Swimming journey

I have come some distance wrt swimming, but hopefully there's still a long way to go 🤞

I guess the biggest fillip to my swimming was taking up triathlons. I started thinking about triathlons back in 2014 after I had completed my first full marathon. It was a good set of circumstances that brought me to triathlons. I was exposed to biking in Mumbai by a couple of like-minded friends, and once I could come back to biking, swimming was relatively easier (given swimming in a pool is definitely less riskier than biking on the crazy Mumbai streets).

I ended up finishing my first Olympic distance triathlon in Pune in 2015 (?) where I struggled on the bike and run but managed to complete the event successfully.

Next- when I moved to Ireland, it was relatively easier to swim as we were fortunate to have a swimming pool on our office. It was in Ireland that I got to see how bad I was at swimming esp. on the technical front. With some endurance build up and a lot of tips (online and friends), I was able to complete 1 Sprint, 3 Olympic distance and 2 Half IM distance races between 2016-2018.

I am hoping to cap this journey in 2019 with a 4K swim in Glendalough on 08-Sep. Really looking forward to be over-prepared vs. under-prepared and would love to have a respectable time in the process.

Certa Bonum Certa Men! Fight the good fight 💪🏻

20-JUL-2010

No swimming today also...

Partly-it was the recovering cramp, in part laziness on my end and lastly- got really late yesterday in sleeping as had gone to a theater to watch Inception- great concept and execution- loved it totally!!

The pool remains closed on Wednesday...guess- Thursday would be the next swimming day...

19-JUL

No swimming today...dint want to aggravate the cramp...

caught on some sleep instead :) Monday morning blues hit with full force!!

Sameer

18-JUL-2010

Was feeling a bit tired today...reflected in today's swimming session as well..

Freestyle- 20 Laps

Butterfly- 2 Laps

Breaststroke- 2 Laps

Dint stay in the pool all that long...Developed a slight cramp in the right lower thigh that became worse over the course of the day...

Checked out a pair of swimming goggles from Speedo..am planning to gift myself a set if I religiously keep up the habit for a month!!

Sameer

17-JUL-2010

Had one of the longest swimming sessions in the recent memory..

Session details-

Freestyle/Crawl- 20 Laps

Butterfly- 2 Laps

Backstroke- 2 Laps

Breaststroke- 2 Laps

Met with a delightful old guy (65ish) who is regular to swimming even thou arthiritis in his limbs does not allow him to swim so much... but the guy was so full of life that it was inspirational to say the least...wonder if I would still be swimming when I am his age...

Was just idling in the waters, when this lady Dr. came across....Turned out she counsels on Physiotherapeutic exercises in water....Gave me ample amount of exercises to dispel all notions of my being fit at least while in the swimming pool...Each of my muscles were aching by the time I finished my routine..had been in pool for close to 2.5 hours today :) No wonder- ppl back at home were concerned by the time I reached there..

An ideal weekend swimming session :)

Sameer

16-JUL-2010

Its always difficult to create a habit (I mean the good ones ;) ). However the most difficult part is the initial few days...coz inadvertently, your limbs ache, your thighs scream respite and its too difficult to leave out the early morning blues behind...On top of that, when I woke up today morning, it was pouring rains outside- so I was like 'Am I already seeing this new routine of mine squashed??'

Thankfully the skies cleared in a while and my mum made sure that I dint remain slumped in the bed...so off I was with the minimalist swimming gear that I need (I am yet to buy the swimming goggles yet)

Today's sessions lasted around 45 minutes and man- did I work out??

Today's stats-

Freestyle/Crawl- 10 laps

Backstroke- 1 lap

Breaststroke- 2 laps

Butterfly stroke- 1.5 lap

Underwater- 2 laps

Also gave swimming lessons to a 20-something guy who dint feel like coming out of the inflatable tube even in 2 feet depth 8-|

Tried the tumble-turn and crawl also...was partially successful with it...need to understand the mechanism better...

Signing off for today,

Sameer

1st day 15-JUL-2010

Hi,

Its not as if its the 1st time I went for swimming..For all its worth, I ve been swimming since ever :) Just that the habit got a backseat amongst other seemingly 'important' responsibilities at times and just the sheer unavailability of proper services.

Anyway- I ve started swimming at this Pool nearby which is quite well maintained..

This blog is aimed at helping me track the progress of this new-found commitment that I ve made to myself.. Hoping to update this space daily to track my progress..

Well here it goes for Day-1

Free Stroke/Crawl - 10 Continuous laps followed by 6 laps later

Backstroke (with hand-flaps) - 1 lap

Breaststroke/Butterfly stroke (none perfect)- 0.75 Lap

Pictorial representations of the various strokes is provided below for your reference-

I aim to learn the classic 'tumble turn crawl' mechanism used by professional swimmers when they finish a lap. Pictorial representation attached below-

To conclude this entry, I ve chosen a song 'Swim' by Jack Mannequin...goes like this-

You gotta Swim, swim for your life

Swim for the music that saves you

When you're not so sure you'll survive

You gotta swim, Swim when it hurts

The whole world is watching

You haven't come this far to fall off the earth

The currents will pull you away from your love

Just keep your head above

I found a tidal wave begging to tear down the door

Memories like bullets, they fired at me from a gun

Cracking me open yeah

I swim for brighter days despite the absence of sun

Choking on salt water

I'm not giving in, I swim

You gotta swim for nights that wont end

Swim for your families, your lovers your sisters

and brothers your friends

Yeah you gotta swim for wars without cause

Swim for the lost politicians

Who don't see their greed is a flaw

The currents will pull us away from our love

Just keep your head above

I found a tidal wave begging to tear down the door

Memories like bullets, they fired at me from a gun

Cracking me open now

I swim for the brighter days despite of the absense of sun

Choking on salt water

I'm not giving in well, I'm not giving in, I swim

You gotta swim, swim in the dark

There's an ocean to drift in

Feel the tide shifting away from the spark

Yeah, you gotta swim, don't let yourself sink

Just follow the horizon

I promise you it's not as far as you think

The currents will drag us away from our love

Just keep your head above

Just keep your head above, swim

Just keep your head above, swim, swim

Just keep your head above, swim

Signing off,

Sameer