Swimming into Late (Mid)Life

 

Wren in the Snow College
Faculty Locker Room

When I was living in Wichita, Kansas, I attended a book club where one of the members brought a guest who was visiting from out of town. She was in her mid 80s and projected a lot of energy. I asked her about her fitness routine, and she told me that she had been swimming regularly for decades. I told myself that I would start swimming when I got older. 

At 62, I am running out of future for doing things "when I'm older."

For this reason (at at the prodding of my friend Rachel), I started swimming during this semester (Fall 2024).  

There are swimming coaches available MWF from 8 am to 9 am. My friend Rachel is a swim coach and an avid swimmer herself.  

I took swimming lessons when I was a child in Southern California. I thought my return would go more smoothly. NOPE!  It's difficult to swim the Australian Crawl with your face in the water. 

At first, I could not even do one length of the indoor pool. It took me a month to work up to doing 8 laps (or 16 lengths) without my breath becoming disorganized. 

There is a lot to think about while swimming: keeping my face in the water, alternating breaths every three strokes, reaching forward with my arms while keeping my shoulder blades in place (so that I do not irritate my shoulder problems), kicking efficiently, looking for the end of the pool. 

One coach, Amy, challenged me to do turn kicks. I tried for a couple of days, but I was getting too much water up my nose. Maybe I will try that another time. 

I can now do 14 laps or 28 lengths within 30 minutes. When I started, I was lucky to swim for 10 minutes without being fatigued. I know it's my lungs and not my heart because my heart rate stays in a moderate range (below 100 beats per minute). I can work out on land with my heart rate between 120 and 140 beats per minute and I am less winded than doing laps in the pool. 

One factor is the altitude here in Ephraim, UT (5,500 feet). I have lived in the midwest for the last 15 years at a much lower altitude.  

I will just have to follow the advise that Dory (from Finding Nemo) offers: keep on swimming! 

Related:

Patchwork Country Fitness