Fatigued

Until today I haven’t experienced complete exhaustion from swimming before. Weird feeling. Everything started as normal, me in the pool and this other fella arriving exactly ten minutes after me. Regardless if I’m late or not – this man joins ten minutes after. Never fails. We start our normal daily routine – me chasing his laps and count how many times I can pass him, he is doubtlessly a better swimmer than me but I like the unspoken but agreed competitive chase we’re up to and he enjoys the swim in a more calm pace, I guess.

Then this lady arrives. This 40+ -year old woman with wobbling skin sinks down in the pool and starts pushing these monstrous strokes. Completely stunned I amp up and try to keep up with her (I’m in front of her and decide to forget to breathe if she'd pass me). But she does it so calmly, so effortless, so elegant. Caressing the water with each stroke, just floating away. Like an arrow. Or whatever spears through the water with grace and simplicity.

I do my best just to remain up front, swallowing water and splashing away – while being mentally occupied by two things. Stay in front of her – and make it look like I do it without any thinking/effort whatsoever. When I was done I was absolutely spent. Disguising my heavy panting while trying to remember to make that seem effortless. “Nah I’m good, just swallowed a mouthful of water here on this my last very stroke, yeah can you believe it.”