I can swim, but not well. When I was kid, I had a lot of ear problems: infections, tubes, surgeries, etc. So I wasn’t allowed to go swimming for much of my youth. I did take swimming lessons, but I wasn’t very good at them, and since I never got a chance to practice…
Anyway, I am interested in doing a triathlon. In fact I would like to do an Ironman. I can run, and I cycle, but I can’t swim well. I mean I can slog my way across a pool, but I wouldn’t try to go out and swim 2.4 miles. I don’t think I would try swimming in open water.
So I finally said okay, and signed up for an adult swimming class and the local community center. Actually registration doesn’t start until next week, but I filled out the registration and dropped it in the drop box. So I should be in. It starts in June and last for 4 weeks, with a single hour long class each week. I figure it is a start. I will hopefully get some basic skills. Then I will need to practice by swimming laps I guess.
I am not sure what all they will cover in the class. I am mostly interested in freestyle. But I guess learning some of the other strokes might be useful. Maybe while swimming for 2.4 mile, I may need to switch to backstroke or something to rest the muscles I had been using. At least swimming for 2.4 miles, or for a little over an hour, will be the shortest event of the bunch.
One of my co-workers teaches the Total Immersion method of swimming at the local YMCA. I may hook up with him and get some more training there. I also have some of the total immersion books and videos.

Posted by Rob in Swimming on April 29th, 2008 |