me gusta nadar.....ahora

My friend Bonnie is an excellent swimmer. She's the type of lady who swam through all three pregnancies and has three kids who are confident, accomplished swimmers. I wouldn't be surprised to see all three of them competing in the Olympics someday in the not so distant future smashing records. Bonnie and I and our 5 kids swim together 3-4 times a week at the Y. Usually, I just tolerate the swimming (I go to talk to Bonnie and our kids love each other).

Today was different. Bonnie threw me her goggles and told me go 'have fun ' in the lap pool while she watched my kids. 'Have fun' and 'swimming laps' have never been used in the same sentence exiting my mouth without the preposition 'never', as in I never have fun swimming laps. Let me interject right here my dislike of swimming for exercise. My father is an incredible swimmer. If, given the opportunity, my father would give Michael Phelps a run for his money. I'm not saying my dad would beat Michael Phelps I'm saying he would CRUSH Michael.

This is what Michael Phelps looks like after my dad beats the swim trunks of him. (ewww)

I can see the shock and awe in Michael's eyes, can't you?

From a young age my dad thought it imperative for me to swim...not just swim without drowning but to swim with style. So I spent the most of my summers in the Davidson College Aquatics Center learning technique and strokes......not as much fun as it sounds. Thus began my unenthusiastic career as a reluctant swimmer that has continued until today.

After my first lap, Bonnie's kid  had beat me to the opposite end of the lap with minutes to spare (his hair had dried by the time I reached him)I opened my mouth to ask the kid, "how can you do that?" but I couldn't talk.....I made sounds like a sick hippopotamus unable to form intelligent English syllables due to the oxygen deprivation to my brain. Seriously, my lungs had rioted and gone on a smoke break leaving me helpless and in need of CPR. The lifeguards gave me more than just a passing glance as they noticed my lack of gills unlike the rest of the swimmers in the pool.

Let me state that I consider myself a fairly in shape girl. I can run a competitive 5k (I have the trophies and ribbons to prove it), don't tire easily, and exercise more than the average American yet I experienced pulmonary arrest. How can this be?

Bonnie told me I need to do a triathlon.......I'm considering it. I really did like it and it's a challenge to see if I can improve enough to whoop up on Bonnie's kids. Maybe her kids will consider training me.