Swimming with Billy

I've downloaded the entry form and just filled it in. This will be my third masters competition after Gloucester and the Wickham/Gateshead. This one will be a real challenge because it's only, what, three weeks after the summer season. And you'll all know just how much I enjoy swimming at lunchtimes during the summer... Actually it's slightly worse this year, because I am taking 2.5 weeks holiday during it. And worse still the first week resulted in a particularly unhelpfull additional quater/half stone (depending when I use the scales!) additional weight gain - it's not muscle.

So whilst I want to do well (in that I want to beat the times I've posted thus far) I'm not totally hopeful.

However if you don't enter then you won't win... So I'm posting my PBs for the events - there isn't a 400M free in this (it's just a sprint event) and I've only got one event in the afternoon session, so I've decided to put my name down for the 100 fly (now that's a pretty stupid thing to do). Two problems with that cunning plan - firstly 100M is at least 50M too far! And secondly I've no idea what I'd swim 100 fly in, so I'm defering my time until Wednesday's tri session when I'll get some one to time me.

So my entries thus far are:

Well finally (much touching of wood) I've taken both my kids to the pool! My little girl goes quite often (both lessons where she's the world's longest serving "Shrimp", and playing) but my little boy with his bad/weak chest this is the first time I've taken him for, well years!

Actually he went on Monday(?) last week with the child minder and my little girl and a fww others. And as his chest "survived" I thought it's time to get him "into" swimming.

So he's on a promise of a present after we've been eight times (which should bring him close to his birthday).

So first thing me and him went and sat in the nursery pool. Coonsidering the last time I did this he cried his heart out (and then got ill). The fact he sat there and happily talked about his up-and-coming present, was I think a huge result.

Then drop him off and pick the girl up. And she had a brilliant "swim" with me. So she's still a Shrimp, but she'll be the best qualified shrimp that I can guarantee. What was really good today was that her "teacher" was pool side life-guarding. So before we got in we said hello - physcological stuff, to make my little girl try harder. And didn't she though? Really good attempts at front-paddle (aka doggie paddle). And she jumped in from the side four times, into my arms but that's a real first - she actually jumped (whereas at the end of yesterday's lesson she was almost in tears *not* jumping in after everyone else had finished.

Hopefully things are looking up.

Oh yes, I am in the process of creating a swimming reward chart for the boy (Super Nanny style) to focus his mind on the task ahead. Because he's so materialistic (quite depressing for a 3.75 year old) it should work like a charm!