I survived

I'm sure I have some friends who think I'm exaggerating. but really, surviving my daughter's swim team season seems like a huge accomplishment. It also signifies a return to focusing on my own workouts and efforts. Although, fall swimming starts in 4 weeks...

Since I was never encouraged nor was it ever suggested that I participate in any type of athletics whatsoever growing up, it's astonishing to me to watch my own children and their accomplishments. I remember being in the 5th grade and qualifying as an alternate in some sort of distance dash for our annual Rotary Field Day. I was so excited because I beat out a few boys that I deemed as athletes. My world was then crushed when my Mother told me we were going out of town that weekend and I couldn't participate. I look back and wonder how things might have been different if I had attended that event. Would it have stoked a love of running as an adolescent rather than waiting until my thirties? I guess I'll never know.

This is why I want to give my children every opportunity to find what drives them. Last year we tried soccer, it was okay but probably not her favorite. We know she loves running and will continue that this fall and now swimming. I mentioned on Facebook that in March both girls took lessons at a local swim school. For Sydney my biggest concern was that she be able to swim the length of the pool. They spent time getting her up to speed on freestyle and introducing backstroke and diving. In April she started pre-season swim team practice. Where everyone else already knew all four strokes and Sydney had to work hard to catch up to her peers. Her first event was time trails in June. These were her results:

Free: 29:88
Breast: 68:34
Back: 41:52
Fly: 56:94 DQ for using breaststroke arms

2 months later her best times were as follows

Free: 24:04
Breast: 68:34 (she never swam breaststroke again, we're tackling that this Fall)
Back: 29:00
Fly: 28:57

She isn't the fastest swimmer and she's close to some bronze times, but what amazes me is the progress she has made in 2 months. I can honestly say that she inspires me. I guess if I could find a way to swim everyday for 2 months I could probably see some significant improvements as well. She still says that butterfly is her least favorite stroke because it's so complicated. The funny thing is she really nailed the stroke technically. Her coach told her at her last lesson, that her butterfly looked great and that all she needed to do was to hold her breath to pop her time. I know she is too young to understand all of this and one day she will get the concept of how these times reflect all of her efforts. For now I'm happy to just watch and enjoy her progress.

In other news I've gone back to work on a very part time basis. I'm doing one month on a contract basis to see if it's a fit and will evaluate the role early September. Hopefully I will be able to juggle work, workouts, coaching and family and still feel great about all of it at the end of the day.