On my way to a swim lesson and feeling panicky. We’ve been working on adding laps where I’m breathing in the water and not taking recovery, and it’s not always that fun. Feeling like I can’t breathe even though I AM breathing? Not fun.
So I’m reading this article shared with me by the swim coach for Tri for a Cure Team Strong: http://www.active.com/swimming/articles/breathing-basics-getting-comfortable-870012
And I’m reminding myself that at one point I felt like I’d never catch my breath while running, either… and now I can run for two hours without stopping and hold a conversation for most of it.
So this is going to get better. And I am getting air. And I can stop even if my instructor is telling me to keep going. Which doesn’t mean I should, but knowing I can may be enough to make me feel comfortable enough not to.
On to the pool.
You can do this! I was in the same boat as you just four years ago. I could not get from one end of the pool to the other. I also decided to take swimming lessons so I could do a triathlon. Since then I’ve completed seven triathlons and one 1-mile open water swim event. Relax in the water and practice, practice, practice! Good luck to you.
Thanks Mary Sue! That’s so great to hear, especially from someone else who learned as an adult 🙂