Fall Swimming

I debated the title of this post because it makes me admit that fall is actually here.  I know that all you folks in Texas are anticipating the arrival of fall and the cooler weather it will bring.  But fall weather in the Northwest means cloudy grey skies and the beginning of 7 months of dreariness.  I knew that fall was really upon us when I went to Starbucks two weeks ago and the Pumpkin Spice Latte was back - it was a bittersweet moment.

I really wanted to go for a run yesterday after work, but alas, it was raining.  I would have put on a running hat and a wicking shirt and pushed through the mist (its what you have to do when you live in Portland), but Stephanie called and gave me a better option: swimming.  Not the fun splash-around-in-the-pool kind of swimming, but the real deal speedo-swimcap-and-goggles-in-a-lap-pool swimming.  I can't remember the last time I've actually swam for exercise, but if I had to estimate I'd say: at the Ridgewood Country Club summer kids olympics where the Brophy girls beat me every year (and then I would sulk about it and refuse to be in the picture as the "runner up" - the troubles of a 5 year old).

So Steph and I went for a swim at the Mount Scott Community Center last night and apparently I'm not quite in swimming shape.  It was tough!  During the first 2 laps, all that was running through my head was, "i can't breath. this is miserable. i bet the lifeguards are getting a kick out of my lack of swimming style. i'd rather be on the eliptical right now."  But Steph (who was a swim instructor for years) gave me some great tips on how to improve my swimming and by the end of the hour I was flipping through the water a little easier.

My big goals for this year were/are a half marathon (which I ran in July) and a full marathon (which I'm running in October).  Next year, it's a triathalon (a mini triathalon).  And I'll have the whole dreary fall and winter to splash around and train in the pool.

my childhood swim coach

my first pair of swim goggles

summers at Ridgewood - those were the days!