Three Weeks Back & Some Initial Observations

After the local Y got their pool filters changed and reopened, I started going in on a regular basis. Although there is a very small organized Master's swim at 6:30 AM, there is no way I can make it at that time. (I understand from the Aquatics director that there are only two folks swimming, and both are "beginners.") The good news is that I have some time around 8:30 - 9:00 AM on my way home from taking my son to school, to stop and swim. That will work better for me. (The Master's "coach" was supposed to stop by and give me some pointers on Tuesday morning, but she never made it. Ditto for Wed, Thur, and Friday as well.) So, first off, it looks like I'm going to be "self coached". Which is OK, all things considered. My goals are simple enough ... to loose about 40 lbs, to possibly get in good enough shape to compete sometime in 2007, and to not embarrass myself TOO much if I do race! What I am finding after my 40 years away from the pool is that I have very little stamina. I can make freestyle 25's & 50's easy enough, but run out of steam after a 100. Freestyle, backstroke and *** are OK ... but my butterfly causes me to repeat the mantra "9-1-1" over and over, just in case! I tried a 100 IM and although barely able to breathe after the fly segment, the others went OK. On the plus side, I have found some satisfaction in short sprints. This past week, my goal was to sprint 25 yards without breathing ... and I can do it fairly consistently. I have also made a few 50's where I made it on one breath out, and 3-4 on the way back. Times for 50 SCY (according to my watch, with a 1 second allowance at start & stop to hit the stop watch function) is running about 35-37 seconds, which I consider to be not too bad, at this point in time. In this past 3 weeks, I have shed about 6 lbs as well. My wife says she notices it, although I really think she is just being nice. So, as I see it, quite a bit of positive news. And, at age 56, I think doing all this with virtually no pain or trips to the ER bodes well for the future. However, one significant problem has surfaced - after a workout I am FAMISHED!! I am well aware that weight loss is one of my goals, and therefore eating a couple of Big Macs on the way home from the pool may be counter productive, but I need to find something!! Any ideas? But, what's most pleasing is I am having FUN. Just the physical act of swimming ... the sounds of the water, the smell of chlorine and so on ... bring back memories of youth. It's just such a nice escape from the "joys" of middle age, "stay-at-home" Dad-hood, owning a small business and so on!! Plus, and I apologize in advance for a somewhat non "Politically Correct" comment, based on who uses the Y in the mornings, I actually almost look good in a Speedo!! Most of the folks in the water aerobics classes are HUGE!! Some even bring a walker to get in and out of the pool. Why, my 229 lbs on a 6 ft, 56 year old body, looks downright "Phelps-ian" over in the next lane! :cool: Cheers!! Ken