I guess I qualify but I'm not sure what step I'd be on. You see, it all started when I was about 11 years old (at that time I was afraid of the aqua). I mean, I liked to get in the pool and float on the inner tube but to actually get in and go under was out of the question. Then one day, a friend of mine tried to swim under the tube I was floating on. I leaned over looking for him to surface when his head hit the back of the inner tube and I went into the water face first, mouth and eyes wide open. After the initial shock, I actually surfaced laughing. This was all about the time my older sister started on the competitive team. I don't recall the timing but I think it was just a short while later and I, too, was on the competitive team. And, thus, my addiction started. I continued to be hooked thru grade school, high school and college but thought I'd overcome the addiction the summer after graduating from college. My last event was an open water lake swim (1.15 miles). 10 years went by and, although, I participated in a corporate swimming event for a few years, it only involved swimming a 50 as a relay member. Then, suddenly, in 1999, my world was rocked by a corporate downsizing. Our office had been acquired and 200 of the 300 remaining positions were moved out of state. While they were transitioning, my job was done so I was helping out in another area until the final termination date, lunch hours got a little longer and I found myself relapsing back into the pool. This went on for about 3 months. Then, I learned of the masters organization and the upcoming state meet. I swam in the meet and found I was about 3 seconds off my lifetime best in the 100 free. I also swam that same lake swim again that year. This, and my final work day, put me in full relapse. I started working out with the local high school team (up to 100,000 yards/month), swam in local master's meets, the state meet and masters nationals (Indy in 2000). Over the past 6 years, I've been able to tone it down a little here and there as I only average about 50,000 yards/month in the month's that I swim but I also notice I'm turning into more of a year round swimmer. This year was my 7th consectutive lake swim. I guess I'm hooked real bad because on the days I don't swim I don't feel as well and if I miss a week or so here and there I start to feel guilty. Is there anyone out there who can help? I even went to my nieces (two on the team) high school swim meet last night and, although, I didn't swim. I wanted to!!!
I guess I qualify but I'm not sure what step I'd be on. You see, it all started when I was about 11 years old (at that time I was afraid of the aqua). I mean, I liked to get in the pool and float on the inner tube but to actually get in and go under was out of the question. Then one day, a friend of mine tried to swim under the tube I was floating on. I leaned over looking for him to surface when his head hit the back of the inner tube and I went into the water face first, mouth and eyes wide open. After the initial shock, I actually surfaced laughing. This was all about the time my older sister started on the competitive team. I don't recall the timing but I think it was just a short while later and I, too, was on the competitive team. And, thus, my addiction started. I continued to be hooked thru grade school, high school and college but thought I'd overcome the addiction the summer after graduating from college. My last event was an open water lake swim (1.15 miles). 10 years went by and, although, I participated in a corporate swimming event for a few years, it only involved swimming a 50 as a relay member. Then, suddenly, in 1999, my world was rocked by a corporate downsizing. Our office had been acquired and 200 of the 300 remaining positions were moved out of state. While they were transitioning, my job was done so I was helping out in another area until the final termination date, lunch hours got a little longer and I found myself relapsing back into the pool. This went on for about 3 months. Then, I learned of the masters organization and the upcoming state meet. I swam in the meet and found I was about 3 seconds off my lifetime best in the 100 free. I also swam that same lake swim again that year. This, and my final work day, put me in full relapse. I started working out with the local high school team (up to 100,000 yards/month), swam in local master's meets, the state meet and masters nationals (Indy in 2000). Over the past 6 years, I've been able to tone it down a little here and there as I only average about 50,000 yards/month in the month's that I swim but I also notice I'm turning into more of a year round swimmer. This year was my 7th consectutive lake swim. I guess I'm hooked real bad because on the days I don't swim I don't feel as well and if I miss a week or so here and there I start to feel guilty. Is there anyone out there who can help? I even went to my nieces (two on the team) high school swim meet last night and, although, I didn't swim. I wanted to!!!
