The Last Minute That Just Elapsed

Went swimming even though there's snow on the ground and I had an inkling that the water would be cold. I stood in the pool for a few seconds hoping that the water would suddenly warm up but it didn't and I submerged.

I worked on my front crawl swimming and remembered how my teacher used to say that I could breathe as often as I needed which translates, in my mind, as I can breathe anytime I want to. Once I reframe it this way, I'm able to breathe better.

Even though I wish I had learned to swim much earlier, I so enjoy my time in the pool and there's nothing that you can do about the past. You can't even have the last minute back that just elapsed.

It took me an hour to get in 20 laps.

Maybe these FINA-approved suits from Swim Outlet will help me swim better???







My swimming suit is actually getting looser. It's time to make some alterations before a wardrobe malfunction occurs.

Loughborough Ave.

As I was heading down 55 South, I passed the Loughborough Ave. exit and whenever I pass this exit, I can't help but think about when I was exiting to go to my swimming class at the YMCA. I can still hear my swimming teacher Jim say I want you to strive to get to the end of the pool.

Later on, Jim basically threw down the gauntlet and told me that I was not to stop and I was thinking that there was no way that I would make 25 yards doing the front crawl and I didn't make it that time but I didn't put my feet down either; when I felt like I could no longer breathe, I simply starting doing a breaststroke-like action. I'm quite fond of combo styles. If I get tired of doing the breaststroke, I'm liable to resort to the sidestroke about 12.5 yards into the effort.

I was traveling down 55 South because I was headed to the Mehlville pool which also made me remember how Jim and Shannon used to jump right into the water and I'm beginning to think that they had the right idea. Just jump in. Adjusting to the water is worse when you try to, no pun intended, wade in the water. Mehlville tends to keep their water quite chilly and I was staring to ponder the benefits of a wetsuit. Well, today, the water was just right. While the water was right, I wasn't. I struggled to swim 16 laps in one hour.

I had the pool to myself until two girls got in. One girl was about eight or nine years old but rocking the butterfly and back crawl. She rocked about everything as a matter of fact. In fact, she looked like a future Olympian.

I love to watch people swim the butterfly. It's poetry in motion.

Sappy Letter to My Swimming Teacher

Yes, I did it. I sat down, typed a thank you letter to my swimming teacher, addressed and stamped the envelope and deposited it in one of those blue boxes.

Jim was actually my second swimming teacher. I had taken one other class at another Y but I was getting nowhere fast because of thin instruction even though I liked the teachers who, for awhile, took a tag team approach until one had to leave for school.

I decided to sign up at the Carondelet Y and see what lessons were like there. The moment Jim opened his mouth, I knew that I was staying put. He asked us about our swimming experience and he was all show-and-tell. He demonstrated a move and expected us to follow suit. I had my face in the water within three minutes.

In my letter, I even thanked him for pushing me underwater once when we were exploring the deep end. I used to fear the deep in. I would practice my fresh swimming skills and stop at the line that separates the shallow end from the deep end; that line might as well have been railroad tracks in a segregated town because I had the hardest time crossing it and no one really said that one would not sink like a stone. When Jim pushed me under, it took quite a bit of effort on his part which put my mind at ease. He also reminded me about a person's unchanging buoyancy.

During my second swimming class, I sometimes felt like I was in a football game -- a running back with an escort since Jim would swim at my side once he convinced me that he had enough confidence for both of us that I could do the front crawl for 25 yards.

At times, felt like I was in swimming boot camp but I've only made it 25 yards doing the front crawl twice and Jim was escorting both times.

Since I'm in thanking mode, I want to acknowledge my friends Hazira and Lori for accompanying me to the pool, supporting me while I learned to float and giving me crucial pointers. I know it's trite to say but I could not have done "it" without them.