1) I get hurt more often than a 6 year old playing running back for the Eagles.
Most of these injuries are of the overuse variety, which cause me to run less. Swimming encourages me to run less without getting out of shape.
2) After 10 years of running I could feel my body losing an alarming amount of its athleticism as I had only seriously stressed it through running. Swimming is a great way to tax my body in a totally unique way.
3) I got some very good friends who support me.
Basically I have wanted to give swimming a serious try for a few years, but I would just get so discouraged at the fact that if you would compare my swimming to an animal, it would be some sea animal which barely moves. Thats right, I swim like a sea cucumber or perhaps an anemone of some kind.
I would try to swim when injured in college but always give it up for aquajogging and elliptical because I just felt like such a rock in the water. (actually, I still feel like a rock in the water)
If I could compare what I look like in the water to something I have seen in my life, it would be Dustin Hoffman when he tries scuba diving in "The Graduate"
But luckily, because of reason number 3, I have been able to stay motivated and keep it fun and I have officially gotten over the hump from doing it every one in a while to doing it consistently. After a few moths of swimming I recently swam four days a week for two straight weeks, and I still suck, and I still get discouraged, but I am confident now I can stay with it for at least a few months. I am not yet ready to consider myself a swimmer, but I'm slowly getting better
To be honest, I have been shocked at how much swimming helps my running. I knew it would help, but I just could not have imagined it would make such a big difference. Partially I think I didn't appreciate the fact that if you exercise hard AND you can't just breathe in air whenever you damn well please, your cardiovascular system has to work its ass off to prevent you from passing out. But also, for the past few years I have wanted to run 80-90 miles per week, but would get hurt and miss time. Now I run 60-70 and swim. My legs don't get beat up, but my heart and lungs get the workout they need...totally cool.
Now, do I think I somehow stumbled upon the secret to running fast...nope. I think if your body can handle it running more will always be the most efficient way to get faster in running, but for a delicate flower like me, swimming is HUGE!
There is one, final, massive bonus for me to get in to swimming over the past few months. The people. If you have spent more than 15 seconds with me, you know I tend to be a bit of a talker. An enthusiastic talker. I always figured swimming would be hard for me because its not easy to talk when you face is underwater. However, there are some way cool people who swim and do triathlons, and as a runner I don't see them or appreciate them nearly as much as I should. The one thing I can be sure of, is that no matter what, I would never have given swimming a legitimate shot had it not been for a good friend, and there is no doubt I would have quit soon after I started were it not for the group of people I get to swim with.
Plus, maybe, just maybe, it might help me and my (slightly) large ego from blowing any running accomplishments out of proportion...because I have a constant reminder every few days that I might be able to move well on land, but I am a total schmuck in the water.
Toddster
