Learning how to breathe

It's been a year since I started an adult swimming class at the Y to prep for a team triathlon event. I remembered it being hard, and frustrating, but something I wanted to work on with real accountability, so it was a positive experience overall. My blog indicates early on that I could only swim 40-50 yards before needing a 1-2 minute breather. After the class, I remember working up to 60-75 yards at a time.

I've had another intensive swim clinic, a series of small breakthroughs and many, many laps in the pool since then to the point that today I swam 600 yards, all freestyle, with only 30-second breaks every 200 yards. I just can't believe it.

The most recent breakthrough was using my arms. Like, REALLY using my arms. Like, not kicking my feet at all and army-crawling across the length of the pool. It's an exaggerated illustration, but that's kinda what it feels like. When I pretend I'm a paraplegic climbing a rock wall, then I do better. Don't know exactly how. And I can get enough air. Somehow. Finally. Crazy awesome.