This is not a theme I want to recur, ie., I stay out of the pool so long I can't stand it anymore, then I return and happily blog about it. That sounds like the recipe for standing still, or worse, getting behind.

But I had to work out some issues before I could see clear to go swimming again. So, today, I tagged along with my daughter when she went to work. She was a lifeguard for three hours; I thought I could swim during one of those. I was so proud going to the lifeguard to ask which lane I could swim in. No matter that the pool schedule said there'd be just one lane available for lap swim; there were actually four available lanes.

My watch is broken. The watch face is loose and sometimes it pops out altogether. I could feel the pressure of the water on my watch as I swam my first lap. I took it off after that, and looked at it after every lap. I turned on the timer before my 100 IM and quickly pressed the start button and pushed off the wall for my butterfly. I pushed myself hard for the whole IM and then pressed the button when I was done. The time read 0.00. I hadn't pressed start properly!

I have been out of the pool long enough that today was tough for me. I feel like I'm not floating as well either. Maybe, I think wistfully, I've lost some of my fat. Of course I asked my daughter to analyze my stroke. My swim insecurity is relentless. She told me that I move too much during my freestyle breathing. I am currently tilting my whole body on my freestyle breathing to get maximum air. I'll have to tone that down a bit and see how that works. I still found myself panting like a dog after my first freestyle lap.

Later on in my set I had an easier time with freestyle, but I never try to swim 100 after my warm up. There's still so much room for improvement. But I was very glad to make it back to the pool. I swam 1000 yards and got out, shoulders a bit sore.

It was a great start to the day, and I look forward to doing this again next Saturday.

Cross posted on www.imswimming.net