Swim happy

So we have a "swim rant" thread, but I wanted to post my "swim happy" moment today, probably brought on by being out of the water for over a week. Pool reopened after maintenance + clear, fresh perfect temp water + 6 lap lanes between 4 lap swimmers = 4200yd :bliss: Way to go, 'Fly! I guess that means you're over your cold, too. Perhaps Michael's drink recipe helped? :chug:

Last night I saw my first "stroke set" ever. In practice. Where the practice was actually devoted to strokes (rather than just tons of free style.) I felt like I was going to drown but I survived it! It was the greatest feeling ever! :applaud::applaud::applaud:

A little background for my greatest swim happy: As I have mentioned before (too many times, I know...), I had major shoulder surgery for TOS (Thoracic Outlet Syndrome) and thought I would never be able to swim, kayak, or kayak surf again. My surgeon assured me that if all went well, I should be able to get back to swimming again. (I didn't even think about competing at that point...) The surgery was successful and I sent him a thank you note, soon after I left the hospital. But, recently, I decided to write to Dr. Braun again, letting him know I was not only swimming again; I was competing with USMS. I received a heartwarming reply, including these excerpts: "The fact that you are swimming 3000 yards is amazing to me. In the first place, I probably couldn't walk 3000 yards unless it was gently downhill.* In the second place, using your arms to propel yourself through water for a distance of over a mile is simply mind boggling to a TOS surgeon." "The ultimate goal of orthopaedic surgery is to allow someone to enjoy his or her life in a way that they wish to pursue it. You have been extremely successful and I share your success in knowing that we did the right thing, at the right time, to the right person." "Thank you again for your letter. I will keep it in the file which I never intend to relinquish because it means a lot more to me than the diplomas on the wall." *Dr. Braun is now 78 years old and was 71 when he operated on me! He was and is still known as one of the leading TOS surgeons in the country and the only one on the west coast who will take the risk of performing the surgery he performed on me. So, everything I have done in swimming since joining USMS is one big swim happy for me! And, receiving Dr. Braun's letter was (chocolate!) icing on the (chocolate!) cake!! :bliss:

Last night I saw my first "stroke set" ever. In practice. Where the practice was actually devoted to strokes (rather than just tons of free style.) I felt like I was going to drown but I survived it! It was the greatest feeling ever!

That is all we do in the 1st few weeks of the new season. One VERY UGLY set includes a kicking set with gym shoes on!!!:badday::badday:

Elaine's story is hard to beat, but for my own happy - I just got back from San Francisco and a swim from Alcatraz. Right after jumping off of the boat, I got caught in an East current and was swept way to far to the East and swam back on track after the support boat came to tell me I was too far out, then about 600 yards from the finish, my goggles broke and I could not fix them, so I swam back in with goggles in my hand and my eyes closed, only opening them to sight. My time was a minute or two faster than last year and I am sure I swam much further this time. And despite all that did not go quite right, my first thoughts of that swim are the feelings of being happy, out in the SF Bay (one of my favorite places in the world), and doing what I love most in the world to do!! (I am a failry new open water swimmer, but I LOVE to swim). :fish2:

And despite all that did not go quite right, my first thoughts of that swim are the feelings of being happy, out in the SF Bay (one of my favorite places in the world), and doing what I love most in the world to do!! (I am a failry new open water swimmer, but I LOVE to swim). :fish2: :applaud::applaud::applaud:

For me it's a sunny, calm Saturday morning outside in Forest Park 50 meter pool! I am finishing my 3,500 to 4,000 meter workout and already know a hot cup of coffee, a tastee egg/ham sammy, and chairs full of master's swim buddies await me for the most important part of practice.....visiting with each other!!!!!!! :angel:

Age groupers overheard talking with one another after morning practice today: Girl 1: "I love your laugh." Girl 2: "Why?" Girl 1: "Because it makes me happy!" These were the 9 yr. olds

:applaud:Yonkers Masters Swimming has gotten the word that the pool we use - The Mark Twain Pool - is going to be reopened starting in November, 2010:applaud: Yeeeeeeehaw:bliss: