Tuesday, April 3, 2007

Just when you thought it was safe to go in the water...

So this morning at about 6:15 a.m. I arrived at the YMCA, went out to the pool, got ready to get in, looked down in the water, and I see a tiny crawfish about 2 inches long (half the length of my index finger, for those who need metric) swimming in the lane to my left down at the bottom of the pool in about chest-high water (yes, in chlorinated water completely unaffected, no wonder they have survived for millions of years). For those of you who don't know what these things are, here is a picture that is way bigger than the one I saw, sort of looks like a lobster that didn't quite get the full DNA chain:

Anyway, I thought nothing of it because sometimes they walk along the ground and are looking for water, and well, he found the YMCA pool. So, undaunted by the fear of what his teeny-tiny pinchers could do to me, I started my swim as the only one in the pool. Around my 20th lap, a lady comes in to swim in the adjacent lane and she is none too happy about the creature being there. Being the chivalrous gentleman that I am and clad only in my trustee Speedo, I borrowed a net from the lifeguard and after a lengthy struggle where I am sure that my life was in eminent danger (yawn) I pull him out and walk over to release him in a field next to the pool where there is access to a creek (he was such a worthy adversary that I saw it only fit that he should live for us to spar another day). I returned to the pool as a victorious hero having saved a damsel in distress from this monster that easily could have pulled her under and eaten her alive (over a period of about 1,000 years). For the record, even after the ferocious battle which left me battered and bruised, I managed to complete 2000m, my longest swim to date.

10 comments:

momo said...

no way. i'm used to seeing snakes and spiders and bobcats, but that thing would have freaked me out! :-)

great job on the 2000!!

Born To Endure said...

that's too funny!!

Unknown said...

Congratulations on the long swim. I applaud you for letting the creature go. My children always want me to kill spiders in the house, but I figure as long as they're not bothering me they don't deserve to die.

Randy - Maniac #788 said...

Robert that is truly a funny story that made me smile. Those things are small but some of the larger ones can draw blood especially if their pincers catch you in the web between the thumb and index finger, we used to catch them as kids. Way to go for the "catch and release" efforts.
Hey I was able to surprise myself and complete a half marathon training run on Sunday on the course that we will be using for the OKC Memorial Marathon/Half Marathon later this month. I've written about it in a few blog posts on my site.
I so respect your abilities especially with the swimming that is just way more than I could ever push my body to do. I'm just proud to have picked up running again after being absent for too many years.

Randy - Maniac #788 said...

Robert - what's the latest on your dance training with your daughter?

Jess said...

Glad to hear you were victorious in your battle against the enemy.

Truthfully though, I would have been a little bit taken back by seeing that thing in the water too.

Neese said...

LOL!! you are so, so brave!
But you know I would of been in distress too and certainly would of been happy to have been helped! well done!

Unknown said...

Great post!

runningshorts said...

Way too funny!

Laurel said...

did you ever know that you're my herooooo...