Me?!

As he walked over to me this morning on the pool deck, I wondered what one of what I call "the middle-aged big dogs" wanted?  Probably going to ask me to clear the lane.  I am not very fast and these guys race each other and do tough sets every day.  I just motor along.

"Hey Nancy, do you want to join our mixed relay swim team when we compete next year?"  I nearly fell over.  "We need a couple more women, so why not give it a try?" he added.  "Well, I do qualify, but only on the gender front.  I'm not fast," I replied.  "Doesn't matter, it's just for fun and it's a great time," he added.

The method in his madness, of course, is that I will considerably up the age of our team.  The way it works is they add up the ages of everyone on each team and then slot each accordingly.  The more collective years, the older the category and scores are adjusted....or something like that.  Anyway, they have invited me because I'm old.   

When I first started swimming at Spray Lakes here in Cochrane, I was just another old bag cluttering up the lanes.  But then the "big dogs" found out I was the mother of someone they know in their triathlon world.  That gave me a little status and a smidgen of respect in their eyes.  Shouldn't be like that, but it is.  Hey, I'll take whatever add-on points I can get.

So, how do you like them apples!  Of course I said yes to the relay team, but who knows?  I might be dead by next year.  But if I'm not, I'll be all in!

A few years ago, one of the lifeguards at the Crowfoot Pool, where I used to swim, actually asked me if I wanted to join her waterpolo team.  I kid you not!  Flattered, I declined because it would have meant expensive, out-of-town travel, but it sure was nice to have been asked.

So, folks, all I can say is keep moving!