Swimming is Cool, Too...

Because I am unable to participate in my 'first' sport, running, I had to find something else to get my heart rate up and keep some semblance of an endurance base. I can't ride a bike until I'm pain free for a couple of days; still waiting. I can swim as much as I want though. As of today, I have had two weeks run free. At minimum two more weeks to go, maybe four. On the bright side? In the last two weeks I have logged 16,000 meters in the pool and have made six pie varieties (and will make a couple more before the weekend is over).

It has been some time since I have spent a lot of time in the pool. When I lived out in Colorado I loved swimming! I was part of a masters swim team with my sister and brother-in-law. We had the coolest coach and some of the most colorful swimming companions. I remember one woman had this long salt and pepper hair that was often the topic of conversation; I remember telling her, way back then, that salt and pepper hair was sexy. Uh, yeah, I think I was channeling what was to come for me... Anyway, we also had the granola folks who didn't shave their arm pits, the super swimmer who was still wearing her 'lucky' (I called it holey) swim suit from 10 years earlier, the aspiring triathletes, the casual swimmer (me) and the fitness swimmers. The makeup of the group was very similar to the running crowd I run with now; very eclectic and inspiring.

One of the reasons I loved swimming while in college had something to do with the time I got to spend with my sister. She'd pick me up at my dorm, drive me to the local Y, take me out to dinner after the swim and then drop me back at my dorm. Two nights a week and one weekend morning, every week, we headed out to the pool for that swim workout. Eventually this swim habit expanded into adult swim meets (I always came in last place), mile swims in the local reservoir and eventually the annual sprint triathlon. 

And then I fell in love with running...

I have found my way back to the pool by way of injury, as I stated earlier. As I was doing my first swim workout as an injured runner I started thinking about the reasons I love running so much. Many of the reasons I love running are similar to why I loved swimming many years ago; the peace, the self reflection, the challenge and the time spent with the amazing friends (in swimming's case, many years ago, it was my amazing sister). And if I am being totally honest I LOVE being able to say that 'my sport is punishment for your sport; you may hate it but I love it!' 

As I was swimming I was trying to think of some positive sentiment I could hold on to so as to better embrace my re-found 'first' sport and then I realized it! I looked around the pool and saw all the injured/broken people pool walking or jogging, I talked to a few of them and our conversations have included commiserating about our injuries. At some point the light bulb went off!!! Swimmers are cool because they can say that their sport is therapy for all those broken runners! 

And here is a song for your listening pleasure. Night Swimming by REM conjures up many memories for me and reminds me of my innocence from years ago. It's a sweet song, sweet melody... If you want to have a discussion about the depth of this song, you should let me know, although it might bring out my internal hippie...