Learning to swim

I learned to swim when I was a kid, and I'm still learning. It's one heck of a curve!

When in Sydney, it was like I was demoted back to grade one. Three of us - I won't name the other two but you know who you are - were in the 'slow' lane. That wasn't fair to the 9, 10, 11 year olds who motored by us repeatedly. There was nothing to do but laugh - and wear fins, big, huge fins.

Today I began swimming a master's squad here in Squamish. It's the first time I've swum with anyone for years.

It was also the first time I've skulled or backstroked for years.

Usually I get in the pool and swim - front crawl. It's basically worked but with every approach to training, a bit of differentiation is needed from time to time. Right now I do need, want to improve my technique and I simply can't do that on my own.

So the plan is to swim with the squad - three coached sessions a week for the next few months. I'll restrict my use of my pull buoy and paddles during these sessions. But I'll still use them to help me on the days/mornings that I decide to drop in to swim on my own.

I like the serenity that comes with swimming on my own. That's especially true at this time of year when it's pitch black outside and there's a chill in air an inch above the covers.