Swimming and Distraction

Can you believe it? I have 4 more hours and I’m done with the swimming lessons. I still can’t get the freestyle breathing right and I think the back of my shoulder blades are hurting again when I tried to do free style (front crawl). This evening I was very excited about going to the pool because it’s after all, a very hot day. Along the way, as I was driving, I played Josh Groban’s album and I got teary eyed. Of course my emotions resembled a roller coster especially after watching that episode of Ally McBeal where the man whom she was supposed to marry just disappeared. In that episode, she was trying to encourage this other character to sing solo after the girl he loved decided to go to prom with another man. Josh Groban played the role of that young man. Almost at the end of that episode, she encouraged him (and herself) that they would love again. I was already tearing up even then. So, the music kept playing in my mind even when I was walking to the pool. I was so distracted till I forgot to remove my shirt before entering the pool. I had to go home later in the evening wearing the wet shirt over my wet swimsuit. Yes, it’s important to be able to laugh at oneself. Obviously the Josh Groban fever hasn’t ended. But it’s really not about him since I don’t know him personally. It’s his voice that has a Mr.Darcy effect on me. 

Speaking of Mr.Darcy, yes.. It makes me smile just seeing Pride and Prejudice at the bookstore… Because it reminds me of Mr. Darcy. So perhaps I should read P&P when I listen to Groban’s albums. 

I recall telling one of my juniors (in the past) that if I got married, the song I would choose is “beauty and the beast”… Because I would expect to be the beast getting married to the beauty. But what about the romantic waltz scene (cartoon waltz scene…romantic? But it’s true…) Since I’m stiff like stick, my perfect scene would be a duet with that someone who probably still doesn’t exist in my life. (But not just any voice….)

That Rare Moment

It was utter madness with too many kids swimming around the pool and splashing here and there. I couldn’t really concentrate and in the end, I was thankful that my instructor considered this session as a practice and not a lesson. Somehow all the screaming etc… made me tense and I couldn’t relax, which obviously is important in order to float and swim.

However, later in the session, I managed to come up for air but it was too fast. I didn’t have time to inhale because I was still exhaling. Then again, at least, I managed to do it…

Next session, I’ll be moving on to learning flutter kicks, just to get the pressure off me first.

Coming Up For Air

I have completed 10 lessons and I’m still at the breathing stage. It’s quite hilarious actually because sometimes I think even a turtle finds it easy to come up for air. There I was doing a kick, exhaling underwater,…and I do the pull but I forget to come up for air. The first few times, I couldn’t even get my head up the water, so I couldn’t inhale.

During my practice session yesterday, I finally managed to get my head out of the water but I forgot to inhale and my head went down in a big splash – and I forgot about the arm movements. Ah!….Breaststroke, why art thou so difficult?

My instructor said that maybe I still get a little nervous in the water,… I guess so. Tomorrow, I’ll have to give it another try. It’s been so windy in the evenings lately. In other words,…it’s cold to be in the pool for a long time, especially with the wind blowing.

Here’s hoping that I can do it by Saturday. I need to remember what my pastor said. “Water is your friend.”

Aquaphobic No More

Today I had my 9th swimming lesson in the morning. Of course, people who are not afraid of water would laugh at me for still not being able to master breaststroke. Meanwhile, I’ll give myself a pat on my back because it’s been worth the effort overcoming the fear of water.

Just 2 months ago, I couldn’t even submerge my nose. I spent an entire lesson trying to be comfortable in the water and a few more lessons to be able to submerge my head and hold my breath. Even stepping into the water in the pool (3 feet deep), I could feel the adrenalin going and my pulse was racing.

I’m still trying to coordinate the arm and legs movement and will very likely go for practices in mid-week. Hopefully by the 10th lesson, I can incorporate the breathing into the movements. But it’s very liberating now that I don’t feel my pulse racing when I’m in the water.

A Little Distraction or Inspiration

Just giving myself some distraction. If he was my instructor, I probably wouldn’t be able to concentrate. I might just stand there, star-struck.