No hidden talent here

Ok, so since the triathlon almost a month ago now, I have not submerged my body into the pool. Jenny, my sister and Mrs. “Wasn’t that swim so nice and relaxing” after we met up at our bikes for the transition from swimming to biking. Uh… no it wasn’t. I do not call getting knocked in the face repeatedly by the same lady, I swear she was attracted to me like a polarized magnet, relaxing or nice. Not to mention my inability to stay on course, which resulted in my endless zig-zagging across the lake, which means I really swam more like a mile instead of the half.

Unlike me, Jenny can swim. We like to say, she “got the swimming gene” from my Dad. My Dad boggles my mind, as he can swim really, really well, but chooses not to anymore. He swam for the swim team in high school. During my childhood in Minnesota we frequented a Crystal Lake, an ironic name for a mucky seaweed filled swimming area. He used to impress us with his ability to hold his breath for extended periods of time, circling and twisting about us as we tried to spot him, anxiously waiting for his head to pop out of the greenish brown water. He did the Chicago Triathlon in his fifties without much training at all for the swim. And yet now, a hip replacement later, he doesn’t seem interested in swimming at all. Augh! I would kill for that ability. Let me tell you, I use up all of the abilities that I have. I cannot think of one talent or skill that I possess in which I chose to ignore. I try to use up anything I have each and every day. I actually keep hoping I will find something else that I possessed a hidden talent for and didn’t realize it. Like maybe I could make amazingly beautiful and tasty cakes, (nope, I tried that one) or perhaps I would be a fabulous belly dancer. You never know. That one I have yet to try out.

A good friend of mine, Veronica, does Ironman Triathlons. She is an incredible inspiration to me and so humble and low key about it all too. She is single and actually groans when people try to set her up with male triathletes. She just doesn’t like to talk about it all that much. One particular male friend was so interested in her bike that she felt he wanted to date her bike and not her! The great part about her story is she competes in these events to spend time with her dad Jack. Jack is around 68 years old. (I think this is right from what I remember V saying, but it is hard to tell, as he is obviously in great shape and looks much younger.) He has completed something like 15 full Ironman competitions all around the world. I need to get back into that pool because I really would like to do an Ironman someday too, 2.4 mile swim, 110 mile bike and a 26.2 mile run. I think I could do it. Honestly, for me it would be a great excuse to spend more time with Veronica.

Part of what is keeping me out of the pool right now is two men that work there. Both of them are convinced that lessons from them will take me “to the next level in swimming.” Does this illustrate how pitiful I must look in the water? I keep telling them, “Hey guys, my goal here is to one, stay afloat, and two, not to drown. As I work on those goals my last effort is poured into not throwing a massive temper tantrum. ” It is hard to gear yourself to go swim when you know someone is critiquing each lap. Neither of them knew that I was training for a triathlon as I felt they would explode with sales pitches highlighting my improved abilities under their care and supervision once they were privy to that knowledge.

I’ll keep you posted. I swear someday I will be a beautifully strong and technically correct swimmer, but it will have to be at my own pace. Then , I will be ready to do a bigger event with Veronica and maybe Jack. Until that day, I will continue my Karate Kid type drills, believing that perseverance has to be at least as important as skill in my effort to get closer to that Ironman. I guess I better get back into the pool this week. I don’t have the gene and I’ve got work to do.