The Swim: YOU are the weakest link

On my list of Top 100 favorite things to do, no where will you find anything even remotely related to swimming.  I guess it is human nature to like the things that we are good at...good at swimming, I am not.  I started swimming in December (well, I went to the pool a couple times, I wouldn't actually call it swimming). I took a few lessons in January, so I guess that is when it really started.  I won't really get into details, but it wasn't pretty.  I couldn't swim one length of a 25 meter pool without hanging onto the other end gasping for breath for five minutes.  Fast forward to today, mid-August, and I can swim 2 miles without stopping... but it ain't pretty.  After a few lessons with one coach at the pool, I got the basics down.  I spent at least 3 days per week in the pool (sometimes 4) for at least an hour at a time, doing lap after lap after lap after... yeah.  I guess there was improvement somewhere, as I pointed out I can swim much farther than when I first started. But it still ain't pretty. 
I have done four tri's this year; three sprints and an olympic.  First sprint I won my AG, 5th overall.  Second sprint placed 2nd AG.  Olympic...well, we don't even need to discuss that.  I don't know where I placed but it certainly wasn't worth mentioning.  Third sprint, won my AG - I think I was 7th overall?  Or something.  But, none of that was thanks to the swim portion.  Luckily I can run.  Out of 202 people (men and women), I was 149 out of the water.  Run, I was 17th. (2nd female).  None of these numbers really matter, except they go to prove a point that I am super competitive, and I like being good at things.  Swimming is not one of these things. 
I have been working with Craig Lewin from Endurance Swimming and he has been fantastic. I have certainly gotten a lot out of his instruction.  I plan to work with him over the winter as much as possible. For now, my goal is just to get through my Olympic race in a week and a half, and not let the swim ruin my race like it did in my last Oly.  And then to get through my 70.3 in (gulp) 3-1/2 weeks, again, without letting the swim ruin my race.
I'm hoping that by this time next year I can look back at this post and laugh, because I'm SO much better at swimming by then. If I'm not, it won't be for lack of trying!