My Confession

I hate to run.  I know that lots of people like it, and it is the thing to do, but I hate it.  I have a dad who runs, a brother and sister-in-law who run marathons, and a crazy awesome sister who run ultramarathons.  Even my other sister enjoys running.  I don't.  I never have.  It was my goal as a member of the track team to do whatever I had to NOT to run.  I know that doesn't make sense, but it's the truth.

What I do like to do is swim.  I think the best thing to ever happen to me was to get cut from the jv basketball team.  It sure didn't feel that way at the time.  But my dad told me that I wasn't going to sit around the house all fall so I could run cross country, play tennis, or swim.  Well, I have no idea how to play tennis and we have already covered my feelings on running.  It wasn't pretty at first, but by the end of my first season I realized that I may have a little talent in this area and my love grew from there.

After swimming in high school and college, I needed a break.  I know a lot of the people I swam with did the same thing, and some of them never want to see a pool again.  I guess if I had spent 18 to 20 years swimming, I might feel the same way.  As it is, I only spent about 7 years competitively swimming.  I did need a break, and in the process, had two children and gained a bunch of weight. 

I never stopped enjoying the idea of swimming.  It's been a while since I have really been in the pool to swim.  Once in a while, I would go and try to do a few yards, but I was never serious.  So here is my confession.  I have been swimming pretty regularly since August and my goal is to compete in a Master's swim meet sometime this winter.  I realized that seems a little crazy.  I am not trying to break records or do anything phenomenal, but I would like to race a couple of races.

Although that is my goal, I am really enjoying the working out part.  I was up this morning to go to the pool and the cool, crisp air made me feel alive when I left the house.  And when I was done, I had that really good tired feeling in my arms and lungs.  And I feel very accomplished!  This morning I swam 2000 yards in about 50 minutes.  Not spectacular, but to put it in perspective, in my prime I swam 3000-3300 yards an hour.  I'd like to be at about 2700-2800 yards an hour.  I'll keep plugging away.

I have hesitated telling  people about my swimming because I don't want to feel like I am letting anyone down if these things don't happen.  But I think I am confident enough that this will happen that I can share this information.  And I am confident enough that I know this is for me and nobody else, and I am not responsible to anybody but myself.  I hope that people will support, but not judge me.  I am happy to just do this for me.