My kind of swim meet

No, this is not a Turkish men's sauna. This is our own "warm pool" (I don't care if it feels like a bath of urine, I like it) filled (okay sprinkled) with swimmers waiting to race. If only all swim meets, like the informal intramural one we had today, consisted mainly of a bunch of nice people luxuriating in 85 degree water, I believe I'd participate in more than one per year.

Sure, I was able to clock a few substandard times in a couple of events, and I got a workout during the 6-7 timeframe, but today was much more rewarding than an average meet would be for me.

Not only was the warm water a bonus, but this morning at the meet I actually met more of my teammates than I had in a few years. Usually at these things I spend my time shivering or swimming back and forth to avoid frostbite, but today I was able to engage in a conversation that was more than a brief wall chat like "Yah, you going? If not, let me. I'm freezing." It was actually fun. Honest.


And here's Tim. G-d love him. How this man is still able to get himself fired up about the times we individually turn in at an informal event like this that few people show up for, I don't know. Is he faking it? When he shouts out a play by play of a race so we'll all know (the "we" that wouldn't dare leave our 85 degrees to watch a race besides our own) that Jim in lane 3 is catching up to John in lane 4 even though they still have 100 yards left to swim, is he truly excited about the prospect of John beating Jim? Or is he just a stellar actor? I think he really cares. And that rocks. And even if he doesn't, who cares? He makes us feel like he does, and that is what a great coach can do: motivate others through his own enthusiasm. We love you Tim!

And that brings me to a call to action. I'm not sure if anyone is even reading this, but if you are I encourage you to leave shout outs to Tim in the comment section below. Tell your favorite Timspirational story. Come on. The words are in you, just put 'em down. Here.