I kick my own ass

I am not a competitive person. I take little satisfaction in being better than people. Apparently, I have been this way my entire life. Mom says that when she asked me if I wanted to play sports as a kid I responded "What about the kids that lose?" I don't care if you can run faster than me, have a better test score than me, have a cooler car than me. Quite honestly the only thing I ever envy in others is good hair (ha!). This little factoid drives Travis crazy. Competitiveness is a Chapin trait, it's in their blood. Travis is that guy that will push himself at any type if sport until he vomits. I have also heard that his brother does the same thing. Me? Not so much.

What drives Travis even more crazy is the fact that I'm naturally athletic with a short attention span. I can pick up most sports after a few tries and excel if I choose to keep with it. I played three sports in high school (water polo, soccer and diving) but by my third year I was bored and opted to not participate. In fact, I was so over high school that I took two classes on campus and spent the rest of my time taking courses at the community college. I get bored very easily if I don't feel I can challenge myself enough.

What's the point in all this? That picture at the top has been my morning view lately. I like to exercise, it's in my genes. My dad is in his 60's still jogging, cycling and swimming. With my short attention span I rotate between three things to stay in shape (yoga, weight lifting/treadmill and swimming). I choose three activities that are virtually solitary because I don't like to compete with others. I don't need someone breathing down my neck to keep me moving, I can push myself.

I haven't swam since my last few months of pregnancy. It was hot, I was large and jumping off the treadmill every few mintues to pee was getting old. The pool felt good in the 90+ degree weather but I just puttered around back and forth with the kickboard. Now that I'm back to swimming I remember why I like it so much. I'm getting a great workout without that overheated/sweaty feeling. In the water it's just me and my thoughts, the rest of the world is silent. I glide through the water graceful, watching the black tiles of the lane marker as I go back and forth. Slow. Steady. Quitet. Such a lovely way to stay healthy.