Olympic Catch-up

[aeditimi]

Wading into the DVRed coverage of the Bejing Games, and of course I'm going for the men's swimming stuff first

Comments

[2ndavemusic]

He's not so much my type, but I saw a couple of those underwater shots, and thought, "You know, I bet he can really bring it."

This might be construed as a good reason to start swimming.

[ext_100315]

"It's not like there's much suspense about Michael Phelps and whether or not he'll win."

Clearly you haven't watched the 4x100m freestyle relay. Just FILLED with suspense as the Americans smashed through the world record, the record split-time in a Relay, and made Alain Bernard eat his trash talk with every ounce of aplomb.

Races like that are why I am such an Olympic junkie. And why, when I move to NYC, I'll be taking formal swimming lessons to finally cure this fear of putting my face under water. I'll never be an athlete, but if those four men can do all of that, then I can at least learn to breathe properly in and out of the water.

[2ndavemusic]

Well, perhaps there is your first problem: you don't breathe in the water. Unless you've got scuba gear, or maybe a snorkel.

[ext_100315]

Yes, that's precisely the problem. I put my head under with every intention of only exhaling, and I see the little carbon dioxide bubbles and panic and start to hyperventilate. Which means I choke and burst through the surface and cough up water and never figure out how to stroke and kick at the same time with decent form. It's actually worse when I'm wearing a scuba tank -- ever hyperventilated on an oxygen tank? There's a reason you need to take slow, deep breaths through the mouthpiece.

[2ndavemusic]

Actually, no, not only have I never hyperventilated on an oxygen tank, I've never even tried to use one. I had such a fit of panic while snorkeling in Mexico that I've never since stayed underwater longer than I can hold my breath. Freestyle, while I'm no Phelps (in *any* regard), I do okay.