First day in the pool

Wisconsin Ironman 2009 is two years minus one week out. Original plan was to shoot for 2010, but three years out is two much. I think two years is long enough to go from couch potato to ironman.

My training began a week ago, I've put off starting this traing blog, so I'll have to backtrack to discuss this first week as well as my background and motivations. For now we'll discuss swimming.

I'm not a swimmer, never have been. I don't dislike swimming, it's just not one of my favorite things (although neither is biking, running, or exercise in general). So with a lot of prodding from the wife (an avid swimmer, and one who is more excited by this challenge than I) we headed down to the stoughton pool for a swim.

I can't swim, that's really what I feel like. I managed to swim about 14 lengths of the 25-yard pool, with a 1-2 minute break between lengths to catch my breath. In the middle of the swim I grabbed a kickboard or two and kicked about 600-yards with just one break. I pushed through this without a problem, but when I went back to the crawl, I needed a break every 40 yards or so (we were swimming across the pool at this point). I feel as though I'm fighting to keep from sinking the whole time.

Hopefully this will pass and I'll get more comfortable in the water. For the record, outside of grade school age swim lessons, this may be the first time I have ever swam a lap or attemped to swim any distance at all. I feel fine. Showered, came home had a snack and took a nap watching Michigan crush Notre Dame. Legs are a little tired, but nothing unusual.