Back In The Day
Last night I did something I haven't done in quite awhile: watch TV.
I saw a tweet from Lisa Congdon that there was swimming on TV and that was enough to get me to tune in and I'm so glad I did.
I loved watching the US Olympic swimming trials. Watching those swimmers make their dreams come true was super inspiring (especially the ones who will be making their first trip).
I even loved watching a lot of the commercials that were sport and Olympic-related.
When a commercial break came on I ran upstairs to look in one of my old photo albums and see what swimming photos I could find. I found the two above from 1989 (I was 14).
I probably think about swimming, or have memories related to swimming, just about every day. It was such a huge part of my life in my early years into my first year of college.
The Olympics were never a dream of mine, but I loved swimming all the same.
I remember what it feels like: the training, the breathing, the gliding, the kick, the reach, the pull, the bite of the cold water first thing in the morning, the mental work-out, the exhaustion, the highs, the competition, the friendships, the winning and the losing. I remember when it felt really, really good and when it was really, really hard.
And I wonder why in the heck I'm not pushing my body and my mind in those same ways anymore.
Maybe this will be the season I get back in the pool for real.
I totally get this...I have used swimming as a way to help me get through depression after my parents died, to process life changes as my youngest entered college, and now at the age of 53 I joined a Masters Program to challenge myself and push myself mentally and physically.
What your post has reminded me....to document it!
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I hope you do get back in the pool or into something for you - something that feels good and recharges your batteries on several levels - you deserve that. Honouring your body and mind with physical activity is a beautiful thing.
cheers!
A.
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I never used to swim competively, but there definately is something magical about being in the water! I think that's so awesome that you have so photos from when you were younger swimming though! How cool to be able to look back at that point in time!
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I loved smelling like chlorine all the time.
I loved writing on my teammates before meets.
I loved how energized I felt after 3-500s as a warm up.
I loved how unselfconscious I was in a swim suit.
I loved breaking a minute in the 100 free.
I loved mentoring the newer swimmers.
I loved being mentored by the more experienced ones.
I loved swimming competitively!
Thanks for the reminder. :)
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Swimming was a huge part of my life growing up as we lived at the pool in the summer. First taking swimming lessons starting the year I was 5 and then helping teach the summer I turned 11 and continuing to teach almost every summer through high school and into my 20s. Then I got real full-time jobs so couldn't fit it into my schedule. But at any point when I was unemployed or working later in the day, I was always back at the pool teaching. I also taught quite a few private lessons. I never swam competitively, outside of the July 4th and end of summer meets at our club until I was 13, because I was not a fast swimmer. But I still love the water and welcome any opportunity to spend time in it!
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