Comrades Marathon Blog

Cape Town is currently experiencing some rather cold and wet weather. While it’s a nice change, it doesn’t help as I planned to get some longer cycles in this weekend. So I decided to go to the gym, except I thought I’d try the swimming thing.

Now, I’m a land animal.  I can run and cycle, both of which, I enjoy. Swimming however, I don’t enjoy. I’m aware of the benefits of swimming, and after buying goggle’s and a swim cap several months ago, I finally put them to use today.

So this evening I head down the gym, and decide to try out this swimming thing. Very quickly I rediscovered that I swim like a piece of lead. I was absolutely exhausted after swimming crawl just one length. I suffered through a few lengths, then switched to breaststroke. Surprisingly, I managed about 20 more lengths, then gave up. A total of 26 lengths, and 18 minutes of swimming.

After a run, and sometimes a cycle, I feel great, like I’ve achieved something. My swim this evening left me with a headache, pretty much how a piece of lead might feel after being thrown into a pool. Not a feeling of achievement, no. But I’m not giving up, I’m going to buy fins (or flippers if you prefer) tomorrow, which will aid in the recovery of my ankle. I suspect I simply need need to improve my stroke so that I swim more efficiently, which will hopefully allow me to enjoy the swimming more.

So if you see me at the Virgin Active in Sea Point, please don’t point and laugh, I’m a runner.