It’s funny, given the big leap of faith to learn back stroke, how it ends up being the beginner’s favorite stroke. Or is that just me?

When my daughter started competitive swimming, she could only compete in back stroke, because she couldn’t dive. Once she got diving down, her back stroke got slower and slower, to the point that it was her worst stroke.

My mother couldn’t swim any stroke except the back stroke. It is my favorite. It is so graceful, and the breathing is a no-brainer. I remember when I first started swimming regularly, I’d freak out any time some water splashed on my face while backstroking. Now I don’t really mind that kind of thing at all.

What’s your favorite stroke?

I woke up at 4:40, and I knew that if I went back to sleep, I’d never get up in time to swim, so I got up. I was in the pool by 5:25. I remember before when I swam in the 5 o’clock hour, when the Y opens, it was crowded. Not so today. The pool was never really full until after 6, when the swim team arrived.

I reached my goal for today, swimming 1100 total yards. But I was sore this time. That other goal I had? To not blow myself out on the first 25? I reached that one as well. I pushed through my 100 free ok, followed by 100 back and 100 breast. I was breathing a little hard by then, and was grateful for my cool down 50 of elementary back. Then it was IM time. I thought about how much more elementary back stroke I would swim if I did more IM’s. I felt like I might be swimming more efficiently, but not faster. It was a weird kind of streamlined sluggishness I was rocking, and my IM time reflects it. 2:55.39 is faster than the last time I swam an IM, but not one of my faster times.

I rounded out the set with repetitions of these two 100s: 25 free, 25 back, 25 free, 25 back, and 25 breast, 25 free, 25 back, 25 breast. But the first time I did the breast set I forgot what I was doing and had swum a 50 breast before I knew what was up. I quickly added the back and the free and moved on.

At 6, when the swim team started arriving, I was 300 yards from finishing. I thought I’d try to finish in my lane, but then decided to hop out and go to another lane before they asked me to move. They have specific lanes they practice in. I watched Michelle, a woman that used to swim with my big kids effortlessly gliding down the lane with other swim team members. Her flip turn was easy for her. I never even managed a flip turn today. I wasn’t so much winded as my shoulders were sore.

There’s always next week.

Spike Lee revolutionized the movie industry by producing inexpensive movies that made a lot of money. He has since been followed by many other directors.

Jim Ellis, the swim coach for the Philadelphia Department of Recreation turns out championship swimmers from a dilapidated facility. Many of his swimmers move on to swim in college and make the Olympic trials. It’s only a matter of time before one of his swimmers breaks through and makes the Olympic team.

His story was immortalized in the movie,
. If you haven’t seen it, where have you been? Get it immediately. Yesterday.

Jim Ellis has been fighting stereotypes and racism, not to mention a cold pool for decades. Imagine what he could do with good facilities.

I hope we get to find out!

I want to swim tomorrow. Or Wednesday. I plan on it one day this week. I just need to work out with my husband which day is good for him to watch the baby.

I love swimming so much, I’d like to do it much more often, but one day a week is what’s feasible at this point. I shouldn’t complain. Last year at this time, it was more like once or twice every two weeks.

So that’s progress.

I can’t wait ’til that first length. That feeling out the water, and the quick prayer followed by pushing off the wall in a streamline. Last week, I stayed under water until I’d almost reached the drop off to the deep end before coming up for my first breath. I paid for that by being completely winded after my first 50 free.

I look forward to working it out so I’m not so exhausted so early in my set. I look forward to warming up quicker. Now I don’t even feel warm until I’ve swum about 700. And I’m done by 1000 or so, so that’s too late!

When I get back in the pool, I’m adding 100 (assuming I have enough time that day), bringing my total yardage up to 1100. I can feel the cool stretching, yet burning sensation in my limbs if I think hard enough.

I can’t wait.

This video features four of my children in the pool at the same time. The same little girl swimming in the last video is five in this video, and she is joined by her three year old sister. The older children are in there as well. I even taped the baby climbing up the stairs in the viewing area. This really makes me want to get them all back in the pool!

Here’s a video of my now 9 year old learning to swim when she was 3. This was after a half year of no progress, so I was thrilled.