Swimming Pools

As some of you may know, I signed up for a triathlon - My First Triathlon. It's a 400m swim, 20K bike ride and a 5K run. It's also in two weeks. Did I mention that I haven't done a single thing to train? Well, that was the case until this week.

My friend Chantal asked me if I would like to ride my bike while she rollerblades around the Seawall. I of course said yes because I figured now is as good time as any to perhaps dust of my bike, find my helmet and gloves and go for a ride. So on Tuesday after work I met her for a lovely ride. We went around Stanley Park back to the Bay Shore where she works. I then took the long way home, making sure to get as much ride time in as possible. It felt good to get back on my bike. So I know that the 20k isn't going to be a problem.

My friend Holly invited me to join her at the new pool located at Nat Bailey Stadium Wednesday night. She would partake in the aqua class while I would do mind numbing laps. I figured that now is as good time as any to get over my fear of water, but mostly public swimming pools.

I can swim. I can swim like no other. But I hate, HATE water where I can't see the bottom. But what do I hate more than that? Public swimming pools. Um, gross. There's something wrong with being in water with strangers. There's cooties, unidentified objects, little kids that pee, etc. I especially stay away from hot tubs. Cooties Soup. Now to be fair to swimming pools and the people that actually enjoy them, I didn't develop this fear over night.....

Back in 1996 I got a job with an internet provider, Internet Direct. I worked in the billing department which was kind of fun. Anyway, when they opened up to Alberta customers, my shift changed to a start time of 7am - 3pm. The greatest shift time ever! <- not being sarcastic. With my new early morning wake-up call, I decided to go swimming before work. I would get up at 4:30, go to the pool for a 5am - 6am swim. Get ready there then head into work. I did this for about 7 months... until May of 1997.....

It was a week before my best friend-at-the-time's wedding. I went to Harrison Hot Springs and went for a dip in the hot pool. I had a great time, for about an hour, until I looked over and saw an old couple sitting on the steps. They were looking at his leg. Upon closer inspection I discovered that they were picking at a scab and stuff was oozing out. Did I mention that the steps were in the pool? arf arf barf vomit OMG GROSS.

Now, you might think that I'm being a tad dramatic but what you don't know is that night I woke up around midnight with a raging fever AND my left eye was swollen shut and full of puss. This was five days before my friends wedding!!! I saw a doctor and they confirmed that it was probably from the pool. If the water is hot and not properly filtered or whatever, you can get infections. Now, many years later, my left eye lid has never fully recovered and I'm suppose to go for an operation to fix it (covered by medical, but not my right eye. Go figure).

Needless to say I didn't go back to a pool for about a year. Then I decided to try again. I went to my rec centre to swim some laps. About lap two I looked over and saw a corn pad float past me. I immediately got out and didn't go back, until last night.

So I shall share some tips of How to Get Back In The Pool if you have a fear like me.

#1. Go with a buddy. At a time like this you need a buddy system.

#2. Whatever you do, DO NOT look at the tile floor on the way to the pool. You're probably in your bare feet and the LAST thing you want to see is your feet touching the copious amounts of hair stuck to the tile.

#3. DO NOT look in the water to see what's below you. I did that mistake last night. Right below me I spied a band-aid. Good thing Holly was there, she kept me focused and calm, slowly moved me away from the area and gave me a ball to float on.

That's all I can think of for right now because just thinking about it makes me tense!!!!