[Attempting] Freediving

What most people don't realize is that swimming isn't just a single skill but rather a collection of several different skills. Being able to swim horizontally on the surface of the water (think freestyle, breaststroke, etc) is a different skill from being able to stay afloat in a stationary position (treading). Another skill, one which I am yet to acquire, is diving. So on one weekend I decided to join a group of freedivers called Team Rocket for some freediving tutorials. They arranged pretty much everything for the 2D 1N trip and all we were left to do is to freedive, or at least attempt to.

SWIMBIKERUN.ph's Aquaman 2014

I'm the clueless looking guy with blue goggles.
I'm not a fan of my running pic either. I hate it when my hair gets parted in the middle without me knowing. LOL.

Photo from SWIMBIKERUN.ph's fb page

Just a month after my terrible finish at the Ateneo Aquathlon, and here I am again, joining a swim + run event. As in the previous years, SWIMBIKERUN.ph's Aquaman was again conducted at UP Diliman, where the running and swimming splits are held at the CHK's swimming pool and the acad oval, respectively.

Here's how I fared:

Ateneo Aquathlon 2014: Newbie Report

Pic from the Ateneo Aquathlon fb page

I first came across the Ateneo Aquathlon after joining the Pex Swim Club. I was assured that the race is perfect for beginners and completely doable with ample training.  And what can I say. I had a lot of fun and my endorphin surge lasted throughout the day. This being my first ever race, I can't offer an in-depth analysis of how the race went, except that, well, it went smoothly.

Ateneo Grade School Swimming Pool

- Don't forget to bring an ID so you can enter the campus.
- Fee: P40. Open to the public on weekends only, 9-11:30am, 1:30-4pm and 4-6:30pm
- 25m x 15 m, 3.5ft to 5ft. Unshaded. Separate communal showers for boys and girls. Cubicles for changing. Toilets have bidets. No lockers.
- Pull buoys, kick boards, goggles and other equipment are available for rent at P20 each.
- The pool is generally clean, except for fallen leaves from the mango three which stands on one side of the pool.
- Lifeguards on duty also offer swimming lessons.
- [Geez, I hope this doesn't sound racist.] Sometimes you may have to share the pool with Korean kids who would play around the pool. I tried switching lanes and make it appear that they're getting in the way, but they very rarely get the message. I might ask someone how to say "Please stay in one lane" politely in Korean.

Commuting details after the jump.

The Anatomy of Poor Swimming Form

I've long wanted to take a video of myself swimming, but never actually did for fear of getting curious stares from people in a public pool. While I was taking formal swimming lessons I have constantly received nothing but encouraging comments from my swim instructor, specifically, that my stroke and kick were okay and that endurance is the only thing I need to work with. When the lessons ended I have relied on Youtube videos to supposedly improve my form and have always thought that I do exactly as the videos say. In short, I've always thought I was a good swimmer. Then during an out-of-town trip with schoolmates at a private resort in Laguna I finally had the opportunity to take a video of myself. The pool wasn't intended for laps, of course, but is was long enough for my purpose.

For the first time, I finally know how I exactly swim - just bad.

How an Aquaphobic* Wimp Learned How to Swim

Marikina Sports Complex - one of my favorite places for training.

I never had the opportunity to learn how to swim as a child. As my trips to mountains (many of which have falls and rivers) and beaches became more frequent, I realized that my inability to swim is preventing me from enjoying my travels to the fullest. I was always that lone guy by the shore, splashing water and playing with the sand, afraid to go farther.