Solo Pool Swimming

An advantage to the semester ending at SUNY Brockport is that the pool is less crowded. Last week I was the only swimmer for about fifteen minutes until 5 or so people straggled in. Having my own lane is nice and a luxury you don't get in most open swim time pools.

A new "season" began yesterday (Monday) so I arrived at the college early to get our swim passes for the summer (May 17-August 27). Jan was still at work, so I was flying solo. At $35 per person (alumnus rate) I think this is a bargain. The lifeguard was in the office and said she would see me at the pool in a few minutes.

It turned out I was the only swimmer, and I use that term loosely. Yes, two years ago I couldn't swim a lap without stopping and 200 yards was a long night for me. Now my longest swim is 2400 yards (still miniscule for real swimmers working out). But, like running, the effort for me to swim a mile is probably the same as a talented swimmer going at least two miles.

The poor lifeguard dutifully sat there watching me slog back and forth, legs dragging behind/below me for 35 minutes while I swam. I apologized a number of times and can only imagine how she felt watching some old, balding, skinny man struggle across the pool. I tried to use imagery and think of myself as Michael Phelps, but it didn't help. After 800 yards I used the pull buoy, which sped me up to being able to do 50 yards in the time a swimmer can do 100. Of course I don't do flip turns, which speeds up laps for some people, but would only cause me to begin drowning.

After 1500 yards I crawled out of the pool, the lifeguard handed me my pass, and I profusely thanked her for letting me swim. I think she mumbled something about needing to go out and have a drink and get the mental image of my hairy, lanky body out of her mind, but I could be mistaken.

I remember my grandfather leaving me in the boat while he swam for awhile in the middle of Canandaigua Lake, or at least at 8 years old it seemed like the middle. He glided effortlessly along while I watched. No life vest, pull buoy, wetsuit, just swim trunks, I'm not even sure if he wore goggles. Grandpa swam in lakes and the Y until his late 70's. It's an example I would like to follow. Maybe someday I won't swim like an upside down V.