At almost five months pregnant, it's time to get back to my training if I have any chance of keeping up with those whale sharks in Mexico. Thanks to my new partial silicone tail by the Mertailor, I am able to return to the pool with just the fluke for practice. At first getting back to my routine of daily swim training seemed daunting: getting my old gym bag packed, making sure my underwater MP3 player was charged, soaking my hair in cold water and conditioner, and putting on my now very revealing swimsuit. I kept looking around my home at the other more fun projects to do, and I gradually talked myself into going to the pool. That's when my performance training came into play--all that discipline to practice no matter how fatigued or hungry or disinterested I felt--it kicked in and I left my house for the pool.
Once I walked into the pool area I was hit with the stringent smell of the chlorine, and my body was shocked by the cold temperature of the water. I felt disheartened looking at my underwater timer, once used to help me work on my free diving breath hold, now just being set so I could meet 30 minutes of swim time. I used to swim for hours without a break and now I was just hoping to meet 30 minutes. It's like having to practice scales when you once played a whole sonata. A part of me just wanted to go home, eat fried green tomatoes and sleep, but I persevered.
It only took a few seconds once I was submerged, surrounded by my favorite music, to feel close to my old self. I swam from one end to the other in one breath as I used to, and felt the magic of belonging to the underwater world. I soon forgot my pregnant belly and was performing successive back flips and twists from my familiar routines. I lounged back 10 feet below and blew bubble rings like the content caterpillar from "Alice in Wonderland". As 30 minutes approached I felt tired and my baby started kicking. I could see my belly moving. It was time to leave.
I took my fin to the shower and as it was being rinsed I soaked my legs in the hot tub. Once I carried my gear to my car and got home, I was exhausted. It was such a chore to shower again and do a chlorine removal treatment, then a deep conditioning treatment on my hair, but I made it through my usual after-swim routine, ate a protein bar, then passed out.
I told myself to stay positive, this was my day #1, and training would get better for me.
You know they say you can be your own best friend or worst enemy. I'm so thankful that I choose to be the former, because I think encouraging myself and believing in my potential truly works.
I was right. My training did get easier.
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