Back In The Day
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Last night I did something I haven't done in quite awhile: watch TV.
I saw a tweet from Lisa Congdon that there was swimming on TV and that was enough to get me to tune in and I'm so glad I did.
I loved watching the US Olympic swimming trials. Watching those swimmers make their dreams come true was super inspiring (especially the ones who will be making their first trip).
I even loved watching a lot of the commercials that were sport and Olympic-related.
When a commercial break came on I ran upstairs to look in one of my old photo albums and see what swimming photos I could find. I found the two above from 1989 (I was 14).
I probably think about swimming, or have memories related to swimming, just about every day. It was such a huge part of my life in my early years into my first year of college.
The Olympics were never a dream of mine, but I loved swimming all the same.
I remember what it feels like: the training, the breathing, the gliding, the kick, the reach, the pull, the bite of the cold water first thing in the morning, the mental work-out, the exhaustion, the highs, the competition, the friendships, the winning and the losing. I remember when it felt really, really good and when it was really, really hard.
And I wonder why in the heck I'm not pushing my body and my mind in those same ways anymore.
Maybe this will be the season I get back in the pool for real.
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59 comments
I, too, swam in high school. Thanks for a beautifully written walk down memory lane!
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Cool photos! :)
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Ali- you mentioned the mental workout? What do you mean by that specifically? What do you think about when you swim for so long at a time?
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I found it mentally challenging in lots of ways - sometimes I loved the quiet time to think and I'd think about all the things happening in my life (school, friends, boyfriends, daydreams) and other times I was thinking about my stroke or how much farther I had to go and that I probably wasn't working hard enough and I should work harder. I bet it's similar for distance runners or other people who participate in individual sports. Lots of time for thinking and mental games.
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I love swimming too. I'm lucky enough to have (swimming) tickets for the London Olympics next month. I CAN'T WAIT!
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Love this trip down memory lane. I'm not much of a swimmer but I made sure all three of my girls learned to swim. All 3 were on a swim team and my oldest swam for her high school team. When she was 16 she swam across Lake Washington. She is now 26 and is planning on swimming the English Channel. I'm happy that I made learning to swim a priority when my kids were young.
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Do you have any idea what an inspiration you are?!?
Thank you for sharing.
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I love the pics. I love that you went to Decatur...I am a TJ grad. I didn't venture far....as I'm still in FW. I LOVE that you are sharing the love of the water with your kids this summer...you will get back in, I'm sure.
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I actually went to Bellarmine in Tacoma - they didn't have a swim team so any swimmers swam at their local high school.
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LOVE seeing these pictures of you - what a treasure. Early mornings, cold water, and the lung pain after being out of the water for a bit... all good times as I look back. Awesome Ali. This makes me smile.
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YOU CAN DO IT!!!
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Thanks for sharing! Great pictures. I think it is really useful to think back to our teen years and try to remember what we were like...what we were thinking and dreaming about.
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EXACTLY the way I feel. I was on swim team from 8th grade through college graduation. I loved it. Like you, my dreams never included the Olympics, but I knew every swimmer, mens and ladies, that were on top during the 1970s to early 1980s. I've caught a few of the races this year and it took me back. Thanks for the memories.
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Same in our house. My husband and his family were all swimmers through high school and he's been following the trials carefully. Can't wait for the Olympics except that NBC will tape delay them on the west coast :(
Get yourself back in the pool - trust me, you'll feel great. My husband didn't swim for a number of years and I kept getting after him to do it. Finally, he joined a master's swim club and LOVES it. He's back to swimming 3k yards twice a week.
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So happy to see you are back, missed you a lot
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My daughter was a competitive swimmer back in the late 80's and early 90's. As a parent I loved watching her swim! I love watching the olympics too. It brings back lots of funmemories!
Great pictures. I wish I had taken more of Juliet, but I have lots of video!
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This post hit close to home. I grew up a swimmer. Some years (my most dedicated ones) practically year round, 5am practices and all. I miss the dedication and I often dream about getting back into it. Hopefully the Olympic trials can inspire both of us to get back in the water. :)
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Ali, You are so close to the Track and Field Olympic Trials in Eugene! There is a huge Nike sponsored Track Town festival around Hayward. They blocked off the surrounding streets. You need to go through security to get in, but it is free and no tickets are needed. There are a ton of food vendors, beer gardens, and lots of interactive things for kids. (hoisting up to pole vault height, timed treadmill racing, generating energy by running in a cylinder etc.) With the huge video boards and being right next to the stadium the excitement of the Olympic trials is all around. If the weather is good you and the kids should go. I was there on Sunday and it was a real "event" with lots of kids having a great time.
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Oh I know all about it! The kids went with Chris to the opening ceremonies :).
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Added for clarification- no tickets are needed for Track Town. You do need tickets to get into Hayward Field Stadium.
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I was a swimmer in junior high and high school, and share many of your memories and feelings about it! I sometimes forget how much I loved the water, and really want to figure out a way to get back to it. Also, I can't wait for the swim competition in the Olympics - it's always my favorite part!
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Loved this post if for no other reason than it informed me about Lisa Congdon, who I actually grew up with (our families went to the same church), wasn't close to, but remember, and the link to her blog was interesting for me in that way. Thank you!
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:) I love this post. The determination you have is something your readers might think about. This really is inspiring. Now, let me see what I have missed back in the days... hmm. :)
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