Sunday, September 6, 2009

New Beginnings

It all starts with a goal, right?  Sounds simple enough.  Deciding on my first goal was not simple at all, actually.  First I had to figure out why I’m doing it.  I’ve spent a few days pondering this – Why do I want to swim again?  Is it to improve my fitness?  Have fun?  Prove something to myself?  Prove something to someone else?  Face old demons?  Meet people who share a common love for the sport?

I know it is a combination of all these things.  Determining my first goal has forced me to sort through each of these reasons, and to put the “right” reasons on top of the list and put the secondary reasons ~the ones that can never really be fulfilled~ aside.  I know I can’t do this for anyone other than myself.  Swimming at age 35 will not change my age group swimming experience.  It won’t change the fact that I wasn’t the successful swimmer I had once thought I would be. 

All of that said, this is truly a new beginning.  My first goal is simple ~ go to two practices this week (Wednesday and Friday).  I’m not putting any distance requirements in there or amount of swimming time.  I just have to get myself there.  If I get in the pool, great!  If I swim five minutes, even better!  A half hour, WOW, fantastic!  I’m setting myself up for success, obviously.  Wish me luck!    

3 comments:

  1. Holy Shit. Your hair is going to turn green! Congrats. I think there's better shampoo for swimmers now.

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  2. HAHAHA! Yes, I think there's better stuff now, too. Remember how stinky UltraSwim used to be? Yuck I hated that stuff.

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  3. It's never too late to have a happy childhood.

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