Open Water

With my background in swimming, it might come as a surprise to some people that I am slightly terrified of open water swimming... I mean, not like to the point where I won't do it (obviously.. I would need to find a new line of work!) or even like I get panicky, but there is something about the deep, dark depths that freaks me out. Maybe I watched Jaws too much as a kid...

Or maybe its the fact that I've lived my whole life in landlocked states. In college I dated a girl from California, who was terrified of tornadoes, which to me is just dumb. (She frequently made fun of my fear of the ocean). I guess it all just depends on what you grew up with?

Sure, we would go to the lake in the summertime in Nebraska, but I don't have the open-water experiences that you folks on the coasts do. Besides, you've got weird animals and plants and things that bite, sting, or poison you in the ocean that simply aren't in lakes.

To make matters worse, all these nasty little critters have evolved over billions of years to be in this environment, while I, as a human, am born to swim slightly better than a locomotive was built to fly. Add to the equation some murky water and slippery seaweed, and my paranoia is complete.

Now, when the water is clear (like Cancun, or Kelowna) I have no problem swimming in the open water. Also, when racing, or even just swimming with a group of people it doesn't bother me. So really I am not afraid of open water swimming, I am afraid of my imagination... wow, this just got deep!

Zane and I were doing some open water practice this afternoon, and I was doing fine until 3 man o' war jellyfish washed up as we were talking... see?? This is what I'm talking about!! Anyway, I'll get over it, or I'll seek help from a therapist, or cry to my mom, or both, (my mom is a therapist). Until tomorrow night, FOLLOW THE PACE RABBIT!