Today, I went open water swimming with Theresa. We swam just outside the roped off area. I forgot my goggles and was pretty upset about this, but as I started swimming and saw that I could do it fairly easily by keeping my eyes closed, I felt better about it. I also was thinking that if ever my goggles break or get knocked off my head, I know that I can swim without them. It's easier to swim without
goggles than it is to swim without a swim cap. The hair gets in your eyes making it very difficult to swim.
Anyway, I did well and was quite in a groove, able to ignore the constant whistle that was blowing about 1/2 hour into the swim. Part of me thought it was meant for me, but I knew there was no lifeguard, the sign says 'swim at your own risk', so how could there be anybody complaining about me? When I got to my turn around point, this lady stopped me all in earnest saying that 'they' were calling me out of the water right away. For a brief second I thought that something happened with Theresa, but I saw her walking towards the police officer.
I stood up and saw everyone looking my way. I felt like I was in the movie scene in Jaws where everyone is looking in one direction, and that direction was towards me. The only thing missing was the music, and people screaming as I got out of the water. I told the lady that she was very efficient in telling me promptly that the parks police were calling for me. What I really felt like calling her was a tattle tale. The police officer was nice enough, saying that we can't swim behind the ropes. I told her that I thought is was ok, since I was still in front of the large buoys that said 'swim area', but apparently it was not in the correct area.
Why is any of this important? Well, we had a difficult time getting out of the house due to feeling tired from the long work week. We didn't get to the beach until after 11am, when beachgoers and barbecuers were well under way. I was thinking that my exercise plan was going to take too long, and that it would 'waste' the day since we were starting so late. I then forgot my goggles, and briefly toyed with the idea of going back home to get them or just not swimming. But we kept moving forward with the plan. I realized that even though I was tired and feeling like resting, there would be nothing that I would be doing except possibly sitting and looking for something interesting on Facebook, Youtube or Twitter. This would be more of a 'wasted' day than spending it outdoors. If I had been at the beach and seen other people doing what we were doing, I would have wished I was them - and I was! I was the person I wanted to be.
Being the person that you want to be doesn't mean that it all comes easily or joyfully. I had those moments where things were not as I would have liked them, where I felt like turning back and not continue with my plan, but in sticking with it, it added another notch in my training for this half Ironman and and in my confidence that I am doing what I have always wanted to do.
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