New surroundings, fears, and reflections. November 22, 2005
Posted by Amber D. Evans in : Reflections, Blacksburg VA , trackbackWhy is it that new surroundings concerning swimming tends to freak me out?
I'm so used to swimming in the pool back home. I'm comfortable with it's outside noises, cold air and water, and the steady, solid black line that never seems to distort.
I'm far from home, and in a new pool; I have new reasons to freak out! The deep end is really deep–15 ft deep! You can't hardly see the black line. It's a wavy, distorted thing which only seemed to make it worse. Stranger still, I felt as though the water here in the new pool was thicker. WTF? How in the world? Water is water. There's no "thicker water here than there," right? My mind plays some seriously weird tricks on me at times.
I was more or less fine after 500 yards, but I constantly felt winded. It was kinda' like when you're in a race and you have adrenaline and can't quite get the rhythm at first. I ended up fine in the end.
It's interesting because I don't have any problem swimming in oceans or lakes. I've been waterskiing since I was 15, and generally playing around in rivers and lakes since I was just a wee tot. Most people get really nervous about lakes, rivers, and oceans. I can't see the bottom, so I think I just tell myself it's only 4 feet away and I blithely believe it. But give me a distorted black line that is visibly far away … well, that's a whole 'nother matter, me thinks.
For support, my hubby came along "to splash around in the water." He's never had formal swim lessons, and honestly you can tell. But for someone w/o formal training, he's actually got a few of the fundamentals down (like rolling shoulders and not slapping the water with his hands). He's so cute, though. He kinda' looks like a kid out there with his head popping up in front (not the side) to breathe, and with his splaying leg kicks. The goofy grin really gets me though. He has so much fun just splashing around. His stamina, however, could use some serious work. He was horribly winded after just 25 yards of doing the kickboard.
That gives me pause. I remember when I was horribly winded after doing my first 50 yards, just mere months ago. I knew I was a good swimmer over 10 years ago, but hadn't kept up with it. Starting back up was a shocker. In August I fretted, "How in the world was I going to be able to do 400 consecutive yards?"
Indeed, there's nothing like swimming to increase cardiovascular and overall mind-muscle control. Now, I'm even a better swimmer than I was 10 years ago. (I should give credit where credit is due: my coach, Preben Masochist, could make a fish a better swimmer!) In four short months' time,I can swim 2000+ consecutive yards. Crazy shiznit!
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