I wanted to update this post with a little note to say that I am really really really enjoying swimming! Have weaved it into the morning routine and getting to a 6:30am swim with my amazing colleague Jaselyn. She’s a pro and taught me to go the distance by swimming slower with the mantra in mind “I’m going to have an easy swim today”.
On Monday morning I swam the furthest so far since I started swimming in late May. Perhaps by the time summer comes along I’ll feel ok to try ocean swimming. Now if only I can overcome my irrational but very real fear of sharks…
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To add to my suite of exercise activities I’ve started swimming. Encouraged by my courageous colleague Jaselyn who is a pro triathlon competitor, I have begun following the straight line and getting some lap time in.
Luckily, I have found the perfect swimming partner in Caitlin – considerably more competent than I and experienced in swim training… the ideal training partner because I know she would be capable of dragging me out should I start to flounder or get a cramp! I realised I have not swum a distance since 1998 at my school swimming carnival…
I had my first taste of swimming when I was in Sydney for Mother’s Day at the 25m pool at my parent’s apartment. But my first real pool time with Cairty was last Sunday at Fitzroy Swimming Pool, an outdoor location with a 50m pool, perfect for catching the last autumn afternoon sun. It wasn’t very crowded and there were plenty of lanes available for casual laps.
There are lanes dedicated to play, slow, medium, fast lap times.
I contemplated the play lane and, decked out in my black Speedo costume with goggles on head, I realised I was perhaps misleading in my costume because at the moment of choosing lanes I didn’t feel ‘qualified’ to wear such garb on my first day swimming! So I started in the slow lane wearing my ‘fast’ cossie. The pole dancing must be working a treat because I managed to move over into the medium lane… and then back to slow then the fatigue began to set in after the first 200 metres.
Last Friday morning we ventured into the darkness for a 6:45am swim at indoor Melbourne City Baths and it was not half as unpleasant as that hour of the morning sounds. Given that I usually get up at 5:45am to make spin it was kind of like a sleep in for me! The pool here is 30m long and a little more crowded so it’s harder to count the distance covered. Not that I am up to counting yet, I’m just aiming to get through half an hour of laps without feeling like I may have dropped a lung at the bottom of the pool.
For our next swim we may try Richmond pool as another indoor alternative although we are fond of the outdoor Fitzroy pool, even though it is a little chilly in the air. But I’ll keep updating the swimming progress and come to a decision about which pool to commit to!
This is a wonderful form of exercise I’m really enjoying. There is no impact on the joints and I feel kind of ‘floaty’ after I get out of the pool and not heavy like after spin. the cardio workout is amazing and I’m using smaller muscles I forgot about which is good too. The best part has been gaining a lovely new friend – thank you Caity for inspiring me to dive right in.
So, what do I bring to the swim training team? Well, I hope it’s my enthusiasm and commitment to the times we schedule in. I think I could very well become addicted to the swim.
*Note: I wanted to take pics of the pools but I felt creepy. So I didn’t.
The Value-Add 
You have certainly got plenty of energy Kimbereley! I keep saying I will take up swimming (I can’t swim at all) but I keep puting it off. It would do wonders for my joints. I really must pluck the courage up (from somewhere:)) Well done to you for keeping so fit (and actually enjoying it!)
Thanks! Although the energy comes from being active so once you’re in the rhythm it becomes ingrained thank goodness, I don’t know if I could sustain it if the struggle to get out of bed in the first few days of exercising remained as challenging!