Crawling into the Vortex

Well, it happened. I think there is a chance that I now might like swimming . After weeks of cursing, choking on water, having near-panic attacks in water over my head, dealing with goggles that fill with water, and crashing into lane dividers, I heard myself say it yesterday. 

 I really wish that I had gone swimming today. I could go back to the gym, I guess. I'm really sorry that I didn't swim today. I saw myself standing on the edge of the vortex, looking deep, deep inside.

 I know that feeling. The wish that I could run just another mile, maybe sneak in an extra run later in the day or on a "rest day." Maybe planning a way to run an additional long run.

 In truth, I don't think that I really like swimming. I just love setting, meeting, and exceeding fitness goals. I started swimming 5 weeks ago tomorrow. I hated it. I cursed at the end of every lap. Neil said that I was going to get a reputation if I didn't watch myself! (You know how worried Neil is about his reputation and all!) I would choke and cough my way down the lane. I was afraid to put my face in the water. My neck would hurt. I could never do more than 2 laps of the crawl at a time, alternating with back, breast stroke, back, and then crawl again. It was shameful. All those years of swimming lessons and this was all that I could manage. It was like playing the piano in adulthood all over again. Sigh.

 Then in week 3 of my forced swimming experiment, I discovered that I could put my face in the water. Soon, I was doing 4 laps of the crawl in a row, then 8, and then 10. It began to feel more natural. My breathing was, indeed, rhythmic; I stopped coughing and I stopped wondering when I would reach the end of the lap. This week I worked myself up to 34 laps, then 50, and today? 60 laps of the crawl. My colleague, Mark, is an experienced swimmer. He gives me valuable pointers on breathing, goggles, bathing caps, lap counters, workout routines, and the like. It has been extremely helpful to have an occasional coach when needed (after all, Drake doesn't have much experience with goggles). 

 So, it's official. In addition to being a crippled runner, I'm now a swimmer. It's actually a good combination for now, because the stress fractures are putting up quite a fight. My biggest challenge these days is just getting that damned swimming cap on my head. I've been thinking, maybe I should throw caution to the wind and just get something like the picture below. Yes?
Courtesy of Headcovers Unlimited.

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