Why Swim?

Solitude (sol-i-tood) - noun
    1. The state of being or living alone
    2. Remoteness from habitations
    3. A lonely, unfrequented place

Back and forth in a 25 yard pool, staring at a black line, not able to hear anyone else, not able to talk, having to restrict your breathing...sounds like a blast huh?  These are a few of the many hangups people have about swimming.  So why do people swim? Why do they love the sport so much?

There are many reason why people dedicate much of their lives to counting tiles on the bottom of the pool. For me, swimming provides the alone time that is much needed in anyone's day. When I swim, I can think of whatever I want.  I can sing that annoying song that is stuck in my head (that I only know the chorus of) over and over again. I can daydream and no one can snap me out of it.  It provides solitude. When you swim, it is just you. You against the clock. No one can break your concentration. No one can slow you down.  Coming from one of the greatest high school swim coaches the state of Iowa has ever seen, Judd Anderson, "There is no defense in swimming."  No one can get in your way of achieving your goals besides you. Every time you get in that pool the only opponent you can control is the clock. You cannot control how fast the people around you swim. Just yourself.  That is why swimming is one of the most interesting sports on the planet.

I'll tell you right now, sometimes swimming gets extremely boring. Repeat 1-mile swims, 1 hour swims, 100x100. All of these can and will get repetitive and boring. I guarantee it. But the results are outstanding.  Once you can get over staring at a black line, swimming will do more for you than get you in shape. It will open doors and make way for new opportunities.