Swimming Laps

Pool 

It's been about ten days and I've made the 500mtr mark swimming laps.

I started off in a 25 metre pool, beginning with with the modest goal of six laps of the pool (150 metres). One the first day, I thought my lungs would explode after doing the first 25metres, gasping, eyes bulging and wondering what the hell I was doing in this environment unsuitable for humans.

I suppose I thought back to the glory days when I could do 800mtrs fully clothed (with shoes),without stopping, as part of my lifesaving certificate. Wooss! So I pressed on and did a rather painful 150 metres..... rather slowly.

From that point it's just been a matter of adding a couple of extra laps. The second day was a little better, the third day better still, the fourth etc etc. Today I made it to 20.

It can get deadly boring, looking at the black line pass underneath you. One is wondering churning through the water when that darned wall will appear. Then there it is like a welcome friend becking with open arms.

I'm still not able to do the 20 laps without stopping, I'll take a break now and then. Today it was eight laps, six laps, six laps....... I still remember that ghastly first day. One lap, stop, feel heart about to explode out of chest and puff, one lap, puff some more, another bloody lap,I'm too old for this, one lap, I do look fat don't I?..... better do another lap take a break and do the LAST LAP! I felt ill for a good hour afterwards.

It did get easier and now I must admit I'm sort of enjoying it. Still not able to pace up and down like some people doing 40 pretty slow laps non-stop but hey I'm getting there. Sometimes I stuff my breathing rhythm up, I usually do three strokes (left and right which I think as six strokes) and then have to start doing a breath per stroke, which is more an indication of my cardio vascular system than anything else.

But yep, it's becoming fun, I'm feeling better and my hair is getting that dried out bleached chlorine look.