Several months ago (Feb 9th to be exact) Matt was out of town and I was babysitting on a Friday night. I got all four kids down and settled into the quiet by doing some Internet research. My topic? Outlets for exercise. I think I had that I-ate-frozen-pizza-and-ice-cream-for-dinner yucky gut feeling and the twenty jumping jacks I did on our deck just weren't cutting it for me.
My first thought was yoga because it is absolutely how the cool kids are exercising nowadays. But it was too pricey, I didn't have the right clothes and I doubted my ability to bend my back while simultaneously raising my legs and arms, all while maintaining a face full of perfect serenity. Yoga was out.
Curves? I'm too young. T-ball? Too old. Basketball? Yeah right. And then, it came to me---like an electronic vision---the YMCA Master's Swim class. I could sign up as a program member and save hundreds in annual dues! A 6:00 a.m. start time saves me the hassle and guilt of leaving my kids with someone! And the website says all skill levels welcome!
Fast-forward two months and two dozen phone calls to the YMCA later (apparently they have never had anyone that wanted to just join the class without joining the YMCA although it is clearly an advertised option) and there I was standing by the pool, sleepy-eyed and nervous in my cheap Amazon training swimsuit.
I was the only one there not wearing a swim cap and apparently my goggles were on backwards (or so they told me). Heather, our tall, ridiculously thin swim coach, welcomed me to the class and asked me why I was there. This was how our conversation went:
Her: Are you training for a triathalon or something?
Me: No. I'm just a mediocre swimmer who wants to learn.
Her: That's cool. Why don't you just swim a few laps of freestyle and we'll see where you are.
So I jumped in the pool and swam several lengths of the breaststroke because in my mind I was thinking "freestyle means that you are free to swim any style you want to."
Maybe mediocre was an exaggeration, no?
That was a month ago and this morning something beautiful happened. I made it one whole length of freestyle without stopping. Granted, I'm still the only one in the class with my own lane (surprisingly enough, most people who are willing to get up at 5:30 to swim are actually good at it)and one length is nothing to write Grandma about, but I'm improving. In another few months I am hoping to be a slightly below average swimmer or maybe even slightly above mediocre.
At that point I'll celebrate and buy myself a swim cap. Or do something crazy like take up swim yoga or water T-ball.
4 comments:
The fact that you are waking up that early to go swimming alone is enough to write home to Grandma about. Duly impressed. I always, and never fulfill my exercise goals. Why is that?
Yes, I'm with Annie and am very impressed with your swimming at 5:30 in the morning bit. And I feel your pain: all of the kids in our family had to "pass porpois", the last level of swim classat the YMCA. Everyone did it. BUt me. Age 15 and still in flying fish, my mom let me get away with failure.
I think it's great you're showing such dedication in the wee hours of the morning. But I have three words for you that will increase your sleep time...double jogging stroller. Instead of driving the kids to the park everyday, you walk. Wha-la! Exercise mission completed.
Shelley, You are in inspiration to me.
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