This is Part IV in Chris McClelland’s series about recovering from heart disease and getting back in the swimming pool.
Well, it has been a long time since I have checked in with my friends at SwimSwam, and unfortunately for the last part of 2022, I spent most of the time bed-ridden. I had intense flu-like symptoms, and could not even do the most basic on-land cardio workouts for a very long time. It was actually quite frightening, being knocked back so far in my progress to recovery of my health. But eventually, I got better, and I was able to get back to the cardio rehab workout center at the hospital, and resume cardio training, coupled with some upper body and lower body weight lifting strength training.
With the new year, I began to once again set my sights on the pool. My city has a new family fitness center, with a pool which can be rigged for either 50 meters or 25 yards, depending on the time of day. It is a large, clean facility, and nearly brand new, with not many old-timers like me to clutter up the lanes. After going through the financial options, my wife and I budgeted and signed up for a membership for me.
The day when I first returned to the pool, after a 10-year absence, was cold and the ground outside the facility was covered in thick patches of snow. Even with all my dry land working out, it was very difficult for me to make my way around the fitness center my first day. I had to find benches and chairs to rest on every few minutes, and the pain in my back was excruciating. I went to the locker room and dressed out, and getting around the pool deck proved problematic, as there were almost no benches or places to rest on the deck. Every few minutes I had to stop and lean on the wall, trying to take the weight off my legs. This was a very humbling experience for someone who had been an All State swimmer in high school and had trained with the national champion Florida Gators in college.
This first morning the pool was set up for 50 meters and I jumped in and could barely keep my head above water. My body had forgotten almost everything it knew about swimming, about floatation, about working with the water to move forward. To stay with a reasonable breathing pattern. I swam less than 100 meters that morning, but I felt good that I had put in that modest amount.
The next week was much better. My body began to acclimate more to the water, and I was able to swim more consistently and with growing confidence. Although I was disappointed my first time getting back into the water, today I felt encouraged that I could one day regain my strength and ability and now I could seriously plan a routine to increase my endurance with a local coach and begin the next phase of my journey to health, wellness, and maybe even registering, in time, for a meet.
