Look Mom, I can swim with no kickboard!

Yes, you're eyes are reading correctly. At today's swim practice, I swam without a kickboard. Overall, I feel like I did a little more swimming and a little less flailing, which means I'm making progress. I'm told that it would be beneficial for me to have had a starting video to compare my current swimming.

I've learned so much over the past couple of days...and today in particular. Here's a summary of some recent lessons:

• Remember, how I shared about my first day in the pool--another coach came over and asked if I was afraid of putting my face in the water (see post from January 28)? Well, I only kept my face out because that's how I thought you swam the breaststroke (my advanced doggy paddle). Apparently, I over corrected my breaststroke to swim entirely underwater (except to breathe, of course). Now, I know to stay above the water although I'm struggling with timing and proper arm movement.


• The backstroke is fun and relaxing--probably because I can breathe!


• The little flags hanging over each end of the pool are not for decoration. They're for knowing where you are when you do the backstroke.


• Running outside following a swim, with wet hair, in single digit temps is not a good idea=frozen hair.


• Good swimmers take less than 20 strokes per pool length, Michael Phelps takes about 1/2 of that, and I take 28+.
• My coach, Maria, is a saint!

That's all for now! Stay tuned.

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