Friday, July 17, 2009

Are you kidding me?

This morning I went for another OWS. First, let me preface. I hate the lifeguard buoy as is, but I really don't see a need for one especially when your wearing a wetsuit. My theory is: If you can't turn over and float on your back safely with a wetsuit - you have NO BUSINESS being out in open water. Seriously! So since it was an early morning swim I wore my wetsuit. Still, out of the kindness of my heart I offered to pull the buoy to the turnaround and then the owner of the buoy would pull it back to shore. Said owner also brought a couple of people with her. One I had met before. An amazing recent college competitive swimmer. Phenomenal swimmer. The other was a guy. Well we all took off (I toward the back since I was the sucker with the buoy) and it became obvious quickly that this guy didn't know how to effin' swim. What?! Ok, he could swim to survive, but not the head in the water kind of swimming. Are you shittin me? I stayed back at first because I didn't know if maybe it was just his first OWS and was trying to get comfortable but no. He didn't even have his goggles over his eyes they were just propped on his forehead over swim cap. Why he even bother donning swim cap or goggles is beyond me. I'm sure they were given to him by the college girl that morning. I was pissed! Everybody else was well on their way getting their workout on while I was stuck babysitting this douche-bag who should never have been out there in the first place. Me: "Don't you want to put your goggles on" DB: "No it's ok" Me: "You don't know how to swim with your head under water?" DB: "Not really, can you teach me?" Me: (insert irritated facial expression here) "This really isn't the place for that. You need to be in a pool" DB: "I just don't know how to breath out underwater, I keep wanting to breath in" Me: "why don't we just head back to shore so we can get there about the same time as the rest of the group" WTF? My girlfriends felt horrible especially the one who drove the guy to the lake (and the owner of the buoy) in the first place. She called me immediately and apologized profusely. Had she known the guy didn't know how to swim...yada yada yada. I know it's not her fault. She assumed college girl had good judgement and I would have done the same. I am over it now, but I was fuming all the way back to shore. On the way back he even said, "I hope I'm not holding you back. Am I holding you back?" Uh, whaaat. Are you the biggest idiot on the planet. I said, "Yes, of course your holding me back, but I'm not going to leave you out here when you can't swim more than 10 yards without stopping for a break." Crazy! Total waste of time and more importantly, lost opportunity to get much needed sleep. Never again will I pull that buoy!

6 comments:

Amy - the gazelle said...

LAME! Sorry that your OWS was sucky. I am doing my first one tomorrow, and am a combination of nervous & excited. My first tri is only 2 weeks away (!) but I'm starting to feel a bit more confident.

Special K said...

Not just lame, but cruddy...small insecure people!
Good thing for your anger, instead of questioning yourself. Question him...trust yourself!
http://thespecialktreatment.wordpress.com/

Missy said...

That blows! I hate it when someone wants to bring a new guy along...I don't ride with new guys for safety purposes but sheeeit, OWS!?!?! WTF? Yes, I'd be peeeeiiisssed off too since you didn't even get a workout in either. Babysitting, not what I signed up for. Buddy, get theee hell out of open water until you know how to breathe.

Anonymous said...

That really stinks. Sorry you didn't have a better time:(

X-Country2 said...

Wow. If you can't figure out the breathe out/in business, you really should be in a KIDDIE pool blowing bubbles.

Alisa said...

Haha, that is horrible! Glad the girl felt bad but really, why bring a non-swimmer to a swim workout!