A Fish Out of Water

I went for my first swim in nearly a month on Wednesday night. After being plagued with tendonitis in my left shoulder, I've been relegated to the deck of the pool and I've put my faith in physical therapy, anti-inflammatories and ice packs. I got the green light from Liz, my physical therapist, to try a short and easy swim or two, and after conferring with Coach Dan, we had a plan. I'm still amazed by what has become a short and easy swim for me since, just 6 months ago, 1600 yards, nearly a mile, was unthinkable.

So a little anxious, I jumped into the pool for a series of easy 200 yard repeats. The first few laps felt like a chore. In fact, though I was swimming with some efficiency, I almost felt as if I were starting all over again. After my first repeat, I took a few seconds at the end of the lane to calm my nerves. Off I set on repeat #2 and, forcing myself to relax, it felt a lot better, though I was hyper-conscious of my shoulder. I made a particular effort to focus on my stroke to ensure that I wasn't doing anything that might negatively impact my shoulder. A few times I thought I felt a slight reminder of my injury, but I really think I could have been projecting my fears.

By the last 600 yards of repeats, I felt great. I swam at an easy comfortable pace and felt as if I could go on and on. Tempted, slightly, to do so and make up for lost ground, the Iron spirit took over and I did the smart thing. I stopped when Coach Dan told me to stop. He made a special point to remind me not to do any more than scheduled because he knows how people like me are wired.

I emailed Coach Dan when I returned from my swim Wednesday night to brief him on my long-anticipated return to the pool. He responded quickly, reminding me that his greatest concern was my shoulder but, regarding my re-entry, he expected me to "feel like a fish out of water". I love the irony of that particular analogy in this case and, strangely, the accuracy of my experience. That is precisely how the first few laps felt- as if I were flapping around wildly and gasping for breath. Poor fish. Only, if I have to wear a swim suit when I'm in the water, shouldn't they have to wear pants when they're out of the water? Regardless, I was just happy to begin feeling a bit more like a fish by the end of my first swim in a month.