Mid Week

Oh boy what have I let myself in for?

The NPLQ = National Pool Lifeguard Qualification in a week - what on earth was I thinking of when I decided to give this a go.

I have never swum so much in my life let alone dived to the bottom of a six foot pool depth and touched the bottom.

Not only that I have discovered I am scared of the dummy!!!!

I don't know why or how I just am. 

Needless to say this is a huge struggle for me. 

Today I was doing my timed swim of which we have to do two one in 65 seconds and the other in 45 seconds.  I haven't hit the targets yet and today was not going to go my way.

I started out well on my first run and on my recovery of my "casualty" I slipped in the shallow end twice, recovered and set off with my casualty "on tow".

I winced a bit after slipping and then apparently I said "I don't believe this".  Next thing I hear is a scream followed by a sharp yelp of pain.  This was from me.

The casualty ended up being the rescuer and vice versa.

I had pulled my muscle just under my thigh and had to give in.

This was not fun and I had to be looked after and regain my composure to rejoin in the session.

I managed to rescue the dummy on my second attempt everyone was so happy including the "casualty" that takes the place of the dummy to be rescued to the side and then resuscitated.

This put me off what I was supposed to be doing and I forgot the procedures.

I have been to the Swimming After Surgery (SAS) session tonight and been able to practise surfacing diving to help me obtain the dummy from the depths of the deep end of the pool.

I just hope I don't let anyone down on Friday including myself.

No matter what happens I know I have put my all into the course and given 100%.

I will not lose what I have learnt but the experience on Friday will ensure I learn more as I go along even if I don't make the grade.

What a week I am having.

By the way I received my Certificate from the ASA to say I have passed my Level 1 Teaching Aquatics course so I didn't have to wait as long as I had feared.

So it is definitely onwards and upwards for me.

Best wishes

Fee