Every year my husband swims across the pool length in one breath - 25 yards. Every year I try to see how far I can go and I can get to almost 2/3s of the way across, so about 17-18 yards. I know I tried last year and it was about the same as always. But, because I wanted to see if it was better this year, I tried again. I was shocked to see that I was beginning to feel the panic of "I need air!" just a few feet from the wall. I pushed myself a a few more seconds and touched the wall. I did it! Swam the length of the pool without coming up for a breath.
This probably shouldn't be a big deal, but when it's such a big change from what I could do before, it's noteworthy - or, in this case, blog post worthy.
When I got to about halfway across, my husband took notice and started swimming (free style) beside me. He saw me make it across and gave me a high five. I didn't know he was there, but was happy to see him witness it because I was shocked with myself!
I asked my husband if he felt it was that I was stronger, or that I had less body to pull across the pool, but he said no, neither of those. It's that I have more cardio vascular fitness. And, that is true, of course. I wasn't even trying that hard to be efficient. In the beginning I was seeing more how far I could glide before needing to take another stroke, but then I decided to really go for it when I saw I was fairly close to the wall. I could probably do it without feeling like, "I need air now!" if I tried to be more efficient in my underwater swimming and that is a huge change from before - huge!
It all just reaffirms that I've come a long way and that I can still go a long way too because no way am I super fit or super strong. The body is an amazing machine and I'm just beginning to treat it right and use it properly.
Stats for 7/9/12:
Highest weight: 275 Now: 172.0
Wonderful--I felt like I was right there with you!
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