Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Swimming, swimming, but not in the swimming pool...
When I used to teach swim lessons we would have to sing songs with the kindergarten group before getting into the pool. My favorite was:
"Swimming, swimming in the swimming pool. When days are hot, when days are cool, in the swimming pool. Back stroke, side stroke, and fancy diving too. Oh, don't you wish that you could have nothing else to do. "
Well, on most days swimming is my favorite part of training and I do wish that I could have nothing else to do. However, Monday morning this fun little tune that typically runs through my head was not helping. My cousin, Meisha called at 7:45 am to say it was a little windy on the lake, but not too bad and she would kayak while I swam if I wanted to. Yes, another family member helping me train...I swear I am the luckiest person who trains for these races. So I got down to Meisha's house, pulled on the wetsuit, surveyed the lake...a little wavy...and jumped in. I wasn't too concerned with the waves, I had seen worse.
I did a race in Miami last fall where the swim was in the ocean and the waves were so fierce that the buoys got loose and floated into shore before my wave began. I just stood there laughing because what was the point in freaking out and worrying about it...you just have to accept that some days Mother Nature has a mind of her own. I had one of the best races that day because I didn't stress about it. I had no expectations and it worked out in my favor. The difference between that swam and the one I was experiencing Monday was the way the waves were moving. In Miami I had to swim out to the buoy (well, where it had been), then parallel to the shore until I hit the location of the once existing last buoy, and then back in. As the waves crashed in towards shore, you could turn your head toward shore to breath and then you got a nice little ride in at the end of the swim. My training swim here in Hamlin Lake consisted of me swimming directly across the lake and then coming straight back. I could still avoid sucking down water if I breathed to the opposite side of the waves, but no matter which way I was swimming, the waves were never with me. And in the middle of the lake it was even worse. Not to mention the boats that were out and about early that morning...their wake was definitely not helping the matter.
So instead of singing my typically motivating swimming song, I found myself searching for another means to keep me moving. I began thinking about that race in Miami. And then I replayed the 3-6 foot waves that were breaking at the buoys in Grand Haven a few weeks ago. You never know what the swim may consist of. This was good practice for anything, especially when Lake Michigan is involved! Even though this morning I was back to my song as I swam circles at the pool, dreading having to get out and go to work, I know getting thrashed around that morning, and any morning was well worth it. And not to mention the cute little couple who were sitting on a bench about 100 feet down from my cousin's house cheering for me when I got done swimming that morning. I looked tough swimming that morning...that's something Mother Nature doesn't have a say in.
"Swimming, swimming in the swimming pool. When days are hot, when days are cool, in the swimming pool. Back stroke, side stroke, and fancy diving too. Oh, don't you wish that you could have nothing else to do. "
Well, on most days swimming is my favorite part of training and I do wish that I could have nothing else to do. However, Monday morning this fun little tune that typically runs through my head was not helping. My cousin, Meisha called at 7:45 am to say it was a little windy on the lake, but not too bad and she would kayak while I swam if I wanted to. Yes, another family member helping me train...I swear I am the luckiest person who trains for these races. So I got down to Meisha's house, pulled on the wetsuit, surveyed the lake...a little wavy...and jumped in. I wasn't too concerned with the waves, I had seen worse.
I did a race in Miami last fall where the swim was in the ocean and the waves were so fierce that the buoys got loose and floated into shore before my wave began. I just stood there laughing because what was the point in freaking out and worrying about it...you just have to accept that some days Mother Nature has a mind of her own. I had one of the best races that day because I didn't stress about it. I had no expectations and it worked out in my favor. The difference between that swam and the one I was experiencing Monday was the way the waves were moving. In Miami I had to swim out to the buoy (well, where it had been), then parallel to the shore until I hit the location of the once existing last buoy, and then back in. As the waves crashed in towards shore, you could turn your head toward shore to breath and then you got a nice little ride in at the end of the swim. My training swim here in Hamlin Lake consisted of me swimming directly across the lake and then coming straight back. I could still avoid sucking down water if I breathed to the opposite side of the waves, but no matter which way I was swimming, the waves were never with me. And in the middle of the lake it was even worse. Not to mention the boats that were out and about early that morning...their wake was definitely not helping the matter.
So instead of singing my typically motivating swimming song, I found myself searching for another means to keep me moving. I began thinking about that race in Miami. And then I replayed the 3-6 foot waves that were breaking at the buoys in Grand Haven a few weeks ago. You never know what the swim may consist of. This was good practice for anything, especially when Lake Michigan is involved! Even though this morning I was back to my song as I swam circles at the pool, dreading having to get out and go to work, I know getting thrashed around that morning, and any morning was well worth it. And not to mention the cute little couple who were sitting on a bench about 100 feet down from my cousin's house cheering for me when I got done swimming that morning. I looked tough swimming that morning...that's something Mother Nature doesn't have a say in.
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