Swim training, week 3: going mental & recovering

My swim training is now halfway done! And what a week it was.

During the last 10 years, while I attempted to pursue training with another company, I was warned that week 4 was termed "deer in the headlights" week when the information became overwhelming. So I have been wary of the upcoming week 4.

But my moment came this week. Just after noon, I have three kids in a row, ages 4 and 3. All of them were swimming horribly and Nadyne was fussing at me about what I needed to do to fix each one. I couldn't figure out what she was talking about and so she fussed even more. And so ... that was that.

Fortunately, there was a break so I sat outside and let myself have a pity party. Giving up never crossed my mind so I wasn't about to bow out. When I went back in, Nadyne asked if I was ok and if I'd believe that she cried every day for six weeks (and I told her no, I didn't believe that!). She said,"You're like the kids: you know what you know. And you don't know what you don't know."

Back in the water for afternoon lessons and I was fine. Nadyne, for the most part, stayed out of the water Thursday and I thought I did pretty well. (She told me when we got to the pool Thursday morning that her son Jacob told her to tell me: "Breathe through your eyelids!" and go Zen.)

Nadyne also showed The Daisy how to butterfly and she did two strokes perfectly and I could've sworn I was watching my mother in the water! Nadyne said The Daisy would be an amazing swimmer and that Cincinnati has one of the best competitive swim programs in the country. The Daisy told her dad about her accomplishment and, judging from his reaction, competitive swimming is an unlikely future for her.