Swimming lesson #1

It's been on my to-do list for many years, and I'm finally taking swimming lessons starting tonight. I really didn't know what to expect, I hadn't been in a pool for many, many years apart from sea survival courses but they don't count (you're wearing a life jacket).

When I got out to the pool area the instructor asked what level I was, I answered honestly "complete beginner". He wanted clarification... "You’ve never been in the water?", I answered "the last time I was in the water I was being dragged out by a life guard" which sent me straight to the bottom of the beginners line. It's a true story, I was on holiday in Spain, near Barcelona, and my sister (Marie), brother-in-law (Alain) and some friends were pottering in the beach; a beach packed with bronzed gorgeous Latin types. And then there was the Irish contingent; lashing on plenty of factor 30 to preserve our bluey white complexion.

I was feeling very confident; I had my snorkel, goggles and a firm seabed within reach. I was having a great time peering into the colourful Mediterranean, every so often my snorkel would fill with water and I'd have to stand up to empty it out. however, there came a point when my luck ran out, I tried to stand up and found to my horror that the sea bed has fallen out of reach, either that or I had shrunk and that was a real possibility considering the amount of time I had been in the sea but it didn't really matter, the fact that I couldn't stand was the critical issue. It took a fraction of a millisecond to appreciate the gravity of the situation, and at that moment gravity was my nemesis. I had a couple of options: relax, lie on my back and float; make for the shore as the sea bed could not be that far away. I did what any sensible non-swimmer would do and panicked. Luckily Alain spotted me as I went under for the 2nd time and sprang into action. The next thing I remember was being dragged from the water like a drowned rat, I knew the chances of me scoring that afternoon were reduced from virtually zero to a definite zero.

Back in the swimming pool I was surprised that I could swim a little, but as soon as the instructor I was promoted to the "can swim a bit" line. It was a great class and learnt the basics of the crawl, or is it the breast stroke. Breathing was a bit of a challenge, it turns out it's better to do it with your head out of the water. Next week is the back stroke! Triathlon here we come...