I Float!

This morning at 5:10 my alarm went off. After hitting the snooze button once, I got out of bed and picked up the bag I prepared the night before and headed out the door. It was too early to eat and I was too anxious to sit around and wait for the sun to rise before I left. On the way to the community center, I realized I forgot my goggles. Should I turn around?…. Na! I don’t anticipate swimming too long anyhow, I thought.

The parking lot was surprisingly full. As I was looking for a spot, I saw a few people walking toward the door. I wondered if they looked like swimmers. They all did. There’s a ten lane pool and I was worried that I wouldn’t get a lane! Who are these nuts swimming at 5:45am anyhow?

I made my way through the locker room and into the pool area. There were two lanes empty and a third just opening up. I was fortunate enough to get lane number one that had a ladder going into the water (maybe they all do, I don’t know). I’m in the water…. now what?

Last night, in anticipation of coming today, I found a video series on the youtube that is freaking awesome! There is a trainer that teaches “Total Immersion” perpetual motion swimming. Man, I can’t wait to try this. I get myself to the far end of the pool and practice just pushing off the wall for 45 minutes. This, according to his technique, is about feeling how the water holds my body and how little I need to kick my legs to stay afloat. What a feeling of weightlessness. I had to swim (or otherwise get myself) back to the wall in order to kick off again.

I didn’t feel rushed, I didn’t feel anxious about having to do laps, I didn’t feel pressure about not knowing how to swim, but I did float! Tomorrow I plan to do the same.

I had so much fun, I’m sitting in the office, contemplating on going again tonight. Maybe that’s the total immersion he’s talking about.