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| My Kayaker Risked Life and Limb to Get This Shot. No, Really |
One of the things that has been strongly recommended by people who, like, actually know what they're doing, is that I need to get in some open water practice.
Dear oh lord are they right.
I blew off a morning session in the pool today in favor of an open water swim (I spent about the same amount of time in the water, by the way!) after work.
It was amazingly good fun.
I had tried a swim on Saturday in this lake. The air was cold and the wind was high enough that there were little whitecaps, even though the lake was really only about 4 miles by a half mile. But Saturday was a little bit of a challenge. I wasn't sure of what I wanted to do for training and was really only getting in the open water to see what it was like.
I had a great time, and I learned a few things for the next training session.
Today, I took close to an hour swim. The day was much warmer (as was the water), and as you can see, the lake couldn't have been more calm without being an actual swimming pool. The orange paddle is from the kayaker (my darling, supportive husband) who braved the unstable kayak to take a few pics.
I have learned something.
I cannot sight for crap.
Oh, I'm trying and trying and practicing and practicing, but the movement is still new enough I cannot get into that zen swimming groove that is so awesome.
And swimming in the lake was so much fun that I didn't really care.
I loved it. There is something that is so much more... real about swimming in an open body of water rather than a pool. I want to do it again tomorrow night. I know I need to get open water practice for my Kingdom Swim (I'm doing the baby Son of a Swim) in a couple of weeks.
I'm so eager to do it again. I know I don't sight well, and I need to practice. I can't wait until I do it well enough that I can get in the zone swimming in the open water like I do in a pool.
As my grandmother would have put it, when I'm out there on the water, I'm happy like I had good sense.
4 comments:
It's probably easier swimming on top of the water. I've never been able to do that. Sometimes there's neat stuff on the lake-bottom, tho'.
I am so proud of you, Noel! I'm glad you're able to get into the lake for practice--I know it's quite different than the pool! By the way, your Nannie would be proud of you too! xoxo ♥
I am blessed with the ability to float extraordinarily well. It helps. When I get tired, I roll over on my back and just do a litte backstroke or get my Captain Webb on an do some breaststroke.
Fantastic. Great that your husband was there to kayak!
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