Swimming for runners

Is swimming good for runners? Honestly, I don't know. What I do know is that unlike the last couple of years, I am not riding my bike as much so I need to get my aerobic fix elsewhere.

You have to remember that for nearly the last 30 years, my legs been the primary basis for my aerobic work. My arms have done little more than go along for the ride and provide me with a nice place to put my stop watch so I can track the elapse time.

This summer I have worked more on my swimming than any time in the last 4 or maybe in the last 7 years.

Swimming is still something is quite new to me. I took my first swimming lesson some 7 years ago because my daughters were taking them. Pools are fun but the real fun is swimming in the deep end. I knew once my daughters learned how to swim; this was exactly where they were headed. I didn't want to be left behind and I didn't want to be watching them from a distance. So this was my initial motivation for swimming but now, this motivation is shifting. Especially, athletically, I see myself doing more with swimming.

In fact, I am thinking about taking some more lessons. I realize that I am about as efficient at swimming as a toddler is learning to walk. And unlike running and to some extent cycling, swimming more will not make me better or stronger. Even thou, I would be working harder. I would also be more frustrated. No, I realize that swimming is so much more about technique and I have no problem saying that I have lousy technique.

While I will always see myself as a runner at heart, I would like to do a triathlon. I could even see myself possibly trying half and maybe later a full Ironman.

I have always been a person that relishes a challenge. Whether this is in the work place, athletics, or on my personal life, if I am not good at it, then I want it all the more. Swimming for me is a real challenge and triathlons are a way to show I am capable of more than just pounding out mile after mile on the roads and trails around Charlotte.

I have no desire to jump into one of these races tomorrow. I have enough respect for the event that I want to make sure I put in some proper training. But I see myself starting small. After two or three years, maybe I will feel ready to attempt one of those Ironman events. They just look like such an awesome experience and so challenging, I want to see if I can do one.

 

Sharing one thought at time,

 

The Cool Down Runner