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Water Baby

Today I sucked it up and put on my Speedo swimsuit. I mean it, I really sucked it up. I had to to get the dang thing on. It's been a while. Swimsuits built for real swimming are tight. Think sausage casing. Oy. 

We've been watching the Olympics and I got all excited talking to Scott about flip turns and backstroke side to side movement and snapping on a swim cap, the smell of the pool. I was a little fired up. 

When I swam in high school I was pretty good. Not great. I was a freshman that struggled at first with the amount of swimming I was being asked to do.  Swimming had always come naturally to me. Family legend says I learned to swim before I learned to walk. Eventually I got used to the seemingly endless practices and did well in my races. Backstroke was my stroke. I loved it. I did individual races and medley relays. My very last race I had a PR and felt something similar to runners high. I remember Coach Z getting all excited about my time and telling me it wouldn't take much to move me up to varsity. To a freshman that's pretty huge. Unfortunately we moved a few weeks later and Oregon high schools do swimming in a different season so there was no team to join, plus it was inside. I remember thinking, who swims inside?? Such a spoiled sun baby. 

I never swam in a race again. I tried track and had lost my interest in the hurdles and dashes. Then I found cheerleading and it was all consuming. Yeah I was that girl who walked around the grocery store practicing chants, much to my mothers embarrassment. 

So I hadn't jumped into a pool for a real workout for the first time in about seventeen or eighteen years. 

My arms are the tired achy that feels good. My thighs are going to be sore tomorrow. My skin has that tight dry feeling you get after a lot of time in the water. It's totally awesome and I'm so going back tomorrow. 

That nagging foot injury that's been keeping me out of my running shoes doesn't hurt in the pool. Plus I just feel good in the water, even if I was inside on a beautiful sunny day.

Now if I could just keep the hairy gross guys coming out of the sauna or steam room to stay out of the pool it would be perfect.