Triathlon Training Day 19 – Lights Out

Because Elevate Fitness is closed for the Thanksgiving break (glad they are spending time with family) I decided to branch out and went swimming at VASA. Even though eLearning Brothers has corporate passes I’ve never been to the facilities. I was surprised by how expansive to was. After changing I entered the pool. It’s not as nice as the rest of the gym. The bottom of the pool looks like it has rust or something on it. The water was clear enough so I jumped in and started swimming. Each stroke I tried to remember all the things that Coach Marci has taught me so far:

• Reach up almost full length
• Shoot my hand into the water
• Flip hand down
• Pull downward to hip
• Push past hip
• Flip hand out of water
• Breath out under water
• Breathe in on left side in the “Breathing Pocket”
• Roll to side
• Zip Up the Zipper (See this post)
• Repeat for other side

This is more to remember than golfing.

I made it to the other side of the pool and realized there was a clock. So I timed myself. I’m happy to report that I made it 1 whole minute (yes I did say 1) without jumping out of the water like a humpback whale looking for the life saving gas called oxygen.

Next I decided to test my distance instead of time. So I set a goal of making it down and back. Attempt #1 – I made it down….and that’s about it. Attempt #2 I made it down… and about 5 feet from the wall before water shot up my nose and Curtis the Humpback breached the water again. I was determined but I had to think smart. So I stationed myself on the side of the pool with the clock and didn’t swim but just practiced my breathing. Face in the water, breath out under water, turn to the left breath in, repeat, repeat, repeat. The goal was to be able to do this for five minutes straight without transforming into the surface breaching whale once more. I made it five minutes and then even went seven just to make sure.

This gave me a little confidence and so off I went. The first length of the pool came without any nose inhaling incident. I made the turn and kept going. The anxiousness started to build half way through but I wasn’t about to let that stop me. I kept going and made it to the other side. Wahoo! Not a big accomplishment for most humans on the planet but, for me this was a big step in the right direction.

Ok, so if I can do two lengths I surely can do three. Attempt #1 – I made 1.5 lengths. Attempt #2 – about the same. Attempt #3 I grab the little leg buoy and start my race across the pool. I make the first length, then the second, I am nearing the home stretch of length #3 and the lights in the gym go out. Stunned I quickly get out and rush to the locker room. These lights are still on and so I grab my towel, run to the showers and take a very short shower – just enough to get some chlorine off my body. I head back to the locker and change just in time for the locker room lights to go out. I shout some comment about not being a bat (I’m a humpback of course) and could someone please turn on the lights. My own words are the only thing that echos back. “Hello?” I shout again with a little trepidation this time again. No response. At this point I wish I had echolocation to be able to navigate the pitch black locker room. I remember my phone and am grateful for the little LED on the back. I finish putting on my socks and shoes and walk out into a perfect movie set for “Holiday Workout Zombie 3”. I was completely alone in this gigantic gym. Winding my way past the basketball courts, racquetball courts, yoga gym and through the machines for abs, legs, biceps, triceps, obliques, and every other body part you can imagine. I finally made my way to the front. This is when a little concern started to build because the doors were all locked. Nothing like the panic in the water that I felt repeatedly for the hour prior but, it was concerning. Luckily I found a door that could unlock from the inside.

I called VASA corporate headquarters and let them know that one of their front doors was open. They apologized profusely and said they would send someone right over to lock up again