly a bit embarrassing.

For me, learning to swim as an adult fell into this scenario. Now, don't get me wrong- I have always been comfortable around and in the water. I could tread water in the lake with a beer in my hand all day. But swimming laps had never been something I needed or really wanted to do- until I decided to start triathalon.

So now I needed to learn how to swim in the lap lane instead of the "family" section of the pool. It was so hard at first, in so many ways. Physically, what looked like should be simple and easy wasn't. Just getting from one end of the pool to the next had me wheezing. I had always thought of swimming as a leisure activity...not. I was also very clumsy- I would swallow water and have to stop halfway down the lane, gagging and hoping nobody saw my epic fail. They did. I never had to actually have the lifeguard jump in and save me, but I know in my heart they paid special attention when I was in the pool...

I got to where I dreaded swim days. And that in turn resulted in less effective workouts. I didn't feel I was progressing, and was unsure what to do next. So I did what I have done in the past when faced with a new challenge- dig in and push forward doggedly until the goal is complete.

But it wasn't pretty. I had to swallow a lot of pride. And water. I would go to the pool, and if there was someone there that was a good swimmer, I would sit and watch them, focusing on their arm movements and how the hell they were actually getting a full breath of air and not water when they turned their head. I would get in the pool and watch them under water, trying to figure out how to kick my legs. I got on You Tube and watched videos called, "How to swim the freestyle", which were amazingly helpful. This resulted in prolonged showers, where I would practice in slow motion the moves I saw on the computer.

I tried to go a little bit further without gagging or stopping to wheeze each time I swam. And eventually, I got better. As I was in the pool today, I realized that what started as a frustrating, scary, and embarassing necessity became something I actually look forward to.

When I'm in the pool, there are no cell phones, no alarms, nobody asking me questions or wanting my attention. It's literally just me. The water blocks out almost all sound, and all I can see out of my goggles is the line at the bottom of the pool. Swimming also takes a lot of concentration, especially as I still consider myself a beginner and learner. This allows my mind to block out everything except the swim- no work, no money worries, no "did I check everything off my list today?' thoughts. It's a total focus on how my hands are hitting the water, am I turning my hips enough, and concentrating on keeping my hips high in the water so that my lower body doesn't drag. I never thought I'd say that I actually enjoy swimming, but it has turned out to be the sport I love best in the triathalon.

So today's picture represents how something that is unfamiliar and intimidating can be turned around with perserverance and a little humillity. Don't be afraid to swallow some water or embarrass yourself in order to accomplish something- you may be suprised at how things turn out.