I enlisted a good friend who is an avid swimmer to teach me the basics and critique my stroke. Kelly met me at the YMCA last Sunday and did her best to ensure that I make it across the lake without requiring CPR. "Bring your elbow up higher, rotate your body more, keep you head closer to the water." She even went under water to see what I was doing with my arms and evaluate my kick. "You'll be fine!" she said. After an hour, I felt like maybe I could do this.
A retired swim coach was helping my the next week where I swim at the VA, which is 5 minutes from home. A woman with 2 young kids asked what we were doing, and when I told her I was doing a triathalon she said, "have you done one before?" I bravely replied, "no". She gave me a fist bump and said, "you're awesome!" Maybe I can do this.
Sundays I go to the local college pool and run under water with a friend, who it turns out was also an avid swimmer for years. So we now spend half of our time doing laps. She said my stroke was good but I'm still swimming inefficiently and one day it would all click. "You'll be fine!" she said.
Sometimes people say you'll be fine when they know that you won't. What do I think?
I quote The Beatles: "I get by with a little help from my friends." (OK, maybe a lot of help.)
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