Why do you swim?

I swim, because it makes me HAPPY! I'm so cranky, if I don't get to swim. I swim, because I love the water. I can take that little bit of summer through the whole winter with me. I swim, because it makes me stronger. I swim, because it makes me healthier. I swim, because I leave everything else in life at the locker room door. I swim, because it's my "me" time. I could keep going, but those are the most important reasons.

Swimming has been my life. If I hadn't swum as a kid and if the ADHD diagnosis had been around then, I probably would've been doped up on something to calm me down. Swimming is my mood stabilizing drug of choice ... and my parents' tool of choice to deplete my energy I swim because I'm hyper-competitive ... and I absolutely suck at every land sport I ever tried. I swim because my dad swims ... and my kids swim because I swim ... circle of life kind of thing I swim because I need to meditate ... but sitting on a mat for two hours just doesn't do it like cranking out some yards in a pool I swim for those rare moments of "perfect flow" when my mind is clear, my stroke is perfectly connected with the water and I feel like I'm flying on top of the water

A teammate said to me the other day, "I hate swimming, but I'm good at it. So I do it." He was only being slightly sarcastic. lol

My rear would be the size of Montana if I did not swim as often as I do.:mooning:

It's the only sport left from my youth that I can do multiple times a week without risk of serious injury.

Ditto many of these items I also swim because of friendships in Lane 4 And so my kids can laugh at my hair (becoming singular....) and see that dad is still young somewhere inside For the pendulum regularity of strokes, workoutdays, seasons against the noise and bustle of the rest of life Because it's a great excuse to travel to odd places and meet new people (or the other way around!) Because I'd never seen New York from the quiet sloshing at Elevation 0 before Because I can't run anymore, not that I was any good at it, just a simple pleasure in all weather Because I am almost as fast as I was at age 13, so in a few years things are looking really good And I almost always feel better afterwards And my wife, kids and coworkers like that better than the alternative dV

Magnus von Pounderson: I am slowly warming up to your world view.

Geek, You could always go back to cheerleading :cheerleader:

Because I don't want to be fat anymore. Plus, it is the only thing athletic that I can do pretty well.

Like Swimstud, I too think the world is a better place for seeing my magnificence in motion, espcially in a wet environment. I swim for my mood. I swim for clarity of thought after the swimming is over. I swim because it gives me a sense of having accomplished something measureable on that day. I swim because I love getting to see a group of friends and friendly acquaintances on a regular basis and with no need to contrive an excuse to do so--I like feeling part of a little tribe, if you will. I swim because it saves on soap and water and deodorant costs. I swim because the solitary mental life of the writer at home by himself needs balanced with a hard physical reduced thought life of few distractions and sharp focus on endurance, speed, and slip stream. I swim to eat, eat to sleep. sleep to work, work to swim. I swim like a lure in the hopes of snagging the occasional deepsea mermaid i swim for my mood when the mermaid slips the hook I swim because it is as close to a flying dream I can actually live in conscious life I swim because I no longer drink so must submerse my head in liquid to recapture that swimming sensation i used to get by submersing liquid in my head. I sleep so the novel hypnotics will work better at the day's end, and they have begun to, yes they have. I swim to meet guys like Rich, Leslie, and Paul, the host of Allisons and Barbs and Danas and Muppets and Opligrovers and splendid little youngsters,one and all this novelty hypnotic is kicking me on my ass! I must say. Swim away, little cuttlefish, and hope neither mr. moray nor the urinophilic candiru awaits in your den! Good night.