Deep thoughts

Bit of a non swimming post today. No lessons this week as I was at Coldplay on Tuesday which was awesome!
Was interviewed by a lovely journalist today and she asked me some questions which really made me think. (Takes a lot these days believe me!)
One of the questions was what would I say to people who were wanting to learn to swim and didn't know how to go about it?
This was me at one point. I couldn't just turn up at a pool and start teaching myself because:
1. I wouldn't go near the pool let alone get in it.
2. Not being able to swim was embarrassing to me and I'm not the most self confident person at the best of times so that was a no goer.
3. If I went with the family I wouldn't want them to see me scared cause you teach your kids they can achieve anything they want so I would be a fraud.

I also looked into council run lessons at one point but they tend to be for groups or people who can swim and want to improve and also the idea of bumping into someone I knew while having a lesson...embarrassing...a no goer.

I googled lessons in Glasgow but it wasn't easy to find anything suitable. Either odd times or too far away. I considered a weeks residential course somewhere in England but don't think I would have done it.

So when I found the www.swimmingmasters.co.uk website it was ideal. The lessons are in the Crowne Plaza next to the hydro (other locations too) and they are on most evenings and weekends so times to suit everyone. Also, I knew I needed one to one lessons, probably more expensive but worth every penny to me.

I didn't really find out about swimming associations like @theasa and @scottishswim until I started swimming but these websites have lots of info for people wanting to learn and other countries will have similar organisations.
 Learning to swim is a massive initiative at the moment with #thisgirlcan and #makeyourmove  hoping to inspire people to get in the pool and even if you are just bobbing around....it's a start!

Turn the clock back 25 years and what would I have done differently?  I would have taken the setback of what happened at school and turned it into a positive and started swimming then. I would have asked my friends to help me. I wouldn't have given a toss what I looked like in a swimsuit and got in there anyway and by now I would be an Olympic swimmer!

Ok, a bit far fetched but one thing for certain I would go back and push that PE teacher in the pool, fully clothed maybe wearing something heavy like a pair of steel toe capped boots and see how she enjoys the struggle!

Essential kit

I have had people asking me what I take with me in my swimming bag.
It's not that exciting but here we go!

Swimming costume.....obviously.  I have a new one which has the shorts style leg which I really like. It's a speedo monogram one and it fits really well.

My goggles, which are an absolute necessity for me. I've been through a few pairs as I've either lost them or they were rubbish cause they steam up too much. My current ones are called View and so far so good!. Nice and snug and don't let in water. I do have quite bad marks after but I don't really mind that.

I have a nose clip that lives in a wee case. To be honest I've never used it but it lives in my bag anyway.  It's a universal one and I got it in sainsburys.

My beloved swimming cap! I carried this about for 4 weeks before I got the courage to put it on. It looks a bit funny but I don't really care anymore. It makes swimming much easier and although it doesn't keep my hair totally dry, it's worth having on. Mines is a blue speedo one.

I also carry about a wee zoggs spray that helps defog your goggles. I don't need it at the moment but it's handy to have. I think I got it on eBay for about  £5.

I also have about 50 kirbys, a deodorant and a hairbrush in there. And my actual bag.. it's tiny. Cause I get a towel at the lesson I don't need a big bag. It's see through so I know if I'm missing anything!

So that's it, my swimming essentials 😀

Practice makes perfect

Today I turned up for my lesson and found out my teacher wasn't going to be in so I decided to stay and get some practice in anyway.
The pool was so cooling after a blistering hot day spent at an away day with work in a conference room. This was also good for my sunburned shoulders!
So in I got with my swimming cap and new goggles and new speedo costume.
I did a few lengths of breast stroke and a few of front crawl. There was only two others in the pool but they were fast swimmers and causing waves which was really off putting but I kept going.
Lots of swimming on my back and front crawl arm practice, swimming under water and with face out water. Probably did equivalent of a lesson if not more.
By time I was finished I was shattered.....swimming makes me crave toast!

Radio gaga

 

Ok, so not a particularly swimming based post today but a milestone none the less! I was contacted by a lovely BBC person and asked if I would mind talking about my learning to swim journey as part of a programme on Radio Scotland called 'Out for the Weekend.' Its part of a BBC initiative called #makeyourmove to get people moving and this month it is about swimming.

 

I'm looking forward to it as I have never done anything like this before but also a bit nervous that I clam up and nothing comes out my mouth. Hopefully all will be good and I can get a photo of me with my headphones on at the BBC Glasgow studio to put on the blog.

 

It was a week off lessons this week as my teacher is on holiday so I haven't been, but planning on going at the weekend to get some practice in before next week.

 

Will post after the radio show....wish me luck!