Swim Class Fixer Upper

Do you know how “they” say that you should buy the fixer-upper in a really nice neighborhood as opposed to buying a mansion in the slums (whoever this proverbial “they” is)? In swim class I totally feel like the fixer-upper, and it is really a great place to be.

I wrote before about my astonishment to be placed in the fast lane in swim class. Today I write about the flip side of the experience. Although I am in the fast lane, enough people have dropped out of swim class that I am now the slowest in the fast lane. Not just a little slower, either, but significantly slower. I am the one who is bringing the rest of the property values in the lane down -- making them go slower and wait for me to finish laps to start the next set, etc.

However, it's a great place to be. I am so competitive and so it is really good for me not to completely excel at something but not to give up either. Additionally, I feel pressure (internal, fortunately, not from the teachers or my lane-mates) not to let the rest of the lane down -- I want to finish strong and I certainly want to go faster. I really try to push it and bust my hump on the work we do. This will help me in the end, I am sure -- pushing me to test my limits and ultimately helping me to become a better swimmer.

This is so much better than being the stud in the slower lane. I would not need to push nearly as hard if I were leading the other lane. I am very grateful to have the chance to push myself to the limit in the fast lane.

Like I mentioned before things lately have been starting to click on the exercise/lose weight/get healthy front and I have another victory to report! I have never been able to get out on the blocks of the pool -- instead I would always have to swim over to the ladder and get out this way, aka the wimp way. It has been a goal of mine to be able to get out on the blocks so I can swim in whatever lane I want and not have to worry about getting a lane on the periphery of the pool. Well, I can finally get out on the blocks! I went in Saturday and practiced over and over. There were only three of us in the pool (usually I'd guess there are about 15-25ish people) plus the guards, so I felt way less self conscious practicing. I finally was able to pull up over the bulkhead once. It took several tries and I was unable to repeat the feat (although I did get a nice blister on my pinky to show for my 20 minutes of hard work). Yesterday after class, though, I was able to do it again. I am confident that by the end of the semester it will be a piece of cake. I love that I was able to find synergy between this goal to get out on the blocks and my quest for the gun show, as really a lot of it is upper body strength.

I love being able to meet goals. I feel so empowered. GUN SHOW HERE I COME!