A couple of days ago I took Veronica to swimming lessons. This was the first time I've stepped into an indoor pool area that isn't solely intended to entertain guests at a hotel in around 10 1/2 years and the slap in the face and burning sensation of chlorine in the air made me immediately reminse the memories of my swimming days. As I was standing there thinking about the echos in the pool area and the muffled sounds of being under water hearing the screams of my team mates and mentally looking through the wet lenses of my goggles, I was gently reminded by Veronica's teacher that I could watch the lessons from the viewing deck (as she pointed to the windows over looking the pool area). As I watched lessons that day and over the next day I thought more about those memories and how much I enjoyed the water. So yesterday I found the lap swimming schedule, and purchased my new swimming cap and my new goggles. After I got my family put to bed I silently tried on the very last practice swim suit I bought just before the end of swimming season those 10 1/2 years ago and did a happy dance when it STILL FIT!!!! I was giddy, in my mind, this swim suit still fitting meant that I hadn't lost anything over the last decade, I was going to rock the pool! I immediately started planning my workout and how long I was going to swim for.... (warm-up for about 10 minutes, hard swim for about 35, cool down for about 10 more minutes). When my husband came home from work last night, I told him I was leaving the house to be at the pool at 5:00 am and would be home before he had to leave for work!
I snuck out of the house at 5:15 this morning still having the same giddy feeling I did last night. Nothing could burst my bubble! After getting to the Y, finding my way to the women's locker room, getting all of my swimming gear on and getting into the pool it was 5:30, not quite as early as I planned, but still better than nothing right?! I dipped my toes in the pool to find that it was a comfortable temperature, not near as cold as our morning practices at Falls High School were, and I jumped right in. Four strokes into my first lap my lungs felt like they were collapsing and I'm sure the lifeguard was sitting in her chair laughing her ass off at this girl that walked in like she owned the place, swimming cap, goggles and a racing swim suit as she was sputtering and gasping for air before she had even made it half way across the pool! That was the end of my free-style for the day. I proceeded to fill my next 15 minutes with the breast stroke and back stroke so I didn't have to put my face under the water again this morning. I went a whopping 150 yards this morning, at least, I hope I swam at least that much and didn't just imagine it. By the time I drug myself out of the pool my legs felt like jello, my chest hurt and I was mortified! POP --- bubble burst! Apparently the last 10 years have not been as good to me as I had hoped or they had been too good and I never thought I needed to do any physical activity, but regardless, I sure am glad I was at the pool at 5:00 am when there were 5 people there to witness me make a fool of myself instead of the 7:00 pm open swimming time when there are more people watching through the viewing deck that I would care to witness me make a fool of myself! I'm going back tomorrow, of course, I'm a glutton for punishment, but those memories and that smell, seems to be pulling me back.
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