Y Talk: The Opposite of a Fish Out of Water by Michelle Bell

I am not a swimmer. I just wanted to put that out there right at the get-go. I’m not afraid of water or anything like that. I’m just not very good at propelling myself forward—or backward for that matter—in a pool.

I took a total of two weeks of swim lessons as a child—one week each in the two summers I went to camp. I learned enough that I could get across the pool to pass the swim test to be able to go off the diving board. It wasn’t pretty, but it got the job done. Then a few years ago I took four adult beginner swim lessons here at the Y when I thought I wanted to become a triathlete. It turns out that not much had stuck from those lessons at Camp Joy-El.

In the many years since those summer camp swim lessons, I have spent a ridiculous amount of hours around swimming pools for someone who doesn’t really know how to swim.

When I got a job as a sports reporter with The Sentinel during college, I felt pretty confident covering most high school sports. But my high school didn’t have a pool and I had never even watched a swim meet. So it was completely logical that I would be the swimming beat reporter, right? I guess it was more a decision of who was low man on the totem pole. Though I had very little prior knowledge of the sport, I really did enjoy getting to know the swimmers and following their journeys for three seasons. And I learned a ton about competitive swimming.

Fast-forward a few more years and I am now the mother of three swimmers. (Well, I guess it’s officially two now since my daughter has decided to trade in her suit and goggles for a basketball. But don’t tell Tara Young, our Aquatics Director. She still thinks she’s coming back.) This summer will mark 10 years since my oldest son started swimming at the Carlisle Swim Club. He is in his ninth season with the Carlisle YMCA Aquatics Association Sharks and is nearing the end of his freshman season on the Carlisle High School team.

I share all of this to say that I have watched A LOT of swimming. However, something I have learned over the past six weeks is that watching nearly 13 years’ worth of swim meets did not make me a better swimmer than I was in elementary school.

Competitive Nature Kicks In

When Tara pitched the idea of the English Channel Virtual Swim Challenge back in the fall, I thought it was a great idea. Participants would have two months to swim 21 miles and “cross” the English Channel. We did a little searching and found an online tool for swimmers to track their laps. I was excited to announce the challenge to Y members in our winter program guide.

Then Tara threw down the gauntlet and dared me to sign up. Well, I am not one to back down from a challenge. I did some math and figured out that I needed to swim 1,000 yards (20 laps) on at least 37 of the 60 days in the challenge. I decided that seemed doable.

Looking back I really have no idea how I came to this conclusion. I mean, I haven’t swum 1,000 yards in my entire lifetime, but somehow I thought I could do it not once or twice, but 37 times in two months?!?!? What was I thinking? Obviously my competitive nature clouded my judgement. But by the time I realized that, I had already registered and may or may not have even started to talk a little smack with some of the other participants.

It was too late to back out so I decided I would give it a shot and see what happened. I knew I had no time to waste so I started swimming Jan. 2. I successfully completed 1,000 yards that day with the help of a kickboard and fins. I guarantee it didn’t look pretty, but I made it. In the weeks since then I have gradually increased my yardage and have done as many as 2,500 at one time.

A New Appreciation for Swimming

While I feel like my form is getting a little better, Tara is quick to point out that I don’t look comfortable in the water, which is completely true. I feel like the opposite of a fish out of water. I’m a land animal that looks very awkward when tossed into the ocean.

But whether or not I look or feel comfortable, I have grown to appreciate swimming. I have been in the pool when the lap lanes are filled and a water exercise class is happening in another part of the pool. I’ve also been in the pool when only a handful of people are there. Those are my favorite times. It’s peaceful and the movement of the water is relaxing.

If you have never tried swimming, I encourage you to give it a shot. If you need a refresher on technique, sign up for group or private swim lessons here at the Y. If you have kids, make sure you give them the gift of confidence in the water. We have swim lesson sessions running year-round and the winter is a great time to take lessons so they are prepared this summer.

I’m actually kind of glad my competitive nature clouded my judgement the day I registered. I have completed 12 miles of the challenge so far. I’m headed to the pool as soon as I wrap this up. I have 20 days to knock out these last nine miles.

-by Michelle Bell, Marketing Director​