If you asked me how this decade went for me, I'd say: "Swimmingly!"
Why? I'll share a personal swimming milestone with you.
This week, I passed the 10,000,000 yard mark for yards swum this decade (2000-2009). (9,144 kilometers, or approx. 5,700 miles.)This started with an innocent remark that a teammate (Jim Merchant) made to me in January, 2000. He said: "I've had a couple of million-plus yard years." I thought, "That would be a fun goal." I ended 2000 with 1,177,000 yards.
All-told, I've had six million-plus yards years this decade: 2000-2003, and 2008-2009. The most yards was 2008 with 1.2 million. The biggest month was 142,000 yards (as part of a Max-Yards February).
The competitive highpoint was participating at the 2006 FINA World Swimming Championships.
Keeping track of yards has its upside and downside. The positive is that it kept me in the water a "little bit longer" per workout. For example, if I had done 3,300, I'd probably keep going until I got to 3,500 because it's easier to keep track of units of "500" and "000."
The negative, as many of you are probably thinking, is that it gets to be a little obsessive (but it's healthier than a lot of obsessions). I plan to stop keeping track after December (next month).
Swimming: what a great life-long sport!
Heartfelt congratulations!!
Keep it up (as long as you enjoy it)!
Regardless of your profound contributions elsewhere, the time spent swimming is (after family/loved ones) the best time invested in life! And, I assume some of the best "Creative Think" happens in the pool.
Posted by: Randy Bosch | 24 November 2009 at 12:39 PM
Congrats !!! You are doing great. Keep this great work. You can inspire anybody.
Posted by: nintendo dsi r4 | 25 November 2009 at 02:57 AM
Roger,
RE: 2 Ask "Why?"
“Is it against the law to yell ‘Movie!’ in a crowded fire house?”
1) Might depend on the jurisdiction.
2) But isn't the real question: If "It's crackers to slip a rozzer the dropsy in snide," is it rozzy to drop a cracker to a nipper of slide?
John (Shakespeare's Debtor)
Posted by: Shakespeare's Debtor | 26 November 2009 at 07:55 PM