Last night I swam laps for the first time since March 2010. I’ll let that sink in for a minute. March 2010. Twenty TEN. I’ve done a few sprint triathlons since then so I’ve been in the pool a couple times — but even I didn’t realize it had been THAT long.
Can I still call myself a triathlete if I never swim?
I’m not sure what made me stop swimming, but it’s probably a combination of factors. We have a membership at the Y and the lap swim hours are a bit constraining — plus the evening lap swim hours are in conjunction with rec swim, so you end up swimming laps while kids are splashing around next to you. The pool is outside, so it’s cold in the winter (although it’s heated) and like bathwater in the summer. I can’t listen to music or watch scenery or watch TV while swimming, so I get bored more easily. And swimming involves more overhead, like goggles and towels and the desire to avoid getting my car seats all wet on the drive home.
(As an aside: Can I also complain that my one-piece swimsuit doesn’t really fit? I don’t understand this one, since I have worn it before without issue. But yesterday when I put it on, it was too tight so I swam in tri gear instead. How is it possible that I’ve lost 20 pounds in the last 18 months and am currently 4 pounds away from my lowest adult weight EVER…and yet my lap swimsuit is now too small?? And while I’m at it, how it is possible that a 20 pound weight loss only drops me from a size 16 to a size 14? I guess I should be glad I haven’t had to replace my entire wardrobe, but STILL. Not fair, universe, not fair.)
But I think the biggest reason I unintentionally stopped swimming is that I get so little reward for my efforts. The most consistent my swim training has ever been was when I was preparing for the half ironman I did in 2007. I swam the 1.2 mile (2100 yards) course in 42:42, which is 2:01 per 100 yards. Last night after 15 months of NO swimming, I did 1600 yards in 32:49, which is 2:03 per 100 yards.
Now, I realize those two swims are not directly comparable. The half iron was 500 yards longer and in open (i.e. rougher) water, and I did it at slightly faster pace. Even though I could also argue that I was wearing a wetsuit, which would’ve made me faster, I was clearly in better swimming shape back then. But my point is this: if I can go 15 MONTHS without swimming and end up only a few seconds per 100 yards slower, what’s the point??
When I sign up for another long distance triathlon, I’ll need to swim just to build up my endurance. That’s why I opted for the duathlon a week ago instead of the triathlon with the 1000 meter open water swim. But when I’m just doing sprint races with swims of no more than 300-400 meters, saving 10 seconds on the swim just doesn’t matter. I’d rather spend time biking or running, where the effort I put into training tends to pay off in a much more significant way — and, conversely, where a LACK of effort also becomes rapidly apparent.
Still, those are all excuses. Swimming is great exercise and it’s an integral part of a sport I love to do. It’s time to claw my way back onto the swimming bandwagon.
funny you wrote this today. i am working on a blog post re: just this very thing. probably wont be one that makes me very popular but still 🙂
as far as the losing weight but possibly being bigger thing, thats actually easier to speak to. when one stops exercising/training, they tend to lose weight, but its muscle..not fat, therefore sometimes people might be lighter on teh scale, but bigger. make sense? happens to me EVERY single time i take a break (which isnt often, but still, it happens to me).
Each time I’ve taken a break, I’ve lost a few pounds — only to gain a couple back when the break ends, so I totally hear you. But though I haven’t been swimming, there’s been plenty of running and biking throughout the 18 months that I’ve lost the weight. It’s not like the entire 20 lbs was muscle.
I actually don’t pay too much attention to the clothing size. I’ve got wide hips and a large frame — I’m not convinced that even my skeleton could be a size 6. 🙂
I’m guessing that your swimsuit has lost some of its elasticity — they don’t last long because of the chlorine.