Virginia Is For Health Nuts: Swim the Lake

Hey all!

My days here in Colorado are winding down as well and I just couldn't leave without completing a neighborhood tradition- swimming around the lake!

I am lucky enough to have a lake in the middle of my neighborhood and it is the center of life for the people of the neighborhood, particularly during the summer. Although there is only a certain designated swimming area that the life-guards watch, if you are up for the adventure you can swim the buoys that lie around the lake for the sailboat races. And today my sister and I were up for the adventure!

I grew up swimming on my country club's swim team but I would never call myself a swimmer, so I was actually pretty nervous about swimming all the way around the lake (over a mile!). And indeed the swim around the first buoy was pretty rough- combination of some awful goggles, me still trying to crack jokes to my sister, and my complete inability to swim in a straight line lead to me looking, well, pretty pathetic. However after a goggle change out and a renewed focus, I settled into a rhythm. By the time we were closing in on the shore, I found myself wishing that I could go farther.

One of my biggest health weaknesses is that I have terrible upper body strength and I felt that swimming was a great way to work out my whole upper body. Swimming was also a nice alternative to running because it takes the pressure off your knees while still getting a good aerobic work-out. I don't know how much I will start incorporating swimming into my work-out regimen but I had so much fun with it today!

Much thanks to Peter, the life-guard that so kindly followed my sister and I in the life-guard boat making sure we didn't drown!

After the swim my dad and I went for a short run around the lake (so much for the no pressure on my knees) before we headed down to the beach for a family and friends picnic dinner. All the families brought a dish and it all looked so yummy!!