My love - hate relationship with Swimming

I have been urging Ron to exercise, not only to get fit but to avoid another hit of a heart attack or stroke. Because we are not working, we have the luxury of time, most of it wasted in front of a computer or the TV. We are almost 3 years into our marriage and we have gained more than 10 pounds each.

Of the many sports (swimming, basketball, tennis) he is good at, he was allowed by his doctors to do swimming for fitness. It has been 3 weeks now that be has gone to the pool regularly (3-5× a week the most).  As for me, I have decided to tag along.

Swimming is not my sport. I don't enjoy it. When I was little, my mom enrolled me and my brother in a swimming class during summer break. I learned how to kick and flutter but never to float. The only stroke I learned was Freestyle. While I enjoy it at first, I easily get tired with my arm and leg muscle being sore and weighs like a 100 kgs after.  And during class, my teacher urged me to finish a lap. I was midway when I decided to stop because I was tired and out of breath, my teacher was shouting for me to continue. I didnt, and because I didn't know how to float, I panicked and almost drowned. I never came back to that class.

In UP, PE subjects have no unit weight thus no monetary weight in our tuition. So we enjoy as much PE classes as we want.  So I enrolled myself in a swimming class hoping to earn a life skill.  First meeting in that class, the teacher had us jump into the deepest part of the pool (10ft) to check who knows how to swim or at least float among her students.  I was scared to death but I know I had to. I did. I jumped and water filled my lungs. And just like the other sinkers in her class, the teacher gave us a rod to grab and pulled us out of water. I never finished that class. It was the earliest class and was often late or absent even though the pool is just 5 minutes from my dormitory.

When I got into a relationship with a swimmer (Ron), and later married one, the pool or the beach is always a destination. So I gave swimming a try one more time. And Ron is urging me to learn. He gives me tips in improving my Freestyle and just last year, he taught me the Breaststroke.

It is a struggle. Swimming and exercise are struggles.. But I decided to learn and reach milestones every now and then. I am still far from the goal... but I will get there. And yeah, I want to learn how to float and tread, for dear life.