Swimming!

Sorry for the long gap between posts. My life is crazy busy recently. I've started swimming again for my high school. Although I'm not officially on the team, I go to Tuesday-Thursday varsity practices. I have to make sacrifices and compromises now that I have a job. It's hard to do sometimes, and I feel more weighed down. However, I like both, and even though it means I can't swim at most meets, I don't want to stop. Anyways, practice hasn't been as hard as I expected. Yes, we have some exhausting days, but it evens out with some really easy ones. Still, for the first couple weeks, I don't think I've ever missed more intervals in my life! I'm one of the worst at varsity practice, but I am okay with that because it doesn't put pressure on me (although of course I would love to improve). I enjoy it, I love to be in the water. When I'm swimming, I think of nothing else but my breathing and strokes. It is amazing what it does for my mind, as I worry and analyze and plan a lot.  Also, for those of you who are not aware, swimming is one of the best cardio exercises! It burns a TON of calories and has the lowest chance of hurting you. I've had knee problems, so at one point running really put me in pain, while swimming is non-impact.

Here's some swimming tidbits:
1. Chlorine is your new perfume. Seriously.
2. Nothing beats the state of mind of while swimming and being so in tune with your body.
3. Your hair gets knotted at the base of your cap. You'll have to cut tiny knots out. Yeah, OUCH.
4. You can get in shape fast, if you keep at it and push yourself.
5. No, swim caps do NOT keep your hair dry.
6. Some of the best feelings I've gotten are from nailing a dive or flip turn, improving my time, or being satisfyingly tired after a challenging practice!

More on my busy life recently. I probably got myself in over my head, but I'm just trying to think of it as running the gauntlet for 3 weeks. Here's my situation: I offered to cover for my coworkers 3 Saturdays in a row. I already work Sundays, Mondays, and Fridays. Go to school Monday through Friday (obviously) and swim Tuesday through Thursday. Working both weekend days for 3 weeks means I won't be able to sleep in for almost 4 weeks. On the days I don't have work, I swim, and visa versa. I won't have one "off" day for 4 WEEKS!!! To me, that is a long time. So far I've been holding up just ok, although noticeably more tired. Another downside to this is my almost nonexistent social life just got completely nonexistent (except seeing my friends at work and school). I just need to get through March, and then I feel like everything will be downhill from there.