Dear Dr Psycho

Dear Dr Psycho

I had a dream that I had a bad reaction to a piece of paper waved under my nose.
It made me react by investigating swimming lessons, and pool availability.
The worst of it was that I dreamed that I ended up standing on a windswept beach surrounded by hordes of people in yellow lycra with the logo of skull and crossbones going "Aaargh!"

I used to be a runner, and after 2 years in remission I felt I was recovered.
I discovered cycling and realised that 65 miles left me with no reaction (other than an inability to sit down).

I have an inate fear of the water. I fear that I might
a) get clean
b) sign an application form by accident

Is there any help?

What? Remove the saddle from the bike so it doesn't cause ahem "contact damage".

Did 2 sports today.

6 miles jog. Yes a dead slow 9m/m jog. I'm aware that getting any level of running fitness back will take a long-ish time.

Then.....

I....

Swam...

Shocked? I was.

My target was 16 lengths of crawl. I failed.
I did 2 lengths (nearly) before catching a mouthful and losing it. I'm far more relaxed in breast stroke or even lady stroke. Every now and again I'd convince myself to have another go at crawl for a length.
So, 16 lengths in 16 minutes. Underwhelmed, to say the least.
Then I thought about having spent £4.40 to get in and decided that I needed to do another set.
32 lengths in...32 minutes. That's a PB!
Half a mile swimmed, with maybe 7 lengths on crawl.

So 152 lengths at that pace will take me 32 minutes longer than cut off............

Way to go!

A LOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG way to go.

M...eldy wrote (see)

Lol!  Its like starting from scratch ... the swimming will likely be the most difficult as it is mainly technique based

Dependant on your learning style I would start by looking at the www.swimsmooth.com website which I found quite useful

The old running advice of 'slow down' also applies to swimming

Keep at it, its great fun 

okay then .... speed up   

Children take around 9 months to a year to learn how to walk. It's all about putting the hours in. So far I think I've not even reached the bum shuffle stage with my swimming. However, there has been progress over the past 5 years.

Just not much.

I am prepared to try.

That's the difference.

Before a child walks they shuffle across the floor on their bum.
Just watch a pirate gathering in the pub after a few beers.

My "swimming" is at the stage where I need to be taught how to do it.
I know that.

I have asked the two expert swimmers in our house to help, and they were unsympathetic. I suppose keel hauling is out of the question?

Meldy is right - most people do windmill their arms and would do better if they were to slow them down.

Do you have access to a pull buoy? It will hold your legs up while you concentrate on getting your arms right, but it is best to only use them for a few lengths as some people use them too much and then never learn how to swim without them.

I'm not competitive, not one bit.

Wifey just did the 2.5km swimathon in 60 minutes.

16yo daughter (who doesn't train at all now) did it in 46 minutes.

feck

Blisters - nice to see you back to some sports. I'd advise you to take that headband off when you swim, its sucking up water and slowing you down !

The swimming takes a bit of time to improve, I'm still carp but I get out the lake with about 50% of the folks ahead of me now rather than 75% of them.