Swim Baby Swim!

I've been swimming pretty much all my life. Even before my neck muscles were developed enough to turn my head. My mother (or my sisters) would walk along side me and I would nod my head when I needed a breath, then they would pick me up, let me get a breath, and plop me back down again. I don't remember it, but have heard mother tell the story.

About 13-years ago, when I was old enough to become a Water Safety Instructor, my sister and I went to Fort Hays for a week and had intense WSI training. When I say intense, we were in class for eight hours a day, both pool and classroom time. WOW was I out of shape, and my sister is a little older (like 20 years). I think I beat her in the Cooper 12-minute test by about 4 seconds (she of course outscored me in the written test).

Needless to say, I am pretty comfortable in water. Except when I was faced with this...
This is the natatorium (fancy name for swimming pool with bleachers) at The Hummer Sports Complex in Topeka, the site of this year's Sunflower Games. I've been talking (just talking) the past couple years about competing. Although I've been swimming and teaching for a while now, competing is not something I have ever tried. Now that I am 30 (I KNOW, it's hard for me to believe too), I've decided to do some of the things I've been talking about, instead of just talking (and I talk alot). So, last month, SB and I went to Topeka to investigate. WOW! I was not read for this many people in the pool at one time during warm-ups.

I was beyond intimidated. And I was quiet. I just sat there trying to take it all in. I'm sure that SB was trying to calculate the best route to St Francis. Especially when my "class" came to the starting block. And the gold medalist did the 50-free in 35.37 seconds. I don't know if that is fast or not, I was trying to figure out if I could make it that far down the pool without stopping. I still haven't decided.
Either way, I'm seriously considering getting on the blocks and trying to make it all the way down the lane, if I stink, oh well! I can at least I say I competed. Do you think they will let my mom and my sisters stand in the lane to pick me up so I can catch my breath?